4 . CONTROLLING RISKS IN DEMOLITION WORK
• at the working level , each opening should be protected by an adequate vehicle buffer during the removal of debris by mobile plant , and guarded by suitable barriers at all other times . Vehicle buffers should be high enough to prevent the mobile plant from riding over them and solid enough to stop the fully loaded mobile plant , and
• at all levels below the working level , access to the area through or onto which material is falling should be prevented , either by sealing off the opening with guarding from floor to ceiling , or by erecting signs and barricades to prevent persons coming near the openings .
Debris chutes should be designed and constructed to prevent the spillage of material and dust and to minimise noise while debris is passing through the chute . Vertical chutes should be fully enclosed with a cover or barrier at the top to prevent a person falling into the chute . Debris chutes should be adequately secured to the building or structure and to ensure that debris falls freely and does not become jammed in shafts or chutes . Securing of the chute should take into consideration the weight of the chute plus the accumulated load .
Overhead demolition should cease during removal of the debris bins . Signs which warn of the risk from falling or ejected material should be placed at the discharge end of every chute .
4.7 Falls
Regulation 78
A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage the risk of a fall from one level to another that is reasonably likely to cause injury to the person or another person .
In managing the risks of falls , the WHS Regulations require the following control measures to be implemented where it is reasonably practicable to do so :
• eliminate the need to work at heights by performing work at ground level
• carry out the work on solid construction that includes a safe means of access and egress
• minimise the risk of fall by providing and maintaining a safe system of work including
• using fall prevention devices ( for example , temporary work platforms and guard railing )
• work positioning systems ( for example , industrial rope access systems ), or
• fall arrest systems such as catch platforms .
Any construction work , including demolition work that involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres is high risk construction work and a SWMS must be prepared before this work commences .
FALL PREVENTION DEVICES A fall prevention device is any equipment that is designed to prevent a fall for temporary work at heights , and once in place does not require any further adjustment by workers using the device .
Fall prevention devices include perimeter guard rails , the protection of openings with solid covers and temporary work platforms .
Further information on the selection and use of fall prevention devices can be found in the Code of Practice : Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces .
22 CODE OF PRACTICE | DEMOLITION WORK