Demolition Safety: How To Trust In Your Contractor
So you've hired a construction company for a demolition project. You've surely selected a company that implements impeccable safety measures. During a demolition project, the obvious concern every time is safety. A demolition procedure needs to be carried out in a precise and carefully planned fashion. Demolishing a structure is a team effort and is always carried out in a systematic way. It's an extremely risky process if not done properly and can cause serious injuries or death. For your peace of mind, the following are just a few of the many safety guidelines involving construction equipment and dangerous conditions that will be followed during your demolition project.
Controlling Collapse
During the survey process, the structure will be assessed for uncontrolled collapse. Questions asked are: How old is the structure? How close are the surrounding structures? What type of structure is it and with what materials was it built? Preventing accidental collapse requires work methods and procedures before the dismantling process begins.
Falls
Several thousand construction workers are injured every year from falls on construction sites. During the demolition, workers can sustain injuries or perish from falls. The responsibility rests with the duty holder to assess and control the risk of falls. It is paramount on a construction site to implement a fall-prevention plan. Your hired company likely has a fall-arrest system that they use. This is a device that can slow down or catch a person who is taking a fall. These often involve body connectors and harnesses.
Fire
Fire is always a risk in a place that has hot tools generating sparks, heat or flames. It's imperative that the construction crew has access to fire fighting equipment at all times, such as fire extinguishers. Combustible materials are kept at a minimum and all ignition sources are reduced or eliminated as much as possible. A no-smoking policy should be enforced 100% of the time on the site. Electrical installations should be high capacity and should only be installed by highly skilled electricians.
Haz Mat
Hazardous materials frequently cause safety concerns on construction sites. Materials that should be maintained, cleaned or disposed of every day are flammable liquids, paints, dust, asbestos, drums, microbiological hazards (found in hospitals), and acids. Find out more about controlling hazardous materials on a construction site.
Hazardous Noise and Vibration
When demolishing buildings, workers on site experience extremely high levels of noise and vibration. Overexposure to these elements can cause long-term hearing damage. Always use industrial strength, noise canceling ear plugs when you are visiting the site. They are more expensive than regular ear plugs, but can help save your hearing in the long run.
When visiting the demolition site, before and after, proceed with caution. Always wear a hard hat, goggles if you are asked to, and follow instructions implicitly. Trust in your demolition professionals to do thorough and safe job.
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