3. PLANNING THE DEMOLITION WORK
Demolition work should be carefully planned before work starts so it can be carried out safely. Planning involves identifying hazards, assessing risks and determining appropriate control measures in consultation with all relevant persons involved in the work, including the principal contractor, demolition contractor, structural engineers and mobile plant operators.
A demolition plan should be prepared for all demolitions where there are a number of other persons conducting a business or undertaking( for example, subcontractors) involved. If the demolition contractor is also the principal contactor, the demolition plan should be incorporated as part of the WHS management plan.
Appendix B provides further information on what a demolition plan may include.
3.1 Notifiable demolition work
Regulation 142
A person conducting a business or undertaking who proposes to carry out the following demolition work must give written notice to the regulator at least 5 days before any of the following work commences:
• demolition of a structure, or a part of a structure that is load bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure, that is at least 6 metres in height
• demolition work involving load shifting machinery on a suspended floor
• demolition work involving explosives.
The height of a structure is measured from the lowest level of the ground immediately adjacent to the base of the structure to its highest point.
The type of information which would normally be included in the notification would be:
• the name and contact details of the person conducting the business or undertaking
• if the high risk construction work is in connection with a construction project, the name and contact details of the principal contractor for the project or the principal contractor’ s representative
• the name and contact details of the person directly supervising the work
• the date of the notice
• the nature of the demolition
• whether explosives will be used in carrying out the work and, if so, the licence details of the person who is to use the explosives
• when the person conducting the business or undertaking reasonably believes the work is to commence and to be completed
• where the work is to be carried out.
In the circumstances where an emergency services organisation directs one or more of its workers to carry out notifiable demolition work for the purposes of rescuing and / or providing first aid to a person, the organisation must provide a written notice to the relevant regulator as soon as reasonably practicable before or during the demolition work, or if this is not reasonably practicable after the demolition work is carried out.
CODE OF PRACTICE | DEMOLITION WORK 9