Page 286 - Urban Construction Project Management

Renovation and Demolition 241
Exhibit 12-5
1. All openings have to be protected by a very strong and high barricade.
Safety issues
2. Floors must be checked for any “soft” areas (you do not want any workers
checklist.
falling through the floors).
3. All hoses and wires have to be hung from a high spot so that workers will not
trip on them.
4. Wet downs of floors create slippery conditions. This should be accomplished
at the end of the day, when most workers have left the job.
5. Any gas that runs through the building should be shut at the main entrance
valve.
6. All exposed flooring nails should be removed immediately.
7. All debris must be removed from the job site as soon as it is created.
8. Fire extinguishers and water (building riser) must be readily available.
9. Temporary lights must be hung throughout the job site. This is especially true
for dark stairs and hallways.
10. Escape routes must be established in case of fire or a collapse. The routing
map should be hung in all areas of the building. In addition, at the tool box
meetings, the routing should be explained to all the workers (in English and
Spanish).
11. Safety signs must be placed at all locations within the building.
12. A safety director is imperative for renovation and demolition projects.
13. All chemicals, gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene used for the project must be
kept in locked fire-proof cabinets.
14. Cylinders used for torches must be secured via chains within a safe fireproof
storage area.
15. On all exposed open perimeters of the building, safety cables must be strung
around the exposed areas so that workers cannot fall from an unprotected
area.
16. Safety netting has to be placed around the perimeter of the building for any
material that may fall from the building.
17. The local building code may also require the complete enclosure of the struc-
ture so that debris and dust can be contained.
18. Weather conditions must be evaluated on a daily basis. The site may have
to be secured (all material tied down) due to adverse winds, hurricanes, or
tornado conditions.

type of chutes that can be utilized. In most cases, they have to be fireproof and com-
pletely enclosed (containing the debris) and emptied into either a dump truck or a large
dumpster. This must be done in an area that is away from the public. Dust must be kept
to a minimum in the urban setting. With contiguous buildings surrounding the building
being demolished, excessive winds can be created which can cause a minor dust storm.
Thus, a wet down of the areas being demolished will have to be explored and evaluated
(due to possible slippery conditions for the workers).

Adjacent buildings must be thoroughly investigated to make sure no structural tie-ins
have been made either initially or over the preceding years. If a structural connection is