Demolition of a building requires significant planning and work in order to be safe for everyone involved, depending on its location and primary building materials used. Select the best Oakland Demolition.
When there is enough open space outside a building, this method of demolition may be selected. Explosives are placed at lower levels on columns on the left side; when they explode, they cause them to burst. Steel cables are then used to control the direction of the fall.
Pre-Planning
Every building must eventually come down, but the process can be more complicated than expected. A lot of planning goes into a demolition job, and steps must be taken to ensure everyone involved remains safe throughout.
Engineering surveys are performed as the initial step for any demolition process to ascertain its condition and any risk of uncontrolled collapse during demolition. They also help identify work methods and the equipment/people needed to carry out this task.
An inspection can also help identify environmental concerns that need to be addressed during demolition, providing information that can then be integrated into bid specifications for demolition. Doing this may save money by eliminating separate environmental services contracts; incorporating environmental services directly may result in more competitive bids from entities better equipped to handle them – not to mention helping avoid expensive change orders!
Structural Survey
As part of any demolition, it is wise to conduct a structural survey before beginning demolition to ensure the building remains safe for occupation. These inspections, typically performed by a Chartered Structural Engineer, can identify any issues that might need addressing and can often be more intrusive than standard pre-purchase surveys, with potentially more extraordinary expenses involved.
Complete structural surveys typically provide a thorough evaluation of a property from room to room. Photos will document any damage and the costs involved in resolving it, providing homebuyers with helpful insight as they decide whether or not they wish to purchase the home.
If you are buying at auction, obtaining the survey before placing a bid will be essential; private treaty sales require a post-sale agreement. Suppose you need to decide which type of survey to order. Get advice from your building surveyor. In that case, they should possess both public liability and professional indemnity insurance policies to cover you in case of damage or negligence claims.
Hazardous Materials Removal
Many older structures contain hazardous materials like asbestos, lead, and PCBs, which pose severe threats to workers during demolition and require special handling techniques for safe removal.
Survey processes consist of visual site inspection to identify any hazardous materials on site, followed by sampling for laboratory analysis to ascertain their presence and determine their level of danger. The survey results then serve as the foundation for developing a safe work plan that addresses any concerns with hazardous materials.
If a building contains asbestos-cement sheeting or pipes, contractors must take special care in dismantling these materials without disturbing them. Furthermore, any plaster or texturing compounds found contaminated with ACMs require special precautions to be taken in order to limit exposure while simultaneously ensuring their removal from the site in an orderly manner.
Other dangers posed by demolition can include unstable structures that collapse unexpectedly and endanger workers or damage nearby structures. Furthermore, the process can generate large volumes of dust, which poses health hazards to residents nearby and impacts air quality; to combat this effect and ensure resident health isn’t negatively affected by dust pollution control measures like covering exposed surfaces with plastic sheets or using water sprays – effective dust suppression systems should also be utilized as preventative measures against dust pollution.
Permits
Demolition permits are necessary for most municipalities when demolishing homes or structures, making significant alterations that require extensive demolition, or razing/removing accessory structures equipped with utilities or mechanical systems. They help ensure that demolition work adheres to local code regulations.
Applying for a permit can be both time-consuming and complex, often including multiple steps such as submitting plans and fees; your municipality may also require site surveys, tree preservation information, and specific site control measures as part of their requirements.
Once your application has been received and submitted for consideration, it will go through plan review and engineering review processes before receiving its permit. After these reviews have concluded, they should then be issued directly to you or your contractor. It is also imperative to notify public utility companies prior to receiving your permit. Otherwise, fines or other penalties could result. You may be required to submit a grading plan after demolition has taken place as well.
Safety
Demolition work can be hazardous, so there must be proper safety measures in place in order to avoid injuries and accidents. The first step should be ensuring all workers wear appropriate PPE and use two-way communication systems; further training should include learning the hazards associated with demolition as well as emergency evacuation and fire prevention procedures.
Before beginning demolition, a competent person must conduct an engineering survey of the structure to assess its condition and identify any risks. A survey should include details like the age of the building, previous uses, structural system design, and any services (water mains or underground power lines) that need isolating or disconnecting. If you need help finding where these services are located, call 811.
Hughes and Salvidge have taken measures to ensure all workers wear appropriate safety equipment, but in addition, they utilize an innovative Close Proximity Warning System known as SiteZone on all plant and machinery to help safeguard ground staff from entering potential danger zones. The system is integrated into their Risk Assessments and Method Statements as well as available to on-ground staff.
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