In brief
Art. 7 of the Regulation on Work with Asbestos requires the building to be inspected and materials that may contain asbestos to be identified before demolition, removal, repair and maintenance work; if there is any doubt, the regulation applies. Materials such as old roof sheets, pipe and boiler lagging and vinyl floor tiles are not broken, drilled, sanded or removed until a sample has been taken and analysed by an authorised laboratory.
Is there asbestos in the building? Ask before renovation
You have rented an old factory building, or decided to renew the roof of the warehouse you have used for years. The contractor has put up scaffolding to remove the roof sheets and got the angle grinder ready to cut the old pipes in the boiler room. The question to ask before work starts is simple: is there asbestos in the building?
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral resistant to heat and chemicals and was widely used in building materials in the past. Today in Turkey, the extraction, processing, sale and import of all types of asbestos and the production and sale of products containing asbestos are banned (Regulation on Health and Safety Measures in Work with Asbestos Art. 5). However, asbestos-containing materials may still be in place in buildings constructed before the ban. Intact, undisturbed material does not release fibres; the problem starts when the material is broken, cut or crumbles. Inhaled asbestos fibres are associated with serious diseases that appear years later, such as asbestosis, lung cancer and cancer of the lining of the lung (mesothelioma).
The regulation therefore places responsibility at the start of the work:
Suspect asbestos materials: where to look?
The materials in which asbestos is most often found in old buildings are listed below. This list is not a finding but a list of places to look; only laboratory analysis can tell whether asbestos is present.
| Material | Where in the building? | When to suspect it? |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos cement sheets | Corrugated roof sheets, cladding, partition walls | Grey sheets of unknown age and manufacturer with a fibrous cross-section |
| Asbestos cement pipes | Rainwater downpipes, flue pipes, old water and wastewater lines | Grey, thick-walled pipes that are not plastic or cast iron |
| Pipe and boiler lagging | Boiler room, steam and hot water lines, bends | White or grey, wrapped or plastered lagging |
| Sprayed insulation | Fire and sound insulation on steel beams and ceilings | Cotton-like coating that crumbles easily |
| Vinyl floor tiles and adhesive | Office and corridor floors | Old, small square tiles and black adhesive |
| Ceiling tiles and gaskets | Suspended ceilings, fire doors, furnace and boiler doors | Old parts that were required to be heat-resistant |
The corrugated roof sheets commonly known in Turkey as “eternit” are the suspect material most often found on old roofs. Fibre-reinforced sheets produced today do not contain asbestos; but it is often unknown what period the sheets on an old roof date from. Treat old asbestos cement (eternit) roofing as suspect if its age and source cannot be documented. Roof sheets are also fragile surfaces: stepping on them both releases fibres and can cause a fall; see what is work at height.
How is an asbestos survey carried out?
An asbestos survey is planned as part of the renovation project and before work begins. In practice, the following steps are followed:
- Collect building information: Year of construction, old drawings, previous renovation records and any previous asbestos reports.
- Commission an on-site inspection: All areas affected by the renovation or demolition are walked, including hidden parts (above suspended ceilings, shafts, the boiler room).
- Draw up a list of suspect materials: The location, quantity, condition (intact, damaged, crumbling) and number on the sketch plan of each material are recorded.
- Have samples taken: A sample of each type of suspect material is taken by an authorised laboratory.
- Enter the result in the inventory: The list, location and condition of asbestos-containing materials are recorded; the renovation plan is redrawn accordingly.
- Update the risk assessment: The work to be done, the method and the measures for each area where asbestos is found are added to the risk assessment.
Asbestos sample analysis: who takes it, and how is it interpreted?
The regulation requires sampling and measurement to be carried out by laboratories accredited and authorised by the Directorate General (Art. 10). Note that there are two different examinations:
| Examination | What does it show? | When is it done? |
|---|---|---|
| Material (bulk) sample analysis | Whether the material contains asbestos, and its type | Before work begins, at the survey stage |
| Air monitoring | The fibre concentration in the air the employee breathes | While working with asbestos-containing material and after cleaning |
The limit value for asbestos in air is 0.1 fibres/cm³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average and must not be exceeded (Art. 11). The certificate of the cleaning carried out at the end of asbestos removal work and the measurement report are also issued by authorised laboratories. Bursa Sistemer does not have its own laboratory; we plan asbestos sample analysis and air measurements with authorised laboratories and incorporate the results into the risk assessment. For other situations requiring measurement, see our article on workplaces where environmental measurements are mandatory.
What not to do until the sample result arrives
The few days between the survey and the result are when most mistakes are made. Work that begins with the thought “the analysis is pending anyway, let’s prepare this side” leads to fibres spreading and a much more difficult clean-up later. Until the result arrives, for suspect material:
- Do not break, drill, cut or sand it. Grinders, drills and saws are the fastest way to release fibres.
- Do not wash it with pressurised water or clean it with compressed air. Both carry fibres into the air and the surroundings.
- Do not dry sweep. A broom puts debris and dust on the floor into the air.
- Do not step on roof sheets. The sheet breaks and there is a risk of falling.
- Do not put removed parts in general waste or scrap. Suspect material is left in place until the result arrives.
- Do not leave the area open. The area containing damaged material is closed off, warning signs are posted and unauthorised entry is prevented.
- Do not carry on just by wearing a mask. A dust mask does not make work with asbestos-containing material compliant with the regulation; a method, a team and a plan are also needed.
- Do not leave subcontractors uninformed. Electrical, plumbing and painting teams are shown the suspect areas on a sketch plan.
If asbestos is found: before moving to removal
If the analysis shows that asbestos is present, the job is now a removal job and the removal provisions of the regulation come into play:
- Competent team: The work is carried out under the supervision of an asbestos removal specialist, by asbestos removal workers who have completed the training programme (Art. 8).
- Work plan and notification: Before starting work, the employer prepares a work plan and notifies the Provincial Directorate of the Turkish Employment Agency to which the workplace is attached. The notification includes the type and quantity of asbestos, the work to be done, the number of employees, the start date and the estimated duration (Art. 9).
- Marking the area: Areas containing asbestos are marked, warning signs are posted, unauthorised entry is prevented and smoking is not allowed in these areas (Art. 14).
- Health surveillance: Health surveillance is provided for employees who may be exposed to asbestos, and records are kept for at least 40 years after exposure ends (Art. 16–17). We explained the general approach to chest X-rays in dusty work in our article on periodic examinations and tests.
If you are contracting the removal work to an outside company, ask for the company’s specialist and worker certificates, the work plan and notification, and the cleaning certificate and measurement report at the end of the job. For other documents to request from contractors, see our article on OHS documents to request from subcontractors. Our article on the Regulation on Dust Control gives guidance on other dust-related risks.
The 2026 base administrative fine for failing to have the necessary checks, measurements, inspections and investigations carried out is TL 33,326; for other amounts, see the OHS administrative fines tool. Listing suspect materials before renovation or demolition, planning samples and measurements with authorised laboratories and entering the work in the risk assessment are within the scope of our risk assessment service. Other topics specific to construction work are on our construction page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every old roof sheet asbestos?
No. Fibre-reinforced sheets produced today do not contain asbestos. However, if the age and source of a sheet in an old building cannot be documented, it is treated as suspect and a definitive result is obtained by laboratory analysis.
Can we take the sample ourselves and bring it to the laboratory?
The regulation requires sampling and measurement to be carried out by accredited and authorised laboratories. Moreover, taking a sample yourself means breaking undamaged material and releasing fibres. Have the laboratory take the sample.
Is an asbestos survey also needed for a small drilling job?
Yes; Art. 7 also covers repair and maintenance work. The regulation provides that in some cases, such as short, small jobs where exposure remains below the limit value, certain provisions on the work plan and health surveillance may not apply; but this decision is made through the risk assessment and does not remove the survey step.
Can our own employees remove material found to contain asbestos?
Only if they are asbestos removal workers who have completed the training in the regulation, and the work is carried out under the supervision of an asbestos removal specialist with a notified work plan. Otherwise, the removal work is given to a team that meets these conditions.
A risk assessment that identifies and scores hazards on site, links each measure to an owner and a date, and has a clear renewal schedule.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.