Safe Work Practices for Demolition

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# DEMOLITION (cont.) ## I. Preparatory Operations Before the start of every demolition job, the demolition contractor should take a number of steps to safeguard the health and safety of workers at the job site. These preparatory operations involve the overall planning of the demolition job, including the methods to be used to bring the structure down, the equipment necessary to do the job, and the measures to be taken to perform the work safely. Planning for a demolition job is as important as actually doing the work. Therefore all planning work should be performed by a competent person experienced in all phases of the demolition work to be performed. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in its ANSI A10.6-1983 - Safety Requirements for Demolition Operations states: "No employee shall be permitted in any area that can be adversely affected when demolition operations are being performed. Only those employees necessary for the performance of the operations shall be permitted in these areas." ## A. Engineering Survey Prior to starting all demolition operations, OSHA Standard 1926.850(a) requires that an engineering survey of the structure must be conducted by a competent person. The purpose of this survey is to determine the condition of the framing, floors, and walls so that measures can be taken, if necessary, to prevent the premature collapse of any portion of the structure. When indicated as advisable, any adjacent structure(s) or improvements should also be similarly checked. The demolition contractor must maintain a written copy of this survey. Photographing existing damage in neighboring structures is also advisable. The engineering survey provides the demolition contractor with the opportunity to evaluate the job in its entirety. The contractor should plan for the wrecking of the structure, the equipment to do the work, manpower requirements, and the protection of the public. The safety of all workers on the job site should be a prime consider…

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# C. Precast Units Stressed Separately from the Main Frames or the Structure, With End Anchors and Grouted and Ungrouted Ducts Before breaking up, units of this type should be lowered to the ground, if possible. It is advisable to seek the counsel of a professional engineer before carrying out this work, especially where there are ungrouted tendons. In general, this is true because grouting is not always 100% efficient. After lowering the units can be turned on their side with the ends up on blocks after any composite concrete is removed. This may suffice to break the unit and release the prestress; if not, a sand bag screen, timbers, or a blast mat as a screen should be erected around the ends and demolition commenced, taking care to clear the area of any personnel. It should be borne in mind that the end blocks may be heavily reinforced and difficult to break up. ## D. Monolithic Structures The advice of the professional engineer experienced in prestressed work should be sought before any attempt is made to expose the tendons or anchorages of structures in which two or more members have been stressed together. It will usually be necessary for temporary supports to be provided so the tendons and the anchorage can be cautiously exposed. In these circumstances it is essential that indiscriminate attempts to expose and destress the tendons and anchorages not be made. ## E. Progressively Prestressed Structures In the case of progressively prestressed structures, it is essential to obtain the advise of a professional engineer, and to demolish the structure in strict accordance with the engineer's method of demolition. The stored energy in this type of structure is large. In some cases, the inherent properties of the stressed section may delay failure for some time, but the presence of these large prestressing forces may cause sudden and complete collapse with little warning. ## F. Safe Work Practices When Working in Confined Spaces Demolition contractors often co…

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# OSHA CARD™ QUICK # Demolition Safety Tips Demolition work involves many of the same hazards that arise during other construction activities. However, demolition also involves additional hazards due to a variety of other factors. Some of these include: lead- based paint, sharp or protruding objects and asbestos- containing material. • Brace or shore up the walls and floors of structures which have been damaged and which employees must enter. . Inspect personal protective equipment (PPE) before use. • Select, wear and use appropriate PPE for the task. - Inspect all stairs, passageways, and ladders; illumi- nate all stairways. - Shut off or cap all electric, gas, water, steam, sewer, and other service lines; notify appropriate utility companies. • Guard wall openings to a height of 42 inches; cover and secure floor openings with material able to with- stand the loads likely to be imposed. - Floor openings used for material disposal must not be more than 25% of the total floor area. - Use enclosed chutes with gates on the discharge end to drop demolition material to the ground or into debris containers. - Demolition of exterior walls and floors must begin at the top of the structure and proceed downward. • Structural or load-supporting members on any floor must not be cut or removed until all stories above that floor have been removed. - All roof cornices or other ornamental stonework must be removed prior to pulling walls down. • Employees must not be permitted to work where structural collapse hazards exist until they are cor- rected by shoring, bracing, or other effective means. For more complete information: Occupational OSHA Safety and Health Administration U.S. Department of Labor www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA OSHA 3290-10N-05

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WORK SAFE KENTUCKY Free safety resources provided by KEMI HOME SAFETY RESOURCES SAFETY TRAINING SAFETY BLOG ABOUT KEMI CONTACT US O # Demolition Safety ## Print a Sign-In Sheet | Spanish Version Demolition work is a very hazardous construction activity and can cause serious, and even fatal, accidents if not completed properly. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T outlines the regulations for demolition work in the construction industry. Demolition safety tips: - Prior to the start of demolition operations, an engineering survey of the structure must be completed by a competent person. The survey should determine the condition of the framing, floors, and walls of the structure and should review the possibility of an unplanned collapse during the demolition process. • If employees must enter a structure that has been damaged, make sure all walls and floors of the structure are properly braced and shored. • Make sure all employees wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in the damaged structure (e.g., hard hat, safety glasses, reflective vest, hearing protection, and other PPE as required). • Inspect and maintain I walkways, stairs, and ladders for slip, trip, and fall hazards. Properly illuminate these areas. Verify that all means of egress are unobstructed and all employees are trained over proper evacuation routes in case of an emergency. • Shut off or cap all electric, water, gas, sewer, and other utilities supplied to and from the structure. Make sure you have notified all of the utility companies of this action. If it is necessary to maintain any utilities during demolition, relocate the lines or protect them as needed. • Guard all wall openings to a height of 42 inches. • Cover and secure all floor openings with a material that can support the weight of any load that may be imposed on the floor. • Floor openings that are used for material disposal must be enclosed and barric…

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# Demolition Laborer Dies in Fall Through Skylight (cont.) ## Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program (cont.) KENTUCKY State FACE Program Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation FACE Occupational Safety and Health National Institute for NIOSH Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center Bona fide agent for Kentucky Department for Public Health [redacted street address], Suite 242 Lexington, KY [redacted postal code] [redacted phone] ## INTRODUCTION At 3:03 p.m. on May 24, 2022, a 44-year-old demolition laborer was killed when he fell through a roof skylight of a building that was undergoing demolition. The employee was working on the roof, removing roofing components, when he walked backward and stepped onto a skylight. The skylight broke under his weight, and the employee was killed after falling approximately 19 feet to a concrete floor below. ## EMPLOYER The employer was a site preparation contractor (referred to hereafter as demolition employer) that had been in business for approximately 25 years. The demolition employer had 16 employees, four of which (including the deceased) were working at the scene at the time of the incident. The demolition employer had been contracted to demolish the structure involved in the incident. According to the Kentucky Department of Workplace Standards, Division of Compliance (KYOSHA), the demolition employer stated that the deceased worker was an employee of a subcontractor and therefore the safety and health responsibilities for the worker fell to the subcontractor. However, KYOSHA determined that the deceased was an employee of the demolition employer. ## WRITTEN SAFETY PROGRAMS and TRAINING The demolition employer had a few elements of a safety and health program. According to information provided by KYOSHA, the employer had 1) maintained injury and illness recordkeeping (i.e., OSHA 300 logs) and 2) provided fall protection training to some of its employees. However, none of the four employees,…

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# Contents (cont.) ## Discussion (cont.) significant change in the lead levels of the two workers tested could reflect the fact that these were the only workers who had minimally adequate protection. Because the participation rate in blood-lead testing was low, comparisons with other workers on the basis of blood-lead levels could not be made. The airborne lead monitoring results also indicate high lead exposures generated during the burning of the lead-painted steel fire escape and fencing at site 1 (0.663 mg/m³). Although the burner finished his task in two hours, the high exposure level indicates a need for respiratory protection. None was used. Lead not only endangers workers; it can be released into the environment, settling on neighboring surfaces, including buildings and apartments, sidewalks, and children's play areas. Settled lead dust becomes a potential source of exposure to community residents - including children, who are particularly sensitive to its effects. The total dust and respirable dust levels were below the OSHA standards for the 8-hour time-weighted average. But the real-time results exceeded the standard for two of the samples. During demolition, significant clouds of visible dust were released in the work area and into the surrounding neighborhood. Reducing the dust levels could be easily accomplished by hosing down work areas during demolition. The presence of asbestos-containing roofing material among the demolition debris indicates that asbestos removal prior to building demolition - as required by New York City and state law - was incomplete. Although asbestos in roofing is subject to regulation because it is not considered friable (easily crumbled by hand pressure) by the Environmental Protection Agency's National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, the removal and disposal of this material is regulated by the New York State Department of Labor and New York City Department of Environmental Protection. These regulation…

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# Contents (cont.) ## Safety Assessment (cont.) other equipment were used to protect workers from falls. (CFR 1926.104 (a)) - The sheathing on the floors was removed in most areas, requiring workers to walk and work on wood joists or along the perimeter brick wall. (CFR 1926.500 (b)8, .853, and .850 (i)) - There was no fire protection at either site, as required by New York City Fire Department regulations during building demolition. The contractor did not run a hose from the fire hydrant in the street into the building. (CFR 1926.150) - Work practices were extremely hazardous. Workers often stood on top of a brick wall while breaking the bricks out beneath them. They also stood on joists that were no longer anchored. (CFR 1926.500 (b)) - There was no site security. Measures were not taken to prevent people — including children — from entering the building during off hours. ## Discussion The health and safety investigation pointed up several potential safety and health hazards at this site. Residential building demolition using hand tools potentially creates a great deal of dust. If no attempt is made to control dust, workers are surrounded by clouds of it as was the case during the demolition of the two buildings. The results of the dust monitoring, with a range of 2.5 mg/m³ to 11.6 mg/m³ (8-hour time-weighted average) indicate significant dust exposures to the workers. Although most of the results are within the OSHA dust standard of 15 mg/m³, the results are close enough to the standard to be of concern, especially because chronic exposure to high dust levels has been associated with chronic bronchitis. The presence of lead and asbestos in the dust is of particular concern. One important result of this investigation is that airborne lead was detected during the hand demolition of painted walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. Although the lead levels were generally low when compared with the current OSHA standard, one of the levels was above the OSHA acti…

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# DEMOLITION (cont.) ## E. Fire Prevention and Protection (cont.) provided on the immediate job site at the start of the job and maintained until the job is completed. Free access from the street to fire hydrants and to outside connections for standpipes, sprinklers, or other fire extinguishing equipment, whether permanent or temporary, should be provided and maintained at all times. • Pedestrian walkways should not be so constructed as to impede access to hydrants. • No material or construction should interfere with access to hydrants, Siamese connections, or fire-extinguishing equipment. A temporary or permanent water supply of volume, duration, and pressure sufficient to operate the fire-fighting equipment properly should be made available. Standpipes with outlets should be provided on large multistory buildings to provide for fire protection on upper levels. If the water pressure is insufficient, a pump should also be provided. An ample number of fully charged portable fire extinguishers should be provided throughout the operation. All motor driven mobile equipment should be equipped with an approved fire extinguisher. An alarm system, e.g., telephone system, siren, two-way radio, etc., shall be established in such a way that employees on the site and the local fire department can be alerted in case of an emergency. The alarm code and reporting instructions shall be conspicuously posted and the alarm system should be serviceable at the job site during the demolition. Fire cutoffs shall be retained in the buildings undergoing alterations or demolition until operations necessitate their removal. ## II. Special Structure Demolition A. Safe Work Practices When Demolishing a Chimney, Stack, Silo or Cooling Tower ## INSPECTION AND PLANNING When preparing to demolish any chimney, stack, silo, or cooling tower, the first step must be a careful, detailed inspection of the structure by an experienced person. If possible, architectural/engineering drawings sho…

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# III. Safe Blasting Procedures # A. General Safe Work Practices ## BLASTING SURVEY AND SITE PREPARATION Prior to the blasting of any structure or portion thereof, a complete written survey must be made by a qualified person of all adjacent improvements and underground utilities. When there is a possibility of excessive vibration due to blasting operations, seismic or vibration tests should be taken to determine proper safety limits to prevent damage to adjacent or nearby buildings, utilities, or other property. The preparation of a structure for demolition by explosives may require the removal of structural columns, beams or other building components. This work should be directed by a structural engineer or a competent person qualified to direct the removal of these structural elements. Extreme caution must be taken during this preparatory work to prevent the weakening and premature collapse of the structure. The use of explosives to demolish smokestacks, silos, cooling towers, or similar structures should be permitted only if there is a minimum of 90 of open space extended for at least 150% of the height of the structure or if the explosives specialist can demonstrate consistent previous performance with tighter constraints at the site. ## FIRE PRECAUTIONS The presence of fire near explosives presents a severe danger. Every effort should be made to ensure that fires or sparks do not occur near explosive materials. Smoking, matches, firearms, open flame lamps, and other fires, flame, or heat-producing devices must be prohibited in or near explosive magazines or in areas where explosives are being handled, transported, or used. In fact, persons working near explosives should not even carry matches, lighters, or other sources of sparks or flame. Open fires or flames should be prohibited within 100 feet of any explosive materials. In the event of a fire which is in imminent danger of contact with explosives, all employees must be removed to a safe area. Electr…