The Government Decree on asbestos work safety was revised, and the key changes came into force on December 21, 2025. The aim of the reform is to reduce workers’ exposure to asbestos fibers and ensure that asbestos demolition work is carried out more safely, systematically, and consistently.
The changes apply in particular to exposure control, work planning, training, and the use of personal protective equipment as well as ensuring that it remains in proper working condition.
The regulation sets a binding asbestos exposure limit of 0.01 fibers/cm³ of breathing air as an 8-hour average. The new limit is ten times lower than the previous 0.1 fibers/cm³ (8-hour average). Compliance with the limit must be monitored through measurements, and the measurement results must be used in determining work planning, work methods, and protective measures.
Greater attention is now being paid to exposure control, especially in situations where the release of asbestos fibers is likely.
Asbestos work must be carefully planned before work begins. The risk assessment must cover:
- the materials to be removed and their condition
- the potential release of asbestos dust
- the work methods to be used
- the required technical controls and personal protective equipment
In addition, advance notice of asbestos demolition work must be submitted to the authority, and any deviations identified during the work must be addressed immediately.
Workers involved in asbestos work must be provided with sufficient training and instruction, and the training must be up to date, documented, and repeated at regular intervals. The goal is to ensure that workers recognize asbestos-related risks, know how to use the correct work methods, and work safely at every stage.
The regulation clarifies the use of personal protective equipment in asbestos work and emphasizes ensuring that the equipment remains in proper working condition. Protective equipment must be:
- suitable for its intended use
- properly maintained
- tight-fitting and used correctly
The fit and function of respirators must be checked before use and regularly during use.
One of the most significant clarifications in the regulation concerns respiratory protection in situations where friable asbestos-containing materials are being removed. In such work, a full-face mask supplied with breathing air from a compressed air system must be used. In practice, this means that:
- breathing air comes from a clean, pressurized source
- positive pressure is created inside the respirator, preventing contaminated air from entering the breathing zone
- the level of protection is clearly higher than in solutions based on filtering respirators or powered air-purifying respirators