SAFETY MANAGEMENT DURING BUILDING DEMOLITION-A STUDY

This paper “Safety management during building demolition” is done with the sole aim of accomplishing safe building demolition. The demolition technique adopted depends upon factors such as site condition, type of structure, age of building, height of building and cost allotted for demolition. Most important factor for determining the method for demolition is the surrounding environment and the structural stability. To reduce on the demolition wastage in order to minimize the impact of the construction industry on the environment, the materials obtained from demolition can be used for recycling. By adopting the appropriate techniques for demolition depending upon the situation, accidents are reduced with less environment impacts. The objective is to provide safety during building demolition, to minimize the risk of injuries to people and properties, for the health and safety of the workers on site, to reduce the impact on the neighborhood environment and for safe removal of debris. Demolition poses a risk to not only the workers but also to adjacent structures, their occupants and other people nearby. Before initiating the demolition, proper pre planning and preparation of a stability report will be handed out. After choosing the right method for demolition, it is carried out smoothly along with all the safety requirements. In olden days small structures such as houses usually consist of only two or three stories, demolishing them is rather an easy process. They are pulled down manually or mechanically using hydraulic equipment mounted on cranes, excavators or bulldozers and with the help of scaffoldings. Larger structures require the use of wrecking ball, heavy weight on a cable that is swung by a crane into the sides of the building. Nowadays numerous numbers of methods have come up such as cut and take down method, hydrodemolition, demolition by explosives, demolition by non- explosive cracking agents etc. Importance of Debris management should be realized and adopted everywhere, especially before a predicted disaster. Dust management is essential and this plays a major role in air pollution, therefore we should aim to manage and overcome it.