Typical Health and Safety Risks Involved in the Demolition of Commercial Concrete Buildings
A commercial building is typically demolished in the following circumstances: (1) when it is an illegal construction/erection; (2) when it is at risk of collapsing and therefore poses a threat to the safety of people accessing it and those in adjacent buildings; and (3) when it has to go so as to give way for new construction.
Because not all commercial buildings are built using the same material, demolition professionals are not always exposed to similar health and safety risks. This article looks at some of the project-specific risks that demolition contractors encounter when they are bringing down commercial buildings made of concrete material.
Falling debris
Falling debris is a major safety issue, especially when it comes to the demolition of tall concrete buildings. As material is being knocked down, it can fall on personnel working onsite and cause serious injuries to the head and other parts of the body. To manage this risk, demolition workers must be instructed to keep a safe distance away from the falling materials and to employ demolition techniques that will prevent debris from haphazardly dropping all over the place. In addition, workers should be provided with personal protective equipment, such as helmets to prevent head injuries, for example.
Projectiles
When a concrete building is being torn down, be it using a handheld tool like a sledgehammer or a machine such as a wrecking ball, you can always expect to see some debris flying in different directions. These projectiles can travel at great speeds and can potentially cause serious harm to those working onsite. Demolition workers should wear protective clothing and safety goggles to protect their skin and eyes respectively from high-speed projectiles.
Concrete dust
Another major health and safety hazard that demolition staff face is inhalation of concrete dust. When concrete walls and floors are being pulled down, some concrete dust is produced. Concrete dust contains silica, which is harmful to the health, as it can cause a disease called silicosis. Some of the effective ways to protect against inhalation of the silica-containing dust is to employ demolition techniques that involve using water to minimise dust levels, such as providing workers with respiratory masks to prevent inhalation of the health-deteriorating dust.
Because of the serious health and safety risks involved, bringing down a commercial building is a job that should be left to commercial demolition experts, as they are well-acquainted with how best to mitigate the risks.