Every year in the US around 5000 people tragically die from occupational injuries, and almost 20% of those come from the construction and demolition industry. These projects and sites are full of potential hazards and it's essential for professional demolition companies to have a strong safety policy in place and to follow the many strict standards and regulations aimed at preventing workplace accidents.
Chicago demolition contractors in particular have a large amount of regulatory requirements to follow in terms of permits and environmental laws, but health and safety is also a key priority. On all US demolition sites the regulatory framework and legislation is primarily governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the OSHA Act and their associated safety standards across a wide variety of industries.
The act requires any employer to provide a hazard-free workplace, and to follow the rules for occupational safety standards within their sector. We believe that even in a complex environment like a demolition site almost all risks and hazards can be controlled, or completely removed. Excellent planning and risk assessments, a clearly communicated safety policy, and ensuring our team is well trained and has all the right PPE and other tools for the job keeps everyone safe.
Industrial and commercial demolition safety hazards and how we control them
Planning a project and looking very specifically at safety is everything, and we ensure all of our commercial and industrial demolition sites follow a strict process to identify risks well in advance, and to find intelligent ways to minimise or remove them entirely, this process includes;
Pre-demolition engineering surveys to assess structural stability
Securing or relocating utilities like electricity or gas supplies
Extensive fire prevention and emergency evacuation plans
Provision of qualified First Aid providers and emergency medical services
Professional assessment of any other hazards identified at the site
Understanding structural stability and how to safely bring a building down by implosion, or floor by floor with excavators, is what our job is all about, and our team bring many years of experience across thousands of sites in finding solutions to demolition safety challenges.
Fire prevention, and even many other non-flammable hazardous substances, can often be a risk on industrial demolition sites left over by previous tenants or users of the property. A detailed pre-demolition survey is are crucial in identifying these and planning for expert removal and safety processes for everything from oils and chemicals to asbestos.
Equipping construction crews with the right tools and safety knowledge
Perhaps the most important safety measure on a construction site is making sure our workers have great experience, qualifications, and ongoing training, which teaches them not only about their individual responsibility to carry out work safely, but also their responsibility as part of the team. Demolishing a commercial or industrial property can reveal all kinds of new and unexpected hazards as the project progresses, and it's always the people on the ground who will spot these things first, and make quick decisions on how to deal with them.
We train our team well, and equip them with all the right tools and PPE they could require for any type of project; protection for their hearing, respiration, eyes, face, head, hands and feet, specialist gear for workers cutting steel or operating heavy equipment, and crucial safety tools like personal fall arrest systems if they need to work at height.
Awareness is everything for Chicago demolition contractors; awareness of the site, building, and contents, but also an awareness deep seated into the culture of the company, to always have that eye and perspective for what could happen, and the knowledge and resources to make sure it doesn't.
