Fire protection & smoke extraction

Handling fire dampers containing asbestos requires specialist knowledge

Fire dampers containing asbestos can pose a health risk and require professional assessment, testing and remediation. This article outlines what operators, designers and maintenance companies should bear in mind.

Minimising health risks posed by hazardous substances whilst ensuring fire safety places a particular legal and moral responsibility on building operators, planners, plant engineers and maintenance companies.

The GefStoffV is a key instrument in German occupational health and safety, designed to systematically minimise health risks posed by hazardous substances and to ensure the safety of employees. The VDI 6202 Part 3.1 guideline guides you through the process of identifying the hazardous substance asbestos in fire dampers, implementing the necessary safety measures and ensuring fire safety through proper maintenance.

Fire dampers containing asbestos in buildings

Owing to its fire-resistant properties, asbestos has been used as a component in countless ventilation systems, amongst other applications, since the 1950s. Although the health hazards posed by asbestos had been known for some time, the manufacture and use of asbestos-containing products were not banned in Germany until 1993.

In Germany, hundreds of thousands of fire dampers containing asbestos are still in use, posing a potential health risk. The risk arises if asbestos fibres are released and enter the ventilation system. Both building occupants in offices or hotel rooms and those carrying out inspection and maintenance work may be exposed to asbestos fibres.

There is already a suspicion of asbestos release, for example, when asbestos-containing fire dampers are inspected as part of maintenance work and the access cover is opened. For operators and owners, the VDI 6202 Part 3.1 guideline, ‘Title: Pollutant-contaminated structural and technical installations – Asbestos-containing fire dampers’ (03/2026) provides important guidance. It describes the entire process – from identifying fire dampers containing asbestos, through assessing potential risks, to implementing suitable remediation measures. The aim is to ensure the safe operation of the systems and to prevent the release of asbestos fibres that pose a health risk.

Components containing asbestos in a fire damper

VDI 6202 Part 3.1 contains manufacturer-independent overviews of fire dampers containing asbestos. The test reports (PA-X) from that time specify which components in the fire dampers contain asbestos. For Wildeboer fire dampers, you can request these documents via our contact form.

The components of a fire damper that contain asbestos depend on the manufacturer and the specific model.

Typical components of a fire damper that contain asbestos

Service life of fire dampers

It is not possible to definitively determine the periods of use for fire dampers containing asbestos. Depending on the year of manufacture and the marking, the following statements can be made:

Fire dampers bearing the CE mark are asbestos-free
Fire dampers with general building authority approval (Z-41.3 …) are asbestos-free
Fire dampers with a PA-X number, or those manufactured prior to this, require closer examination

Service life of fire dampers containing asbestos

Condition assessment of fire dampers containing asbestos

Once the presence of asbestos has been confirmed by clear identification via building records and years of installation, or by test results (imprint samples/material samples in accordance with VDI 3866 Part 1), an individual assessment of the fire damper containing asbestos is carried out.

The individual assessment relates exclusively to asbestos and does not include any structural or fire safety assessment. It consists of the steps of condition assessment and the subsequent evaluation of the urgency of remediation. The condition assessment can be carried out using the sample checklist provided in the appendix to VDI 6202 Part 3.1. Descriptions of the condition of the asbestos-containing products are recorded for the purpose of classifying the damage category. The worst assessment of a component – i.e. the lowest damage category – determines the overall classification.

The asbestos surveyor must arrive at an assessment of the urgency, using the checklist and their on-site observations. As a general rule, the damage category corresponds to the urgency level. Changes to the urgency level may be made at the surveyor’s discretion.

Condition assessment of fire dampers containing asbestos

Working with fire dampers containing asbestos

Work on fire dampers containing asbestos is subject to a notification requirement and a requirement for specialist knowledge. A risk assessment must be carried out before work commences. The risk assessment forms part of the assessment of working conditions in accordance with Section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It is drawn up by the employer. It assesses activities involving hazardous substances and sets out safety and protective measures.

TRGS 519 regulates the protection of employees during work involving asbestos and materials containing asbestos. It sets out the requirements of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance in detail and provides specific protective measures for demolition, refurbishment and maintenance work.

Maintenance of fire dampers containing asbestos

Fire dampers must be tested for proper operation at least once a year. To test their functionality, the damper blade must be activated; consequently, the release of fibres into the air duct network and the maintenance area cannot be ruled out in the case of fire dampers containing asbestos. For these functional tests, the same protective measures must be applied as when completely replacing fire dampers containing asbestos.

The classification of the urgency of refurbishment has the following implications for the functional test:

Urgency Level I: The damper blade must not be triggered!

Urgency Levels II and III: Low-emission or project-specific test procedures are permitted. Further information on low-emission procedures can be found on the website of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and in the publication by the DGUV.

Failure to carry out a functional test means that fire protection cannot be guaranteed and operation of the fire damper is not permitted.

The maintenance measures are described in the test reports (PA-X).

You can request the documents via our contact form.

Request documents

Is it permitted to decommission fire dampers containing asbestos?

The function of the fire damper is to allow air to pass through the air ducts during normal operation and to seal the air ducts in the event of a fire! The Asbestos Directive (Annex 16 of the MVV TB) now explicitly refers to compliance with the service life as set out in the EC Regulation in the context of the individual assessment of the urgency of fire damper refurbishment. The end of the service life is reached when the asbestos-containing fire dampers are no longer used in accordance with the purpose for which they were originally installed. The end of the service life therefore occurs when the fire damper is taken out of service. Replacement of the fire damper is required. Permanent decommissioning of asbestos-containing fire dampers is not permitted under REACH; they must be professionally removed. Fire protection must be restored.

Refurbishment of fire dampers containing asbestos

The remediation plan (VDI 6202 Sheet 3.1) for fire dampers containing asbestos is drawn up by the hazardous substances assessor. A comprehensive plan is drawn up covering the entire process from the start of the work through to the disposal of the waste. As part of the remediation planning, the fire dampers, connected air ducts and the surrounding area are inspected. The findings of the survey and the prioritisation of the fire dampers are taken into account. The protective measures set out in TRGS 519 must be observed.

Replacement of fire dampers containing asbestos

The following reasons justify replacing fire dampers containing asbestos:

Permanent decommissioning of the fire dampers is not permitted
Annual functional tests are labour-intensive and costly

Dismantling must be carried out professionally, and the necessary fire protection must be restored afterwards. A successful replacement with today’s Wildeboer fire dampers enables you to combine safety with efficiency thanks to the maintenance-free design:

Maintenance-free by design: Our fire dampers are designed so that there are no moving parts in the air flow. All mechanical components are fully enclosed. Cleaning and lubrication to maintain functionality are therefore a thing of the past.
A digital edge with WiNet: In conjunction with the Wildeboer-Net communication system, the solution becomes ‘even more maintenance-free’.
Automated safety: With motorised fire dampers, functional testing is greatly simplified, as it can be initiated and carried out automatically from a distance.
Operational efficiency: This means even less effort in day-to-day operations, whilst ensuring maximum, regulation-compliant safety.

Do you have any questions about fire dampers containing asbestos, or would you like further information? Then please feel free to contact us!

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