POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

OPEN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Sta. Mesa, Manila

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY, HEALTH AND

ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
MODULE 11
DEMOLITION SAFETY
Learning Objectives:
• Identify hazards related to the layout and structural integrity of a
building or structure being demolished

• Explain how to manage fall hazards during demolition using the

hierarchy of controls

• Describe hazards that are the result of equipment use or utility

proximity during demolition work

• Discuss how environmental hazards found on a demolition site

can cause short- and long-term health issues for workers
DEMOLITION
Demolition is the
dismantling, razing,
destroying, or wrecking of
any building or structure,
or any part thereof.

Demolition involves additional hazards due to unknown

factors which makes demolition work particularly
dangerous.
 The latest worker tragedy.

1. Demolition worker impaled on rebar.

2. Worker were electrocuted during demolition work.
3. Two demolition workers die of burns after a flash
fire at a warehouse.
4. Employee in an aerial lift were killed when the roof
collapses.

The hazards of demolition work can be

controlled and eliminated with the proper planning, the
right personal protective equipment, necessary training,
and compliance with OSHA standards.
 All personnel on a demolition project need to be
fully aware of the potential for unknown hazards
and the safety precautions available to control
these hazards.

OSHA Standard
1926.852(a) No material shall be
dropped to any point lying
outside the exterior walls of the
structure unless the area is
effectively protected.
OSHA Standard
1926.252(a) Whenever materials are
dropped more than 6.00 meters to any
exterior point of a building, an
enclosed chute must be used.

OSHA Standard 1926.854(a) Masonry walls, or other sections of

masonry, shall not be permitted to fall upon the floors of the building
in such masses as to exceed the safe carrying capacities of the
floors.
OSHA Standard 1926.854(d) Structural or load-supporting
members on any floor must not be cut or removed until all stories
above that floor have been removed.
OSHA Standard 1926.857(a) The
storage of waste material and debris
on any floor shall not exceed the
allowable floor loads.

OSHA Standard 1926.851(a) Only those stairways, passageways,

and ladders, designated as means of access to the structure of a
building, shall be used. Other access ways shall be entirely closed
at all times.
OSHA Standard 1926.150(a)(1) The employer shall be responsible
for the development of a fire protection program to be followed
throughout all phases of the construction and demolition work and
shall provide for the firefighting equipment. As fire hazards occur,
there shall be no delay in providing the necessary equipment.
TYPES OF DEMOLITION
1. Implosion demolition –It is a form of demolition in
which objects are destroyed by collapsing on themselves.
This method employs the use of explosives to bring down
high structures by undermining structural supports so that it
collapses within their footprint or along a predetermined
path.

Depending on how the structure falls, there are two types of

implosion:

a) Falling like a tree

b) Falling into its footprint.
a. Falling like a tree
In this type of implosion, the
building is made to fall like a
tree to the sideward. This is
the commonly used type of
implosion. When free space is
available besides the building,
this type of demolition is
prescribed. If the free space is As the explosives are
available on the left side of the detonated, the columns
building, the explosives are bursts, and the building
set on the lower level of the tends to falls toward the
building on the left side left side.
columns.
b. Falling into its
footprint
When the free spaces are
not available around the
building and the structure
around the building are to be
protected. This type of
demolition is used. In this
type of demolition,
explosives are set on the
floor below the middle part
of the building.
2. Chemical demolition – This method involves the
use of concrete demolition powder, concrete breaking
chemical, and concrete cracking chemicals so you can
quickly and safely bring down large structures. This
advanced concrete cracking agent has expansive power
that demolishes even massive buildings with minimum effort
and time. The concrete-breaking powder is non-explosive
and soundless.
3. Controlled demolition – It is
a demolition method that involves taking
down buildings and structures in a safe,
guided manner in order to achieve the
best timely results. Most structures can’t
be taken down in a day, so when things
are in the process of being demolished,
a building must be taken down in
sections to ensure that the remains are
as stable as possible. Controlled
demolition can be used for tall buildings,
bridges, chimney stacks and cooling
towers This type of demolition is done by
diamond drilling and hydraulic concrete
crunching.
4. Mechanical demolition –
this method involves the use of specialized
mechanical equipment and tools. These
equipment include hydraulic excavators
equipped with specialized attachments that
can break concrete and steel to demolish
the structure apart. The building with a
greater height up to (6-7 story) cannot be
demolished with the help of excavators or
bulldozers. In such cases, cranes with
wrecking balls are used to perform the
demolition activity.

The wrecking ball crack is attached with a huge steel ball hanging from a steel
rope. The steel ball is pulled and released towards the building. High-reach arm
machines can be used for projects of 20 meters. The arm is telescopic and has
demolition tools attached at the end; shear, hammer or crushers. This type of
demolition is more precise than the crane and ball because specific demolition
tools can be used on different building materials like steel or concrete.
 Demolition involves additional hazards due to
unknown factors which makes demolition work
particularly dangerous.
These may include:
• Changes from the structure's design introduced during
construction;
• Approved or unapproved modifications that altered the original
design;
• Materials hidden within structural members, such as lead,
asbestos, silica, and other chemicals or heavy metals requiring
special material handling;
• Unknown strengths or weaknesses of construction materials,
such as post-tensioned concrete;
• Hazards created by the demolition methods used.
PREPARATION FOR THE DEMOLITION JOB:

• Method to be use to bring the structure down

• Equipment necessary to do the job
• Measures to be taken to perform the work safety
• Manpower requirements
• Protection of the public
Pre-demolition Process
 SAFETY REPORT SPECIFIC TO THE DEMOLITION
PROJECT
• Engineering survey (include the condition of the structure and the possibility of an
unplanned collapse).
SAFETY REPORT con…..

• Locating, securing, and/or relocating any nearby utilities

SAFETY REPORT con….. • An assessment of health
hazards completed before
demolition work takes
place.
• Fire prevention and
evacuation plan

• Training requirements
• Emergency, first
aid, and security
services
Select and inspect personal protective equipment
(PPE) before use. In demolition operations, the PPE
required may include:

1. Eye, face, head, hand, and foot

protection
2. Respiratory protection
3. Hearing protection
4. Personal Fall Arrest Systems
(PFAS)
5. Additional protective clothing (for
other operations like welding or
asbestos removal)
 SAFETY MEASURES IN THE DEMOLITION OF
THE BUILDINGS:
1. Workers should not be deployed at different levels unless
adequate precautions are taken to ensure the safety of them
2. Demolition work should begin at the top of the structure and
proceed downwards.
3. Masonry concrete and other dismantled materials should not be
allowed to accumulate in quantities that may endanger the
stability of any floor or structural support.
4. Part of the structures, where necessary should be adequately
shored, braced, or otherwise supported.
5. If the structure is to be demolished by explosives, all safety
measures pertaining to explosives such as transport, storage,
handling, loading firing etc. should be strictly adhered to
6. Foundation walls serving as retaining walls to support of
adjoining structures should not be demolish until the
adjoining structure have been under pinned or braced or
earth supported by sheet pilling.
7. Stairs with hand railing should be kept in place as long as
practicable to provide access and egress.
8. If the work of demolition is continued in night, all
passageways, stairs and other parts of the structure where
the workers have to pass and also to work should be
adequately lit.
9. Workers should wear strictly safety belts, safety belts, safety
helmets and hand glove.
10. If the demolition is carried out by machines such as power
shovels, bulldozers etc. the safety measures relevant to operation
and use of such machines should be adhered to.
11. If swinging weight such as ball is used for demolition, a safety
zone having a width of at least 1.50 times the height of the
building or structure should be maintained.
12. Scaffolds used for demolition operations should be independent
of the structure to be demolished.
13.If ladders are used for demolition, only travelling mechanical
ladders should be used.
14.The hoists or chutes, whenever it is practicable, should be used to
lower the materials. Materials chutes should have a gate at the
bottom with suitable means for regulating the flow of materials.
Hazards Associated with Building Demolition

1. Hazardous Materials
Types of Hazardous Materials Commonly Encountered on
Demolition Sites
1. Asbestos - lung cancer
2. Synthetic Mineral Fibre (SMF) - skin irritation, and upper
respiratory tract irritation.
3. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) - thyroid disorders and birth defects.
4. Lead paint - nervous system
5. Ozone Depleting Substances - Earth’s atmosphere
6. Toxic Mould -asthma, breathing difficulties
2. Primary hazard and accident
1. Falls From Height
2. Falling Debris
3. Premature Collapse Of Structure
4. Dust & Fumes
5. Asbestos And Other Hazardous Substances
6. Respiratory hazards from dust created during
the demo process
 3. Structural Instabilities
During the controlled
demolition of a complex
structure, the demolition
sequence may result in local
or global structural
instabilities not apparent to
a person unfamiliar with load
path, changes in the load
path, buckling, mechanism
formation, and torsional
instability.
 4.Utilities
There are a variety of utilities and
services that must be disconnected
before demolition: electricity water
sewage gas

BEWARE: Electricity and gas pose a

particularly dangerous health risk if still
active when demolition takes place.
Surrounding supply sources can also be
damaged if services have not been
properly terminated.
5. Assessing for Hazardous
Substances
6. Eliminating Hazardous
Substances
7. Walkway and access 8. Illumination

9. Safe works
practices when
working in
confined Spaces
Removing Debris and Cleanup
Debris collection and removal tasks include picking up, cleaning,
separating, and removing debris. Most of this task are
typically using heavy equipment: however, some manual effort
can be necessary at every stage.

1. Dropping Construction Debris

2. Removing Walls and Masonry Sections
THANK YOU