Demolition workers face one of the greatest risks of death on the job in this country. The latest revelations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, entitled “Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2022,” reports that the industry suffering the second highest number of worker deaths (surpassed only by transportation and material moving) was construction and extraction. And of further concern to safety agencies and those representing worker victims and their loved ones: worker deaths in the construction industry rose 11% last year.
For more, read More Workers Are Dying In Work Accidents Per New BLS Report.
What is Demolition?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) defines demolition as “…the dismantling, razing, destroying or wrecking of any building or structure or any part thereof.” Obviously, demolition is a key component of both our local commercial, industrial, and residential construction efforts. And as OSHA acknowledges, “[d]emolition work involves many of the hazards associated with construction.”
Buildings, bridges, indeed any sort of manmade structure may need to be removed for any number of reasons. Demolishing things can be necessary because they are no longer sound. However, taking down existing structures may happen because they are too costly to repair and maintain; they may contain toxic substances (think asbestos or mold); or they simply need to be razed to make room for bigger, better, or more modern designs in the name of progress.
For more, read “Building demolition: History, methods and record breakers, “written by Ailsa Harvey and published by Live Science on March 15, 2022.
The demolition process itself is complex. Here in Illinois and Indiana, there are experts and specialists in demolition where their entire operations are dedicated to the planning and demolishing of various structures. Other construction industry employers will undertake demolition as part of a larger construction project.
Methods used will depend upon the location of the structure as well as things like its size, location, internal hazards, and whether or not any parts will be repurposed, reused, or recycled. Men with jackhammers, sledge hammers, and other power tools will likely be on site. Bulldozers and excavators will transport debris. Explosives may be necessary in a controlled implosion. Wrecking balls atop cranes may be a part of mechanical demolitions for larger structures. See, “Demolition Methods and Process for Building Structures,” written by Fai Ur Rahman and published by The Constructor (article includes images).
Demolition Hazards
The dangers facing construction workers on the job in any demolition effort are great. It can be argued that a demolition project creates an even more hazardous working environment than the standard construction site. Why?
As OSHA explains, demolition work brings added risks of injury such as:
- Changes from the structure’s design introduced during construction;
- Approved or unapproved modifications that altered the original design;
- Materials hidden within structural members, such as lead, asbestos, silica, and other chemicals or heavy metals requiring special material handling;
- Unknown strengths or weaknesses of construction materials, such as post-tensioned concrete; and
- Hazards created by the demolition methods used.
Demolition Work Accident Dangers
The dangers facing construction workers on a demolition worksite include:
- Caught-in between or crushing incidents: Demolition projects are always at risk of a sudden collapse of any portion of the targeted structure. The entire building (or bridge, etc.) may abruptly collapse, as well.
- Explosions and Fires: Demolition workers can be hurt or killed in a planned explosion that goes awry as part of the demolition project. They can also suffer bodily injuries when there are unexpected explosions or fires caused by things like combustible dust or undetected live wires.
- Exposure to Toxins and Hazardous Materials (HazMat): A great many projects targeted for demolition in both our urban and rural areas may expose demolition workers to toxic chemicals or hazardous materials like lead, mold, silica, or asbestos.
- Falls: Demolition workers face a continuing risk of falling through weakened floorboards or off of rotted stairsteps, as well as falling due to failing guardrails and other failing components of the targeted structure.
- Struck-by accidents: Demolition workers face a risk of being hit by falling objects as weakened walls, floors, roofs, etc., may be involved in the targeted building or structure.
Keeping Demolition Workers Safe
There is a legal duty of safety and care placed upon employers that all demolition workers should be able to rely upon when on the job. For any employer on a demolition site as well as other parties with custody, control, or possession of aspects of that demolition effort, laws are on the books that mandate steps be undertaken to protect demolition workers from harm.
There are specific federal regulations in place for demolition risks, all contained within 29 CFR Part 1926. These include “primary demolition standards,” such as safety of “manual removal of floors” in 1926.855 and “related construction standards,” such as personal protective equipment (PPE) involving respiratory protection in 1926.103.
In sum, federal safety laws demand that employers do three overall things to keep demolition workers safe: (1) do proper planning in advance of the work itself; (2) understand and provide all demolition workers with the right PPE; and (3) make sure all workers have the proper training in the hazards they will be facing on the particular demolition project.
Overall, demolition workers should expect to see safety measures on place at their workplace that involves things like:
- All utilities disconnected (gas, water, electricity, cable, etc.);
- Fall arrest systems in place;
- Plan in place for dealing with toxins or hazardous materials;
- Plan in place for unexpected dangers (fires, explosions);
- Protections in place on the site (guardrails; covers over holes; fire extinguishers, etc.);
- PPE provided for all demolition workers appropriate to their tasks and job duties;
- PPE provided for all demolition workers that is in proper repair and with proper fit;
- Surveys of the targeted structure before demolition begins; and
- Training of workers in recognized risks they will face on the project.
Illinois’ internationally known National Safety Council (NSC) has written its own analysis of the particularities of demolition work accident risks. Key points from the NSC in keeping demolition workers safe:
- Failure to perform an engineering survey is one of OSHA’s most frequently issued citations related to its standard on preparatory operations for demolition. The findings of the survey need to be in writing;
- A Job Safety Analysis, also known as a job hazard analysis or task hazard analysis, provides another way to help keep demolition workers safe; and
- The location of a demolition project may determine whether additional measures are needed to protect adjacent structures and/or other people near the jobsite.
For details read, “Demolition work: A look at the hazards,” written by Alan Ferguson and published by NSC’s Safety and Health Magazine on March 27, 2022.
Demolition Accident in Illinois or Indiana
Sadly, all too often these known legal duties will be ignored or disrespected by the powers-that-be. The costs of doing things like completing an engineering survey; making multiple daily safety inspections of the site; or continued housekeeping procedures may be considered too much for the bottom line.
When there is a serious or deadly work accident on a construction site involving the demolition of any kind of structure, that worker victim and their loved ones will have the legal right to investigate the incident to determine the causes of the demolition accident. This independent investigation may reveal that not only the employer who signs the worker’s paycheck but other parties involved in the project may have legal responsibility for the accident and its consequences.
For instance, other construction contractors as well as professionals like engineers and architects may be legally liable for demolition accident injuries and deaths caused by their negligence or bad acts. See, for instance OSHA’s reference to Demolition Planning as an excerpt from The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, (2006).
To learn more about liability after a construction accident, read:
- Who Can Be Held Liable for Construction Worker Accidents?
- Multiple Employers on the Construction Site: Who Is Liable For Construction Worker Accidents?
Also see:
- Shocking New Federal Rule for Construction Worker Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Industrial Housekeeping and Construction Site Accidents
- Explosions and Fires on Construction Sites in Illinois or Indiana
- Fatal Falls in Construction Caused by Employers Failing to Plan for Worker Safety.
Demolition accidents can be catastrophic or deadly. Demolition workers in Illinois and Indiana deserve to be safe from harm on worksites known to be extremely dangerous. The latest BLS report confirms that death rates continue to rise among our construction workers. Please be careful out there!
