Home demolition is essential when you want to renovate your current home or put up a new structure. Demolition works present multiple risks. Below is an extract detailing the safety measures to observe when conducting home demolition.
Assess The Site
Inspect the site to establish if it contains any risks that could hinder the demolition works. For example, low-lying electrical cables could come into contact with plant equipment used to demolish the building. Additionally, check if the building you intend to demolish contains hazardous materials such as asbestos. Finally, remember to evaluate the site's accessibility. Remember, plant equipment need a wide entrance and sufficient working space.
Formulate A Demolition Plan
The demolition plan details how you will pull down the building. Typically, start by determining an appropriate method of demolition. For instance, you could use implosion or plant equipment. If you intend to implode the building, you should decide where to place the implosions and the time intervals between each detonation. Suppose you will use plant equipment to demolish the building. You could remove the roof and balconies to each the actual demolition. Besides, establish the pillars that bear the most weight.
Pollution And Debris Control
Demolition works can cause noise and air pollution. However, there are several strategies to control pollution at the site. For example, you could install a safety net around the building to prevent debris from falling into your neighbour's property. Use water curtains to control dust at the demolition site. If the area has noise pollution regulations, you could use top-down demolition or deconstruction methods. Alternatively, you could use electric-powered plant equipment.
Site Discipline
Site discipline will help prevent accidents as you demolish the building. Below are some safety tips to observe:
- Barricade the site to prevent unauthorised people from accessing the site. Remember, they may not have the expertise to identify site hazards.
- All personnel at the site should have protective clothing such as helmets and boots.
- Plant operators should brief site personnel on the operation of plant equipment. For instance, they should inform them how the equipment's arms move and the equipment's blind spots.
- The plant equipment should be operated by qualified personnel. Besides, each piece of equipment should be used for its intended purpose.
When demolishing your home, inspect the site for risks, formulate a demolition plan, control debris and pollution and observe the recommended site discipline tips. As a general rule, you should always engage the services of an experienced contractor. Contact a home demolition service for more information.
