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Asbestos abatement worker

Also called asbestos worker, asbestos operative, asbestos removal operative

Asbestos abatement workers remove asbestos from buildings and other constructions, compliant with health and safety regulations concerning the handling of hazardous materials. They investigate the intensity of the asbestos contamination, prepare the structure for removal, and prevent contamination of other areas.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects18 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Building and related trades workers (excluding electricians)What does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Building and related trades workers (excluding electricians)What do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 4 in 10 train through vocational routes.Building and related trades workers (excluding electricians)Will AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Building structure cleaners · ILO

What you'd do

Building structure cleaners · ILO
  • Cleaning exterior surfaces of stone, brick, metal or similar materials by means of chemicals, or a jet of steam or sand applied under high pressure
  • Removing soot from flues, chimneys and connecting pipes
  • Removing asbestos, mould and fire-damaged surfaces from buildings
Tend asbestos blowerDisinfect surfacesRemove contaminantsStore contaminated materialsAssess contamination+ 4 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Hazardous Materials Removal Workers"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as building and related trades workers (excluding electricians) in the EU
7.48m8.08m7.63m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
1,849,000 replacing leavers 394,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Building and related trades workers (excluding electricians)18
All jobs29
Right now
7 of 27 countries report a shortage of building structure cleaners, 5 a surplus.
Building structure cleaners · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in community sanitation is the usual route.

Highest qualification of building and related trades workers (excluding electricians) (EU, 2025)
Degree 7%Vocational 50%General secondary 8%Basic schooling 35%
Fields that teach it
Community sanitation · Occupational health and safety
Vocational route, EU
4 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.09 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 3 tasks
Cleaning exterior surfaces of stone, brick, metal or similar materials by means of chemicals, or a jet of steam or sand applied under high pressure0.10
Removing soot from flues, chimneys and connecting pipes0.09
Removing asbestos, mould and fire-damaged surfaces from buildings0.08

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for building structure cleaners. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).