4 . CONTROLLING RISKS IN DEMOLITION WORK
4.1 The building or structure to be demolished
The person conducting a business or undertaking in control of the demolition work should consult with the designer and / or the principal contractor if appointed where reasonably practicable , to obtain a written report specifying the hazards associated with the design and the structure in the planning stage of the demolition work . Specific hazards may be outlined in a demolition plan .
The building or structure to be demolished and all its components should be maintained in a safe and structurally stable condition so as to prevent the unexpected collapse of part or all the structure . Temporary braces , propping , shoring or guys may need to be added to ensure that stability of the structure is maintained .
The position , depth and type of basements , wells and underground storage tanks should also be determined as should the contents of any storage tanks .
Adjoining properties and structures also need to be considered , as do the existence of easements , right of way , boundary walls and other encumbrances .
4.2 Hazardous chemicals and materials
Regulation 49
A person conducting a business or undertaking at a workplace must ensure that no person at the workplace is exposed to a substance or mixture in an airborne concentration that exceeds the exposure standard for the substance or mixture .
Demolition work may involve workplaces or structures that contain or have contained hazardous materials , including chemicals . Hazardous materials include lead , asbestos , polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs ), contaminated dust and combustible materials :
The risks arising from potential exposure to hazardous materials must be managed in accordance with the WHS Regulations .
For hazardous chemicals , exposure standards must not be exceeded . These are set out in the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants , and should also be listed in the manufacturer ’ s Safety Data Sheet ( SDS ).
Before starting any demolition work , all areas of the workplace , including basements , cellars , vaults and waste dumps , should be examined to determine whether :
• there are any items which could be a fire and explosion risk
• any previous use of the site might cause a risk because of the nature of and / or decomposition of materials
• there are any toxic , radioactive or other hazardous chemicals present .
Any hazardous materials , including explosives , should be clearly identified . Information about a chemical ’ s hazards and control measures can be obtained from the chemical ’ s Safety Data Sheet ( SDS ) or the label of the chemical ’ s container . If available , the workplace ’ s former hazardous chemicals register or manifest should be referred to for determining the nature and location of previous hazardous chemical storage areas .
The person conducting a business or undertaking and / or the principal contractor at a demolition workplace should inform all workers and other persons at the workplace of the presence of hazardous chemicals , and the control measures for exposure and safe disposal . SDSs for hazardous chemicals must be readily available for reference .
16 CODE OF PRACTICE | DEMOLITION WORK