Commercial demolition presents a lot of risks and challenges. In most cases, the building to be demolished is located in a busy urban centre or close to other buildings. Therefore, owners and property managers must pull all stops to ensure the safe demolition of these structures. This extract proposes some commercial demolition tips to help you plan and execute commercial demolition.
Consult the Authorities
Demolition is highly regulated in Australia and other countries around the world. Therefore, before demolishing your building, you might want to consult the local authorities to establish the standards you must observe. For instance, you might need a permit. Moreover, you might need to present a demolition plan to the authorities detailing the measures you intend to take to control pollution, manage debris and prevent accidents at the site.
Hire a Demolition Contractor
The demolition contractor is the mastermind of the demolition work. Make sure the contractor has the licencing and experience needed to execute the work. For example, their portfolio and reputation could inform you whether they have handled more challenging projects in the past.
The contractor's first task is to assess the building and any risks at the site. For example, if the building is not structurally stable, the contractor could install reinforcements and bracing to ensure it does not collapse accidentally. In other cases, the building could contain risks such as asbestos or industrial chemicals that pose a threat to the demolition crew and neighbouring communities. In this case, the contractor removes these materials. They also uninstall gas and power lines to the building.
The contractor then develops a demolition plan that details how they will demolish the building. Usually, the plan contains structural drawings explaining how the team intends to pull down structural elements such as the pillars and slabs without triggering the building to come down at once.
Prioritise Safety
Safety is a vital concern as you plan the demolition work. The contractor first examines site safety. For instance, they ensure that all personnel have the required safety gear. Besides, the professional ensures that the site is safe for the proposed plant equipment. For example, they could ask the electrical company to move low-lying cables. Besides, they test the ground conditions to ensure the plant equipment does not sink as they work. It is sometimes challenging to deploy plant equipment if the building is close to other structures. As such, the contractor could opt to use explosives to implode the building. The contractor also installs barricades around the building and uses a safety net to contain the debris inside the site.
Talk to a demolition contractor for more information.