Certification and registration for asbestos removers

Do you want to remove or inventory asbestos? You must be listed in the register (in Dutch) for asbestos removal and surveyal. To be listed, you need a valid certificate. The register is administered by Ascert, Foundation for Asbestos Certification (Stichting Ascert, in Dutch).

Certificates for working with asbestos

When you have a certificate, this shows that you know how to work professionally and safely with asbestos. There are 3 certificates:

• The process certificate for asbestos surveyal (Procescertificaat voor asbestinventarisatie). This certificate is for companies that want to survey asbestos in buildings or installations;
• The process certificate for asbestos removal (Procescertificaat voor asbestverwijdering). This certificate is for companies that want to remove asbestos from buildings or installations;
• The personal certificate (Persoonscertificaat). There are 3 personal certificates: professional asbestos remover in training (Deskundig Asbestverwijderaar, DAV-1), professional asbestos remover (Deskundig Asbestverwijderaar, DAV-2) and Professional Supervisor for the Demolition of Asbestos (Deskundig Toezichthouder Asbestsloop, DTA). These certificates are all for individuals who want to remove asbestos professionally from buildings or installations.

How to apply for certification

You can apply for a certificate through an organisation that is appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, SZW) as a certifying body. These organisations supply the register (Ascert) with data on certified persons and companies, revoked certificates, and suspensions of certified persons or companies. The organisations that supply process certificates at this time are:

• TüV (in Dutch)
• Normec (in Dutch)
• dNAA (in Dutch)

The organisations that supply personal certificates are:

• DNV (in Dutch)
• IBEX (in Dutch)

You can read more about the requirements for asbestos removers in the certification schemes (in Dutch) drawn up by Ascert.

Foreign asbestos removers

Are you an asbestos remover from abroad and have you received your professional qualifications in another EU Member State, an EEA state or Switzerland? You also need to register. The same requirements apply as for Dutch asbestos removers.

Asbestos removing and surveying companies and persons must have Dutch certificates. The certifying bodies can determine if a foreign certificate is equivalent to the Dutch certificate. If the certificate is found to be equivalent, they may then issue a Dutch certificate.

Are you a certified asbestos remover or a certified asbestos removing supervisor and do you want to work in the Netherlands temporarily or occasionally? You must notify the certifying body before you start work. You must also have sufficient command of the Dutch language to be able to do the work safely and to prevent serious accidents.

If you intend to work temporarily or occasionally in the Netherlands, your professional qualifications may be assessed before you start work for the 1st time. The certifying body may decide you must complete an adaptation period or take an aptitude test.

To ensure that hazardous work such as asbestos removal is carried out safely, foreign employees must have a sufficient command of the Dutch language.