Safety precautions for demolition work

Health and Safety should always be an integral part of demolition work. To conduct safe demolition work, a competent person must be appointed in writing to supervise and control all activities. In addition, the correct equipment should be used and the necessary precautions taken. This has saved countless lives over the years. Adherence to the following guidelines will increase safety when performing demolition work.

1. Equipment — Employees should be trained on all aspects of work, regardless of their speciality or area of work. Each employee should be properly trained on how to use each piece of equipment and should have attained the necessary competency. It is also important for every employee to know what protective equipment to wear during the demolition.
2. Inspection of structures— During the demolition a competent person must check the structural integrity of the structure at intervals determined in the Method Statement. Structural integrity is an engineering field that helps to ensure that either a structure or a structural component is fit for purpose under normal operational conditions and is safe even when conditions exceed that of the original design The Method Statement provides instructions for performing a particular task safely. This person must prevent roofs or other parts of the structure from being overloaded with debris or material. He or she must make certain that the structure does not collapse when parts of the framing and supports are removed or when reinforced concrete is cut.

It is this person’s responsibility to check the structural integrity during all demolition work. This is important as structures and landmass can become very unstable during the demolition process.  Furthermore, falling debris on a demolition site can seriously harm or kill workers.

3. Site and public safety — The demolition site must be adequately guarded and fenced to prevent unauthorized entry. Sufficient warning signs should be placed on the fence to warn people of danger.

All services such as electricity, water and gas must be located and rendered safe before commencing the demolition work. Catch platforms or nets must be erected above entrances or passageways and work must be fenced off to protect the safety of all people.

4. Use of explosives — Extra care must be taken when dealing with a demolition that involves explosives. In this case, a Method Statement should be developed by a competent person in accordance with the applicable explosive legislation. The supervisor must ensure that explosives are used in strict accordance with this statement.

Only a competent individual that has been appointed in writing may use explosives for the demolition work. Inspections of the demolition work must be carried out as per the Method Statement and the Structural Integrity Register. The Structural Integrity Register outlines the sequence in which portions of a building should be demolished. The Method Statement and the Structural Integrity Register should always be kept up to date.

5. Removing debris — Waste and debris should be removed from a location that is significantly higher than ground level using a suitably constructed chute that is rigidly secured. When demolition work involves the removal of asbestos, the contractor must make certain that the removal is done according to the Asbestos Amendment Regulations. If lead is present, then all work involving lead must be conducted as per the Lead Regulations.

Finally, all demolition work must be conducted in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, applicable Regulations and Method Statements.

Neil Enslin

Head: Occupational Health and Safety

Source:

• Safebuild DVD scripts
• Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations
• Construction Regulations 2014
• MBSA OHS Audit System