Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the employer is obliged to examine and assess the risk of exposure to asbestos dust. Workers are particularly exposed to asbestos in the mining and construction industries in renovation construction and demolition work. The possibility of exposure to asbestos should also be taken into account in installation.
Asbestos exposure threshold will become lower and measurement rules will become more specific
A significant change for employers will be the tightening of the threshold for exposure to asbestos and the specification of the rules on exposure measurements. On 21 December 2025, the binding threshold for occupational exposure to asbestos will decrease to a level of 0.01 fibers per cubic centimetre of breathing air as an eight-hour average.
From 21 December 2026 onwards, electron microscopic methods shall be used to determine fiber concentrations. Simultaneously, specifications related to the thickness of the fibers to be determined will also enter into force.
The employer must ensure that workers’ exposure to asbestos will not exceed the binding threshold. Work exposing to asbestos must always be planned so that asbestos dust is minimized and the number of exposed workers is minimized.
The guidance of employees and the testing methods of tools will be specified
Employers’ obligations regarding the teaching and guidance provided to workers exposed to asbestos will be updated. Teaching and guidance must be reprovided at regular intervals, and a written certificate is required.
The decree will also contain more detailed testing methods for work equipment and protective equipment, such as respiratory protective equipment and air handling equipment. The objective is to improve the safety and working condition of the equipment. If compliance with the threshold requires the use of a face-condensing respirator, the protective equipment must be tested for leakage before use and at least every one year after that. In addition, the filtration efficiency of the air treatment equipment used in asbestos removal work must be tested at least annually.
The employer must safeguard the safety and health of employees
If asbestos dust is suspected to be released at work and asbestos has not been identified before the work is started, the work must be discontinued. The work may only be continued once the employer has examined the risk of exposure and has taken the necessary measures to protect the employee’s health.
All workers exposed to asbestos must be reported to the register of persons exposed to carcinogenic substances and methods in their profession (ASA register), which contributes to ensuring that occupational safety is considered in work that exposes them to asbestos.
– More than 4,000 workers exposed to asbestos are reported to the ASA register every year. Asbestos continues to be a significant exposure factor in Finnish working life, says Chief Specialist Tapani Tuomi from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
– Changes in thresholds and safety requirements require careful planning and monitoring at workplaces. It is important for employers to keep up with the new requirements and ensure the safety of the work, Tuomi says.
More information
- Tapani Tuomi, Chief Specialist, +358 30 474 2926, tapani.tuomi [at] ttl.fi (tapani[dot]tuomi[at]ttl[dot]fi)
Read more
- Government Decree on the Safety of Asbestos Work | 798/2015 | Translations of statutes | Finlex
- Government Decree amending the Government Decree on the Safety of Asbestos Work (in Finnish)
- ASA Register | Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (in Finnish)
