EU Asbestos Directive: Germany faces a bureaucratic challenge

At the end of July, the Ministry of Labor presented a draft bill for the implementation of the EU Asbestos Directive into national law. Construction associations and the painting and decorating trade consider implementation in this form to be simply disproportionate and unacceptable.

This article is part of the special topic Bureaucratic madness in the craft industry

There is no way around implementing the EU directive.Germany had two years to implement the regulations into national law. That deadline expires at the end of this year. The question, however, is what is practically feasible and where adjustments can be made to ensure that craft businesses are not negatively impacted. Paralyzed by excessive bureaucracy .

Approval of demolition work

"In its current form, it would be not only extensive demolition work is affected"...but also, for example, the removal of a tile backsplash during a bathroom renovation," says Norbert Kluger, expert for hazardous materials at the BG BAUBecause according to the EU directive, a "Asbestos demolition" must be officially approved by the authorities.This has enormous implications for the progress of renovation work, as approval must be obtained from the authorities before every small-scale renovation action in an asbestos-containing building. The scope of information required when reporting activities involving asbestos is also being expanded.Specifically, this means that the names of the employees must be verified. Proof of expertise is required from the supervisors on site. as well as proof of expertise (i.e. basic knowledge of asbestos) for the employees plus the date of the last preventive medical examination.

Training courses not yet available on the market

In the aforementioned trades, these certificates (i.e., proof of expertise/specialized knowledge) do not yet exist, as painters and varnishers, electricians, or plumbing, heating, and air conditioning (HVAC) companies have not been affected so far or did not feel affected by the regulations.This will be a major challenge for tradespeople and authorities.",” says Kluger. Corresponding training programs are not yet available on the market.

The Central Association of the Construction Industry (ZDB) launched a campaign for this purpose Survey of training institutions, with sobering results. While there are courses for the "comprehensive certificate of competence" with 17 teaching units, which is usually must be provided by the on-site supervisorHowever, the smaller specialist course with ten teaching units for employees has not yet arrived in educational institutions.

Training opportunities in the skilled trades urgently need to be expanded.

But how can we get out of this mess without paralyzing construction sites in Germany? Maintain proportionality and increase training opportunities, according to the proposal of Federal Association of Paint Design Building ProtectionRoutine work in the area of ​​functional maintenance, such as removing wallpaper. They should not be affected by the new regulation.When providing documentation for employees, the issue of employee turnover must be taken into account, otherwise The bureaucratic burden is increasing immeasurably..

To manage the enormous training requirements, it must be possible for supervisory staff who possess the required expertise to conduct in-house training. However, due to a current lack of available training opportunities, the necessary expertise cannot be achieved by the end of the year.

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Significant changes

For activities involving asbestos in low or medium risk areas, a A transitional period for proving expertise will be inserted until December 5, 2027.During the transitional period, the supervising person must demonstrate their expertise and take measures to prevent the emergence of Release and spread of asbestos fibers and potentially asbestos-containing dust prevent or minimize as much as possible.

As part of the implementation of the EU Asbestos Directive for companies carrying out demolition work in low or medium risk areas, a Approval requirement plannedThe permit should be granted based on a company-specific notification if the employer has demonstrated that the necessary personnel and safety equipment for the activities is available and the Compliance with the relevant occupational safety regulations is ensured. The permit is then granted for a period of six years.

Furthermore, as part of a one-to-one implementation, supplementary information is required when notifying the authorities of activities involving asbestos. Specifically, this information includes a list of the employees expected to be deployed, as well as... Proof of expertise and recent preventive care.
Source: ZDH

Asbestos in existing buildings: A guide for trade-related activities A guide for handling asbestos in craft-related activities is Available free of charge as a PDF on the BG BAU websiteIn addition to information on protective measures and disposal, the guide includes, among other things, a checklist of the measures. bgbau.de

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