Old insulation can contain asbestos. Since 21 December 2025 a new Asbestos Executive Order applies, and everyone who carries out asbestos work must have AMU training. Here are the rules step by step: pre-survey, notification, cordoning off, low-dust methods, protective equipment, waste and the limit value, which falls from 0,003 to 0,002 fibres per cm³ on 21 December 2029.
Introduction
Asbestos is a group of fibrous silicates — actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite and tremolite — classified as carcinogenic category 1A (Executive Order no. 1328 of 19/11/2025 on asbestos in the working environment, § 3). The insulator meets asbestos when old insulation is to be repaired or removed. The Danish Working Environment Authority itself mentions «enkelte rørbøjninger med asbestholdig isolering» (individual pipe bends with asbestos-containing insulation) and «asbestforurenet isoleringsmateriale på loftrum» (asbestos-contaminated insulation in lofts) as examples of asbestos work; for bricklayers it is e.g. individual tiles fixed with asbestos-containing tile adhesive and individual asbestos-containing roof sheets.
What is asbestos work?
Asbestos work is work with asbestos and asbestos-containing material, including demolition, removal of asbestos-contaminated material, cleaning of asbestos dust and clean-up after fires, storm damage and collapses (§ 5). Demolition is the complete or partial removal of asbestos-containing material — and the cleaning, the packing of the waste and the preparation for removal are part of it (§ 6).
Demolition may only be carried out by companies authorised by the Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen, formerly the Danish Safety Technology Authority). The exception is «kortvarigt nedrivningsarbejde af mindre karakter» (short-term demolition work of a minor nature) (§ 7) — such as removing individual pipe bends with asbestos-containing insulation.
1. Pre-survey — before you cut into anything
Before demolition, repair or maintenance, a pre-survey must establish which materials can be presumed to contain asbestos. If necessary, material samples are taken for asbestos analysis, and the results must be available to the employees at the workplace (§ 10).
“If there is the slightest reason to suspect the presence of asbestos in a material or a building, the work must be treated as asbestos work and carried out according to the rules of this Executive Order.”
— Executive Order no. 1328 of 19/11/2025, § 10(1)
2. Notification and work plan
The employer notifies the Danish Working Environment Authority of the asbestos work digitally via Virk before the work starts — as far as possible no later than 3 days in advance (§ 11 and § 12). Among other things, the notification contains a list of those who will carry out the work, with their training and the date of their latest health examination. Before demolition there must also be a written work plan, and the asbestos materials must as far as possible be removed separately (§ 13).
Notification is not required when exposure is sporadic and of low intensity, the limit value is clearly not exceeded, and the work is short-term maintenance of materials that are not friable, encapsulation of asbestos-containing material in good condition, or sampling (§ 11(2)). The pre-survey, training and protective equipment still apply.
3. Cordon off and put up signs
The area must be clearly cordoned off, and only those who carry out the work may enter. The warning sign must bear the text «PAS PÅ! ASBESTARBEJDE. Ingen adgang for uvedkommende» (CAUTION! ASBESTOS WORK. No unauthorised access) (§ 14). With significant amounts of asbestos dust — in particular during demolition — the area is enclosed with a dust-tight tent, access is through an airlock, and the tent is kept under negative pressure with cleaned extraction to the open air (§ 14(3)).
4. Low-dust methods — never high-pressure washing
- 01Use working methods and tools that produce as little dust as possible (§ 15).
- 02Remove the dust with on-tool extraction. If that is not possible, the dust is moistened continuously so that it settles (§ 15).
- 03The on-tool extraction must have a monitoring device that signals when the volume of air falls to an insufficient level (§ 17).
- 04The vacuum cleaner must be suitable for the purpose (§ 16).
- 05High-pressure washing of asbestos-containing material is prohibited (§ 19). The Danish Working Environment Authority cannot grant exemptions (§ 41(2)), and previous exemptions lapsed on 1 July 2026 (§ 44(2)).
- 06Clean continuously, and finish with a thorough final cleaning and — indoors — thorough ventilation (§ 20 and § 21).
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