Vienna’s Asbestos Clean-Up Drives Demand for Specialist Training as Webinar Targets TRGS 519 Certification

More than 100 specialised workers are currently sealing off rooms on the site of a former university of economics and a biology centre in Vienna, maintaining constant negative pressure and only releasing areas after clean air measurements confirm safety. The massive remediation project—paving the way for an educational campus whose construction is slated to begin in 2028—illustrates the acute need for qualified experts as Europe pushes ahead with large-scale asbestos removal and replacement of hazardous building materials.

In response, a webinar scheduled for June 22, 2026, will provide foundational training on Annex 10 of Germany’s Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) 519. Running from 10:00 to 15:00 CET, the session is designed to equip professionals with the certified expertise required to handle asbestos-containing materials in limited quantities, thereby minimising health risks. Dr. rer. nat. Lars Klapal will lead the instruction. Fees are set at 250 euros for members of affiliate professional associations and 350 euros for external participants.

Asbestos is just one of many hazardous substances that can go unnoticed in workplaces. The COSHH regulations require employers to assess all risks from dangerous materials — and the penalties for missing assessments can be severe. A free toolkit provides 43 ready-to-use templates and checklists to help you identify every hazardous substance in your operation and document your compliance. Download the free COSHH Risk Assessment Toolkit

Alongside the immediate need for skilled remediation workers, research is accelerating the development of substitutes that could reduce reliance on problematic substances. The Fraunhofer CCPE, through its CircularInFoam project, is testing high-performance insulation materials made from polylactide (PLA) combined with halogen-free flame retardants. Early trials indicate that these circular foams already match the thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene (EPS)—a benchmark that could, over time, lessen the construction industry’s dependence on critical raw materials.

Complementing these technical efforts, the 2026 Alcohol Awareness Week has introduced fresh digital training modules for workplace addiction prevention. The modules are available free of charge to companies, offering employers a practical tool to reinforce overall health and safety alongside specialised asbestos-related precautions.

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