Asbestos – Building in existing buildings

In October 2021, the brochure “Branchenlösung Asbestos beim Bauen im Bestand – Handlungshilfe für Tätigkeiten an asbesthaltigen Putz, Spachtelmassen und Fliesenklebern” was published by BG BAU (Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft). It is intended to provide companies and employees involved in building work with asbestos with important practical guidance on protective measures.


The “Industry solution for asbestos in existing buildings” was developed by the associations of the construction industry and construction-related services, the trade union IG BAU and employers’ liability insurance associations. It can be downloaded free of charge at: www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Broschuere_Flyer/Branchenlösung_Asbest_beim_Bauen_im_Bestand.pdf .

The new 31-page manual provides clear and important information on handling asbestos in building materials during renovation projects. It is aimed at all professionals, especially tradespeople, who may come into contact with asbestos in their work hazardous substance. It sets out the requirements and measures for their protection for work carried out by tradespeople. With this guide, the planned asbestos regulations of the BMAS (Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs) of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance on Asbestos are already explained in practice. In general, strict protective measures based on EU regulations apply to work on asbestos-contaminated buildings. The Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances 519 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance also provides detailed regulations on asbestos during demolition, renovation or maintenance work.


Construction in existing buildings” refers to value-preserving or value-enhancing construction measures on existing buildings in accordance with HOAI. This can involve maintenance, modernization, conversions, extensions and reconstruction of old buildings. It has only been known since 2015 that asbestos can be found in building materials that were previously considered harmless, such as tile adhesives, plasters and fillers. This applies to buildings constructed up to 1994. In 1993, on 31.10.1993, the manufacture, placing on the market and use of asbestos was banned.

In old buildings up to this year of construction, asbestos, which is hazardous to health, is often still present in the building materials and can cause cancer and other diseases even years later. Even if it is usually only present in small quantities in the materials, it is released in large concentrations, particularly when the building is worked on over a large area. The asbestos fibers then enter the body via the air we breathe and can cause serious illnesses. Tradesmen who regularly carry out renovation and modernization work in old buildings are affected by these pathogenic influences. They are often unaware of the materials in which asbestos is “hidden”. The asbestos-containing fibers, which are hazardous to health, can then be released during heavy mechanical work such as chipping, drilling, floor grinding, etc.


Asbestos measurement with SG12 measuring devices

The GSA measuring devices online store offers special measuring devices to measure possible health hazards caused by asbestos and its presence in buildings, especially renovations. For example, the SG12 can be used to carry out stationary fibre measurements for asbestos fibers in indoor air and outdoor air in accordance with VDI 3492 and ISO 14966 as part of planned construction measures in existing buildings. This measuring device also measures other inorganic fibrous particles such as KMF (artificial mineral fibers) and other inorganic fibers. It is also suitable for particle measurements of the dust fractions A-dust and E-dust.


Sources:

Image source for contribution image: 123rf.com © happylenses, image file no. 92478396

www.bauenimbestand24.de/broschuere-schutz-vor-asbest-beim-bauen-im-bestand-02122021

www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Broschuere_Flyer/Branchenlösung_Asbest_beim_Bauen_im_Bestand.pdf