Asbestos survey requirement is based on several complementary regulations in Finland, and in 2025 and 2026 new EU-level requirements have also entered the field. The survey is mandatory before all renovations and demolition works in buildings that were built before 1994. This article compiles the current legislation, responsibilities and sanctions in a situation where the obligation is not complied with.
Current asbestos survey requirement and key regulations
Finnish asbestos regulation is built on several levels of legislation. The most important regulations are:
- Government Decree on asbestos work 798/2015, which is still valid and which defines the obligation of surveying, asbestos removal permit requirements and working methods.
- Occupational Safety Act 738/2002, which imposes a general obligation on the employer to identify and eliminate workplace hazards.
- Decree of the Government on the safety of construction work 205/2009 and Decree on removal work 644/2015, which define the design and safety obligations of the demolition project.
- EU Directive 2023/2668, which significantly lowers the limit value of workers' exposure to asbestos. The member states must implement the directive into national legislation during the transition period, and in Finland the change will become part of occupational health and safety regulations in the next few years.
What is changing 2025 and 2026
The EU directive 2023/2668 is the most significant reform in a decade. The directive lowers the permitted limit value for asbestos fibers significantly from the previous one, and it requires more accurate measurement technology and stricter work methods. In Finland, the national implementation is progressing in stages, and the exact schedule is coming with the preparation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Labor and Economy. The basic obligation of asbestos survey before renovation and demolition has remained unchanged, but the quality requirements of survey and the accuracy of reporting are getting stricter.
Who is responsible for commissioning an asbestos survey
You are always responsible for ordering the survey by the client of the work. In a single-family house, the customer is usually the owner, in a housing association the board or property manager, and in construction projects the developer. A contractor performing removal work cannot accept work without an asbestos survey report. The customer is also responsible for ensuring that the surveyor has sufficient qualifications and that the report is up-to-date.
When is asbestos survey legally mandatory
An asbestos survey is mandatory whenever demolition or renovation is carried out in a building built before 1994, where the original structures are destroyed. The obligation applies, for example, to the following situations:
- Bathroom or plumbing renovations in apartment, terraced and single-family houses.
- Kitchen renovations, where old tiles or carpets are removed.
- Renewal of heat distribution rooms and pipe insulation.
- Renewal of windows, doors and seals in old houses.
- Facade and roof renovations involving Minerit boards or asbestos cement.
- Line renovations of housing associations.
In properties built after 1994, surveying is not required by law, because the import, manufacture and use of asbestos-containing materials was completely prohibited on January 1, 1994.
Sanctions for breach of obligation
Demolition or renovation work done without an asbestos survey is an occupational safety violation and can lead to significant penalties. Typical sanctions include a suspension order from the occupational safety and health authority, fines, loss of insurance compensation in employee injury situations, and personal liability for damages. In addition, a renovation done without a survey can ruin habitability due to asbestos fiber contamination, and cleaning can easily cost tens of thousands of euros.
How Asbesti.pro helps to fulfill the regulations
Asbesti.pro produces asbestos surveys that meet the requirements of the law throughout Finland. The service is structured in such a way that the subscriber gets all the necessary documentation: sampling, laboratory analysis, and official report with one order. The report is valid as it is for the removal company, building control and the board of the housing company. Order an asbestos survey, and you will ensure that your renovation proceeds 2026 in accordance with the regulations in force from day one.