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New EU Guidance

On 18 December 2025, the Commission has adopted the “Guidelines for managing asbestos related health and safety risks at work” to help national authorities, employers and workers implement the revised Directive 2009/148/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work. The unit C2 Health and Safety at Work of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion has prepared these guidelines in close cooperation with the contractor RPA Europe Prague and the tripartite representatives of the Working Group Chemicals of the Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work. This guide was also developed with the extensive involvement of stakeholders. The consultation included for example ten online workshops with more than 800 participants and 20 pilot discussions on the draft guide including nine site visits.

More than 50 photos of asbestos management in real life situations, many of which have been taken in close cooperation with stakeholders during on-site visits, form an integral part of the document. Furthermore, existing good practices of asbestos management on the level of the member states are made available to the reader by means of more than 40 cases studies and other practical examples. The document thus shows a holistic and realistic picture of asbestos management in the EU and provides readers with structured guidance on how to deal with asbestos.

New Asbestos Regulations

The new Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos)(Amendment) Regulations 2025, S.I. No 632 have been signed. They update the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006, the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 and include the requirements of Directive (EU) 2023/2668. The three separate regulations will be referred to collectively as the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006-2025. The Regulations are available for download from the Irish Statute Book www.irishstatutebook.ie.

The Health and Safety Authority has also published the 2025 Code of Practice for the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006-2026. The new COP is available for download.

Key regulatory changes

• Mandatory Asbestos Identification: All employers must assess structures for asbestos before any work activities and undertake an exposure risk assessment.
• Lower Exposure Limits: The occupational exposure limit is reduced to 0.01 fibres/cm³ from 21st December 2025.
• Permit System: A permit must be obtained in advance of undertaking work with asbestos. This is via the Notification Process. The HSA will publish a list of those who obtained a permit.
• Worker Protection Measures: Enhanced training requirements for asbestos workers. There is also a change to the contents of the Training Certificate.
• Medical Monitoring and Disease Register: Workers exposed to asbestos will require specific health surveillance and exposure monitoring.
• Improved Detection Methods: By 2029, electron microscopy will be needed to allow detection of thin asbestos fibres. Further
• A new Code of Practice is being issued.

What this means for employers and employees

• Notification - An increased number of asbestos work activities require notification, with training records submitted in advance. See Asbestos Notifications - Health and Safety Authority.
• Permit Number - Employers must obtain a unique permit number from the Health and Safety Authority before work with asbestos. See Asbestos Notifications - Health and Safety Authority.
• Improved Work Practices: Employers will need to implement stricter controls to minimise asbestos exposure of workers in order to meet the new OELV and reduce exposure as far as technically possible. There must be a site-specific risk assessment of all the hazards and selection of appropriate site-specific controls to prevent and reduce exposure, that takes account of the OELV. There is an increased emphasis on prevention of passive and secondary exposures. See Guidelines for managing asbestos related health and safety risks at work | Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
• Expanded Training Requirements: Some existing asbestos removal workers will require additional training. There is also a change to the contents of the Training Certificate. Together with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the minimum training requirements have been summarised and can be found here:. See Asbestos Training Requirements.
• Enhanced Personal Exposure Monitoring:. The requirements for this have changed to take account of operational phases. Regular personal exposure monitoring will be required throughout the different phases of the work. This information is in the 2025 Code of Practice. 
• Medical Surveillance: More asbestos workers will be required to have health assessments. The exemptions in relation to the assessment of the health of employees under Regulation 5(b) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006-2010 are being removed. See Asbestos - Health Surveillance & Records - Health and Safety Authority.

EU Guidance on Asbestos

The European Commission’s DG Employment has contracted a consortium led by RPA Europe Prague s.r.o. (RPA Prague) and Risk & Policy Analysts Ltd (RPA Ltd) to support the development of an EU guidance document for the safe management of asbestos at work. The aim of the guidance document is to provide practical guidance on preventing and reducing occupational exposure to asbestos for employers, workers, occupational health and safety services and experts, and others concerned with advice on the safe management of asbestos at work. This study involved the collection of information from key stakeholders across 27 Member States and key third countries through direct requests, workshops, and pilots. See RPA Guidance for the safe management of asbestos at work.