Asbestos: what every business needs to know to avoid risks (and penalties)

Invisible, toxic, still present in thousands of buildings in France... Asbestos is not a thing of the past. For QHSE managers, site managers or employers, it is a public health, compliance and responsibility issue.

Here's what you need to know to avoid exposing your employees (or your business) to avoidable risks — or lawsuits.

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What exactly is asbestos?

It is a natural mineral fiber that has long been used for its insulating, fireproof and mechanical qualities, in construction materials: slabs, false ceilings, insulation, corrugated sheets, flocking, ducts...

Banned in France since 1997, asbestos is still present in many buildings built before that date.

The danger? When manipulated or damaged, invisible fibers are released and deposited in the lungs and can cause:

• Fibrosis (asbestosis)
• Cancers (mesothelioma, lung cancer)
• Deaths sometimes delayed 20 to 40 years after exposure

📖 See the INRS sheet on The risks of asbestos

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What are your duties if you are an employer?

If your company operates in, on or around asbestos materials — or in a building built before 1997 — you have precise and strict obligations.

Here are the most important ones:

• Verify the presence of asbestos (asbestos diagnosis or DTA)
• Do not involve your employees in risk areas without having removed the doubt
• Have the work carried out by SS3 or SS4 certified companies
• Train employees in asbestos risks if necessary (especially in SS4)
• Keep prevention plans for maintenance or construction interventions up to date

❌ Ignorance does not protect: in the event of exposure, you may be held liable both civilly and criminally.

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Who is concerned in practice?

A lot more people than you think:

• Maintenance agents, even for simple cutting or drilling
• Electricians, plumbers, heating engineers
• Cleaning or finishing companies
• Design offices or demolition companies
• Technical services or general services

And of course, all businesses occupying or operating an old building, regardless of their sector.

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How do you comply (and stay calm)?

Here are the key steps to follow:

• Have a Asbestos Technical File (DTA) if your building was built before 1997
• Update diagnoses before any intervention or work
• Informing and training employees or external stakeholders
• Plan protective and containment measures
• Keep a clear record of who intervenes where and how

💡 Compliance with the SS4 procedure requires in particular asbestos training under section 4 (short), an operating procedure, a job description, a risk assessment and specific PPE.

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How Certalis can help you manage asbestos risk

On our QHSE platform, you can:

• Centralize all your asbestos diagnostics and DTA in an intelligent EDM
• Create comprehensive prevention plans, with history by building
• Assign compliance actions with due date and follow-up
• Train your teams or asbestos prevention providers (in SS4)
• Trace the readings and signatures of all sensitive documents

👉 See Certalis QHSE document management
👉 Create a prevention action plan

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What to remember

• Asbestos is still present, invisible and dangerous.
• The company has an obligation to prevent exposures.
• The asbestos risk can be managed methodically, traceability and rigorously.
• There are simple solutions to automate and secure all of this.

👉 Do you need to centralize your diagnoses, train your teams or follow your prevention plans without wasting time?
Test the Certalis QHSE solution for free

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