english – Asbestos cement: Institute for the Protection of Labour gives the go-ahead for hose lining
The RSV's years of commitment have finally paid off: the decisive working group of the Institute for the Protection of Labour (IFA) has given the green light for hose lining as a recognised low-emission procedure in asbestos cement pipes.
With this recognition, licences for the repair of asbestos cement ducts with ‘inliners’ can be issued more easily in Germany, as they comply with the exemption regulation for work on asbestos in accordance with TRGS 519.
Thanks to Daniel Korczinski and Jürgen Zinnecker
The IFA committee, which is responsible for inclusion in the list of BT procedures, has approved the RSV's application - this information was sent to the RSV office by telephone last week. The first people to receive the good news were Daniel Korczinski (ISAS) and Jürgen Zinnecker (Aarsleff-Rohrsanierung). ‘The two of them made a significant contribution to the success and we owe them and their employers an immense debt of gratitude. It takes a certain passion for the industry to manage something like this alongside your normal day-to-day business,’ explains RSV Managing Director Reinhild Haacker.
‘All RSV companies have a share in the success’
For more than three years, the RSV had been pushing ahead with the recognition at full speed. The costs for the accompanying measurements were taken from the association's budget by resolution of the general meeting. ‘This means that all member companies have played their part in this success,’ emphasises Haacker.
The process description, which is an elementary component of the BT process, covers all hose lining systems - i.e. both with insertion processes and inversion. Accompanying work such as milling or the installation of connections; junction; contacts are also part of the procedure.
Board of Directors sees reinforcement of the RSV
The RSV Executive Board sees the recognition as confirmation of the association's overall positive development: ‘We realise that we are being noticed by network operators and local authorities throughout Germany as a result of this commitment and are receiving a lot of encouragement. his benefits us as an association and therefore all our members,’ comments board member Volker Neubert.
According to information from the IFA, the cured-in-place pipe lining BT procedure will be published within the next few weeks. The RSV has received official advance confirmation from the IFA by e-mail. This can be downloaded below if required.
Recognition is ‘salvation’ for many municipalities
For years, there was almost a standstill in sewer rehabilitation projects, triggered by a ban in Bavaria and the resulting nationwide uncertainty regarding authorisation. ‘We receive enquiries almost daily from local authorities, some of which do not even clean or inspect AZ sewers and are therefore neglecting their obligations under the Water Resources Act. For them, the approval is a real relief,’ says Haacker.
With the application, the RSV has also opened the door to the acceptance of trenchless maintenance methods in buried pipes where the existing pipe remains in the soil. ‘There are several other procedures that could also be considered, although the effort involved in applying to the IFA is not for the faint-hearted,’ says Managing Director Reinhild Haacker.
Publication as BT procedure expected in May
The IFA estimates that it will be another four weeks before the procedure is on the DGUV's list as a BT procedure. According to the press release (see below), the documents still have to be reviewed by a specialist department before they can be published.
According to the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, maintenance work on building products made of asbestos may only be approved in exceptional cases - for example, if a low-emission procedure in accordance with TRGS 519 is available that has demonstrated fibre exposure below the limit values of 10,000 fibres per cubic metre of breathing air through measurement results. In addition to the bursting procedure, which is recognised as a BT procedure by the Institute for the Protection of Labour, cured-in-place pipe lining has now also fulfilled the requirements of DGUV Information 201-012 with corresponding measurements.
In accordance with TRGS 519, work on asbestos construction products must be registered with the trade supervisory authority seven days in advance. A further prerequisite is, among other things, the existence of a certificate of competence - both for the company carrying out the work and for the building inspectorate.
The official confirmation from the IFA and further information can be found on this page: