Asbestos Competent Person (ASI works)
Planning and supervision of demolition, renovation and maintenance work on asbestos, exposure assessment, containment and protective measures, disposal records. Qualified per TRGS 519, work governed by GefStoffV.
TRGS 519 · GefStoffV
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What does an Asbestos Competent Person do?
An Asbestos Competent Person (Sachkundige Person nach TRGS 519) plans and supervises demolition, renovation and maintenance work on asbestos-containing material, known as ASI works (Abbruch, Sanierung, Instandhaltung). The technical anchor is TRGS 519 (Asbest, Abbruch-, Sanierungs- oder Instandhaltungsarbeiten), which builds on the Gefahrstoffverordnung (GefStoffV) and the limit values and minimisation duties for carcinogenic substances. Asbestos is a category 1A carcinogen, so the work is tightly regulated.
The competent person assesses the building substance, identifies the type and condition of asbestos, and produces a work plan with the appropriate protective measures. They determine the exposure category, decide between procedures of low exposure and full containment, and set up black/white zones (Schwarz-Weiss-Bereiche), negative-pressure enclosures, decontamination units and personal protective equipment such as respiratory protection per the GefStoffV and the relevant DGUV rules. The TRGS 519 acceptance and tolerance concept and the air limit value guide the choice of measures.
Before work starts, the competent person ensures the notification to the competent authority and accident insurer is filed, that workers have a fitness assessment under the ArbMedVV, and that waste is handled and documented as hazardous waste. After completion, they organise clearance measurement, disposal records (Entsorgungsnachweise) and the project file. The role carries personal responsibility on site for compliance with TRGS 519 and the GefStoffV minimisation principle.
Core duties of an Asbestos Competent Person
- Assess building substance and identify the type, condition and quantity of asbestos.
- Prepare a written work plan with protective measures per TRGS 519 and GefStoffV.
- Determine the exposure category and choose procedures of low exposure or full containment.
- Set up black/white zones, negative-pressure enclosures and decontamination units.
- Specify and enforce respiratory protection and personal protective equipment on site.
- File the notification to the authority and accident insurer before work begins.
- Ensure workers have the required occupational health assessment under ArbMedVV.
- Organise clearance air measurement before releasing the area.
- Document disposal as hazardous waste and keep disposal records (Entsorgungsnachweise).
- Maintain the project file and exposure documentation for the retention period.
Qualification and appointment
TRGS 519 requires that ASI works on asbestos are led on site by a person holding the relevant Sachkunde (competence) certificate. The qualification is acquired through a state-recognised course concluding with an examination; the certificate must be refreshed by attending update training, typically within a six-year cycle, to keep the recognised competence current. The employer carrying out the work must appoint at least one competent person who is present for the duration of the work.
The duty flows from the GefStoffV, which obliges the employer to minimise exposure to carcinogenic substances and to ensure that hazardous work is directed by suitably qualified persons. The firm must also be notified to and, for many activities, recognised by the competent authority before carrying out asbestos work. The competent person draws up the work plan, instructs the workers, and bears on-site responsibility that the measures in TRGS 519 are implemented.
Appointment is triggered by any planned demolition, renovation or maintenance that disturbs asbestos-containing material, from removing asbestos cement boards to working on sprayed coatings or floor adhesives. Even small maintenance interventions on identified asbestos require a competent person and the corresponding notifications. A change of project, a new site, or expiry of the refresher interval each call for a fresh appointment or re-qualification.
- Any demolition, renovation or maintenance disturbing asbestos-containing material.
- Removal of asbestos cement, sprayed coatings, insulation or floor adhesives.
- A new ASI project or site requiring an on-site competent person.
- Expiry of the refresher cycle for an existing Sachkunde certificate.
- Discovery of previously unknown asbestos during other works.
- Authority notification or recognition required before starting work.
Where Asbestos Competent Persons are required
- Demolition and dismantling
- Building renovation and refurbishment
- Facility and property management
- Construction and trades
- Roofing and facade work
- Industrial plant maintenance
- Housing associations and landlords
- Public buildings and infrastructure
How CIVAC supports the Asbestos Competent Person role
CIVAC structures each ASI project so the TRGS 519 obligations are not missed. Task templates cover the sequence from exposure assessment and work plan through authority and accident-insurer notification, fitness assessments under ArbMedVV, clearance measurement and disposal records. Reminders track the six-year refresher cycle for the Sachkunde certificate so the competent person stays validly qualified. The audit trail stores work plans, notifications, air-measurement results and disposal records (Entsorgungsnachweise) per project, giving a defensible file for authorities and the accident insurer. Training records evidence competence, and all data is held with EU data residency.
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