In December 2025, the European Commission published the new “Guidelines for managing asbestos related health and safety risks at work”. The guide is an overview of good practices for handling asbestos in the workplace. It gives practical advice on how to reduce workers’ exposure to asbestos. The guide is made for all organisations, both public and private, and for companies of any size.
Between 4.1 and 7.3 million workers in the EU are exposed to asbestos. It is estimated that asbestos is the cause of death for over 90,000 people each year. Asbestos is classified as Carcinogens category 1A, meaning it is seen as a definite cause of cancer in humans.
EU guide asbestos
This guide aims to:
- update and further develop existing EU guidelines (18) taking into account recent technical, legal and scientific developments, including the 2023 revision (19) of the Asbestos at Work Directive (AWD);
- increase awareness of the risks of asbestos among employers and workers;
- increase the uptake of good practice by providing examples of solutions for the management of asbestos in the workplace;
- reduce inequalities by providing additional information on good practice to stakeholders across the EU, including in Member States where comparatively less guidance is available.
Factsheet asbestos
Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause chronic lung diseases like lung cancer, cancer of the lining of the lungs and mesothelioma (cancer of the pleura and peritoneum), and asbestosis (serious scarring condition of the lung causing progressive shortness of breath). According to the World Health Organization, approximately half of all occupational cancer deaths are caused by asbestos. Check out the factsheet asbestos for more information about hazards, where risks occur and measures.
> To the guidelines for managing asbestos related health and safety risks at work
