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Building Assessment, Restoration,
and Demolition
Building Demolition |
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Activity Description
- This activity sheet is for response and recovery workers and supervisors
who will be conducting assessments and demolishing buildings. For
some operations or situations (e.g., entry into confined spaces,
heavy equipment use) other activity sheets also apply; see related activity sheets below.
- Hurricanes can cause massive structural
damage to buildings in their paths, resulting in unsalvageable
properties.
- Large-scale demolition is performed using heavy
equipment; however, many related tasks and small-scale demolition
jobs are performed manually or using hand-held equipment.
- Demolition after floods may involve work with
wet debris, which will be heavier than if dry. Wet materials are
also subject to heavy mold growth, which is not likely when materials
are dry. Additionally, materials might be contaminated with hazardous
substances that contaminated floodwaters.
- Response and recovery workers conducting this operation may be employed by Federal, State, local, and private employers. Review How to Use This Matrix in the introduction for a discussion of how this information may apply to different employees.
About the Activity Sheet
This activity sheet does not provide an in-depth analysis of OSHA standards and regulations and cannot address all hazards. It does not increase or diminish any OSHA requirement or employer obligation under those requirements. It is intended as a guide and quick reference for employers and response and recovery workers. The Matrix captures major activities involved in hurricane response and recovery, highlights many of the hazards associated with them, and recommends beneficial work practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other exposure control methods. Employers must evaluate the specific hazards associated with the job/operation at the site where the work is being performed.
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.
The Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix for Hurricane Response and Recovery Work provides a general overview of particular topics related to current OSHA standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or the equivalent State Plan standards and requirements. Because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, you should consult current OSHA/State Plan administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements. Employers should modify their procedures as appropriate when additional, relevant information becomes available.
General Recommendations
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices. See general recommendations document.
Personal Protective Equipment.
The general PPE is recommended for
all response/recovery tasks/operations; only the additional
PPE that may be needed for a specific hazard is noted below.
General PPE includes:
- Hard hat for overhead impact or electrical hazards
- Eye protection with side shields
- Gloves chosen for job hazards expected (e.g.,
heavy-duty leather work gloves for handling debris with sharp edges
and/or chemical protective gloves appropriate for chemicals potentially
contacted)
- ANSI-approved protective footwear
- Respiratory protection as necessary—N,
R, or P95, filtering facepieces may be used for nuisance dusts
(e.g., dried mud, dirt and silt) and mold (except mold remediation).
Filters with a charcoal layer may be used for odors.
Recommendations Specific to Hazards Associated with This Activity
STRUCTURAL INSTABILITIES
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Conduct an engineering survey of the framing, floors, and walls
of the structure and any adjacent structures that might be affected;
maintain written survey results
- Shore/brace walls and floors as needed to maintain safe work
areas during demolition activities
- Have a competent person continually
inspect work area to detect hazards resulting from weakened or
deteriorated floors, or walls, or loosened material. A competent
person is able to recognize existing and predictable hazardous
conditions and has the authority to take prompt corrective
measures to eliminate the hazardous condition
- Do not allow falling debris/stored materials or heavy equipment
to exceed the safe carrying capacity of the floor
- Conduct demolition work from the topmost floors down; do not
cut/remove load-supporting members until upper or supported loads
have been removed
UNSECURED
HAZARDS IN THE WORK AREA
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
-
 Remove or secure objects (glass, structural members) that may fall while employees work under them
- Use debris netting, sidewalk sheds, canopies, or catch platforms to reduce hazards from falling objects
- Verify the location of all other utility lines; ensure lines have been shut-off, capped, or otherwise controlled outside the building before beginning work. Notify utility companies before controlling their utility lines
- Assess the presence, contents, and condition of tanks and equipment that might contain hazardous chemicals, gases, or flammable materials. If the condition of tanks or equipment is suspect, avoid disturbing them until after the assessment is done and a plan of action determined
- Purge lines, tanks, and equipment containing hazardous chemicals, gases, or flammable materials. Use air monitoring equipment such as a combustible gas indicator, toxic gas monitor, or oxygen monitor to determine if any hazardous conditions remain. When necessary, provide additional controls to protect response and recovery workers (e.g., forced ventilation, respiratory protection)
- Provide and use safe walkways to reach any point without having to walk on exposed beams; walkways should be at least 18 inches wide and formed by using 2-inch thick wood, with stringers installed as needed for support
DROPPING CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Enclose material chutes at greater than a 45 degree angle; chute
openings should be 48 inches or less with gates that are closed
when the chute is not in use; provide 42-inch high guardrails where
debris is dumped manually; where debris is dumped using mechanical
equipment or wheel barrows, provide 4-inch wide by 6-inch high
toeboards/bumpers
- Barricade and mark all debris-dropping areas; ensure debris is
not removed until debris-handling ceases above
IMPROPER LADDER OR SCAFFOLD USE
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Inspect ladders for cracked, broken, or defective parts before use
- Do not exceed the load rating of ladders
or scaffolds—remember
that load ratings include people, tools, and equipment
- Set up ladders and scaffolds on stable surfaces
- Set extension or straight ladders at a 75 degree angle from
the ground (1/4 foot back for every foot of rise) and provide 3
feet above an upper landing surface to ease climbing onto/descending
from height
- Use non-conductive ladders (e.g., fiberglass) and exercise extreme
caution when working near power lines
- Secure ladders that can be displaced by work activities; consider
barricades at the base to keep traffic away
- Have a competent person inspect scaffolds before
use
- Ensure that the scaffold is plumb, and braced and guyed to prevent
tipping, swaying, and displacement
- Ensure that the scaffold is built on base
plates and mud sills, or other firm foundations. Footings should
be able to support the scaffold without settling or moving. Do
not use unstable objects to support scaffolds
- Fully plank each scaffold on all working
levels. For wood planking, use wood graded for the intended load
- Provide guardrails or fall protection systems on platforms 10
feet or higher
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Fall arrest systems on platforms without guardrails 10 feet
or higher
GENERAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Hearing protection—see Noise hazard
- When working from an aerial lift, use a
body harness that is properly attached (or body belt for tethering
or restraint use only) for fall protection
WORK ZONE
SAFETY
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 compliant high visibility safety apparel
and headwear
FALLS FROM HEIGHTS OR THROUGH OPENINGS
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Limit access/set up controlled access zones
- Use fall protection systems: guardrails, safety nets, or fall
arrest systems
- Cover or guard holes and openings as soon as they are created.
Covers must support two times the weight (body, equipment, materials)
that may be imposed
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Personal fall arrest system including harnesses, lanyards, lifelines,
connectors, anchorages, and anchor points (as needed)
CONTACT WITH LIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND OTHER UTILITIES (E.G., GAS, WATER)
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
-
 Assume
that electrical lines are energized until proven otherwise. Lines
and other conductors may become reenergized without warning as
utilities are evaluated and restored after a disaster
- Inspect the work area for downed conductors
and do not go near, drive over, or otherwise come in contact with
them
- Downed electrical conductors can energize
other objects, including fences, water pipes, bushes, trees, and
telephone/CATV/fiber optic cables
- Unless deenergized and visibly grounded,
maintain proper distance from overhead electrical power lines (at
least 10 feet) and/or provide insulating barriers
- Do not approach any gas leaks; if a gas leak is detected, secure spark-producing devices
(e.g., engines, tools, electronic and communications equipment)
and evacuate the area until the leak is secured
POWER AND HAND TOOL
USE
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Use ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) or double insulated
power tools, or implement an assured equipment grounding program
- Inspect power tool condition (including any cords) and verify
operation of safety features before use
- Do not use equipment that is defective,
such as equipment with inoperable safety switches, missing guards,
frayed/cut cords, etc.
- Ground power tools properly
- Avoid standing in wet areas when using portable power tools
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Hearing protection—see Noise hazard
- Hand protection for cut- and abrasion-control and vibration
dampening
- Eye protection appropriate to the impact hazard
GENERATOR USE
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Never attach a generator directly to the
electrical system of a structure unless a qualified electrician
has installed a transfer switch for the generator. If the structure’s
electrical system is not isolated, it may energize the utility’s
wiring system for great distances and create a risk of electrocution
for utility workers and others in the area
- Always plug electrical equipment directly
into the generator using the manufacturer’s supplied cords
or grounded (3-pronged) extension cords that are rated for the
total anticipated load
- Do not overload a generator; it can overheat
and create a fire hazard
- Ground and bond generators according to the
manufacturer’s recommendations; ensure that any manufacturer-required
connections are secure before using the generator
- Keep the generator dry; protect with a canopy if needed; do not use it in wet or rainy conditions
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colorless,
and odorless gas that is produced by the incomplete burning of
the generator’s fuel. CO is harmful when breathed because
it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain,
and other vital organs of oxygen
- Never use a generator indoors or in enclosed
spaces such as garages and basements; opening windows and doors
may not prevent CO from building up in those spaces. Do not use
a generator outdoors near doors, windows, and vents that could
allow CO to enter
- Ensure that a generator has 3 to 4 feet of
clear space on all sides and above it to ensure adequate ventilation
and cooling. Before refueling, shut down the generator and allow
it to cool
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
SILICA, MOLD, NUISANCE DUST, DRIED MUD, OR SILT
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Stay upwind of or away from dust-generating activities, and
in particular those involving crystalline silica-containing materials
like concrete, brick, tile, drywall, mortar, sand, or stone. When
inhaled, the fine crystalline silica particles contained in the
dust can become lodged deep in the lung, which can lead to silicosis
and other respiratory illnesses
- Use water spray or mist to suppress dust generation, especially
during operations that may create a lot of dust, such as cutting
or sawing silica-containing materials, jack hammering, impact drilling,
using heavy equipment, and demolishing structures
- Avoid using compressed air for cleaning surfaces
- Sample employee exposures to silica during dust-generating activities
- Limit contact or disturbance of surfaces containing substantial
visible mold growth
- See Mold Remediation activity
sheet
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
-
At a minimum, use respirators with N, R, or P95 filters for
work with crystalline silica-containing materials (e.g., concrete,
brick, tile, mortar). The use of N, R, or P100 filters may provide
additional protection. Higher levels of respiratory protection
may be needed for some operations (e.g., cutting concrete, sandblasting,
mixing concrete)
- N, R, or P95 respirators may be used for
nuisance dusts (e.g., dried mud, dirt, or silt) and mold (except
mold remediation). Filters with a charcoal layer may be used for
odors
ASBESTOS
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Consider the potential for Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM).
Structures built before 1980 are more likely to contain ACM
- If available, review the building operations and maintenance
plan and ACM survey to determine the locations and types of ACM
in building
- Thermal system insulation (formed or spray-on) is the ACM of
greatest concern for response and recovery worker exposure
- Other materials that may contain asbestos
include: vinyl floor tile, home siding & shingles, transite
(including cement piping), flame retardant materials (e.g., gloves,
curtains) and roof flashing
- If building is suspected or known to contain asbestos-containing
thermal system insulation, ensure a qualified individual, such
as a competent person, a person certified as an asbestos inspector
by the State, or a safety and health professional, inspects the
building and evaluates the condition of the material prior to any remediation or cleanup of ACM or PACM by other response and recovery workers
- If located, do not disturb material and isolate area until material
can be visually inspected for integrity
- Before demolishing a structure, remove or otherwise address
ACM in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations
- If removal is necessary to complete work,
ACM must be removed by employees who are trained to perform the class
of abatement work they will conduct, using the methods identified
in 29 CFR 1926.1101. ACM must be discarded in a landfill that has
a permit to accept ACM
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Based on the initial exposure assessment, select a respirator
and protective clothing for visual inspection, sampling, and subsequent
abatement work
LEAD
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Identify building materials such as painted surfaces and pipes that may contain lead. Test materials as necessary
- Based on test results, perform an employee exposure assessment of the planned activities, that includes air monitoring and/or objective data, to determine if lead dust or fume may be generated at or above OSHA’s action level (0.03 milligrams of lead per cubic meter of air (mg/m3))
- If so, then the activities must be done in compliance with 29 CFR 1926.62. This would include:
- Establishing a written lead compliance program
- Having a competent person conduct frequent and regular inspections of the jobsite, materials, and equipment
- Sampling employee exposures
- Using special equipment or methods to decrease lead-dust generation such as local exhaust ventilation, dust collection systems (on power tools), and good housekeeping practices
- Providing respiratory protection and protective work clothing
- Providing medical exams and blood tests before work begins and every six months, as necessary
- Ensuring that employees wash their hands and face before eating, drinking, and smoking
- Setting up and ensuring use of change areas and eating facilities that are separate from the work area
- Limiting the wearing of lead-contaminated clothing in eating areas or away from the job site
 During certain tasks, employees must be treated as if they are exposed above the OSHA PEL (0.05 mg/m3) until an exposure assessment, which includes air sampling, is performed. For each of these tasks, OSHA has identified an exposure level on which to base decisions until an exposure assessment is complete. If planned activities include any of the tasks below, you must provide the following items while the exposure assessment is being performed: respiratory protection and PPE identified in 29 CFR 1926.62(d)(2), change areas, hand washing facilities, training, and biological monitoring. These tasks include:
- Where lead coatings or paint are present: manual demolition, scraping, and sanding; heat gun applications; power tool cleaning (with or without dust collection systems); cleanup activities where dry expandable abrasives are used; rivet busting; abrasive blasting (including enclosure movement or removal); welding; cutting; and torch burning
- Spray painting with lead paint
- Using lead containing mortar
- Lead burning
Personal Protective Equipment
- Based on anticipated exposure, select respirator and protective
clothing as required in 29 CFR 1926.62 for initial sampling and
subsequent work where lead dust or fumes may be generated
WELDING, CUTTING, AND BURNING
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Remove flammable and combustible materials from the area
- Do not perform "hot work" such
as welding, cutting, or burning in areas where
flammable, combustible, corrosive, or toxic substances are being
used, stored, or may otherwise be present
- Maintain a fire watch during all hot work
until material has cooled
- Ensure fire extinguishers and extinguishing
agents are available in the immediate area
- Provide natural, exhaust, or forced ventilation
to control exposure to the metal fumes and other contaminants being
generated (e.g., generator exhaust)
- Ensure that pipes and other vessels are purged
of hazardous materials
- Identify building materials that will be welded, cut,
or burned and that may contain lead, such as painted surfaces
and pipes. Test materials and provide exposure controls identified
in 29 CFR 1926.62 as necessary; see Lead hazard
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Gloves and protective clothing for the activity being performed
- At a minimum, filtered lenses and face-protection as appropriate
for the activity being performed
- Respiratory protection based on anticipated
exposure to metal fumes, including lead
NOISE
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Place generators, compressors, and other noisy equipment at
a distance or behind a barrier when possible
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Hearing protection when working around
potential noise sources and when noise levels exceed 90 dBA.
A useful "rule of thumb"—if
you cannot hold a conversation in a normal speaking voice with
a person who is standing at arms length (approximately 3 feet),
the noise level may exceed 90 dBA
CONFINED SPACES
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Confined spaces have limited means of entry or exit, are large
enough to bodily enter, and may contain physical (e.g., mechanical,
electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic energy; engulfment hazards;
inwardly converging surfaces) or atmospheric hazards (e.g., atmospheres
that are oxygen-deficient or oxygen-enriched, contain or may
contain flammable gas, vapor or mist, airborne combustible dust,
toxic substances, or any other atmosphere that is immediately
dangerous to life or health). Examples include storage tanks,
process vessels, bins, boilers, vaults, ventilation or exhaust
ducts, sewers, tunnels, pipelines, and pits more than 4 feet
in depth
- Hurricane-related events might introduce
hazards or potential hazards into confined spaces. For example,
a space might have a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
due to the presence of decomposing organic matter, to the use of
hazardous chemicals in the space, or to the performance of operations
in the space, such as welding, cutting, or burning, that may create
a hazardous atmosphere. Additional precautions must be taken to
make the space safe for entry
- Evaluate the need for entry (i.e., placing
any body part into the space); prevent unauthorized entries
- If entry is required, see Entry into Confined Spaces
activity sheet
CHEMICAL AND MATERIAL STORAGE AND USE
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
- Segregate and store incompatible chemicals separately. For
example, store solvents and oxidizers (e.g., peroxides) separately,
and acids and caustics separately
- Secure compressed gas cylinders and
ensure that they are stored properly when not in use (regulators
off and valve caps on when not in use; separate oxygen and fuel
gas by 20 feet or using a non-combustible barrier (5 ft high,
fire-resistant rating of at least ½ hour))
- Store chemicals in containers approved and designed for chemical
storage and mark all storage locations
- Store and handle hazardous materials in areas with natural or
forced ventilation; do not store or handle in low-lying areas
- Isolate, secure and identify storage areas
- Prohibit smoking near storage areas
- Keep ignition sources at least 25 feet away from storage areas
- Ensure that fire extinguishers and extinguishing agents are
available in the immediate area
- Bond and ground containers before
dispensing flammable liquids. [29 CFR 1926.152(e)(2)]
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
-
Gloves made of material that will protect user from chemicals
handled
- Face shield or goggles with indirect venting.
If a face shield is selected, eye protection must be worn under
the face shield
- Coveralls or apron resistant to chemicals
being handled
- Disposable boot covers resistant to
the chemicals being handled
- A respirator and cartridges specific
for chemical, as necessary
DISCOVERY OF UNKNOWN CHEMICALS
Key Engineering Controls and Work Practices
If hazardous chemical containers are found or leaking materials are detected:
- Do not use spark-producing devices (e.g., engines, tools,
electronic, and communications equipment) in the immediate
area
- Take self-protective measures (i.e., move to a safe distance
upwind) and contact hazardous material response personnel
for evaluation/removal before continuing work in the area
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
- Evaluate the need to revise protective clothing, respirator,
and glove selection
OTHER POTENTIAL
HAZARDS
Select any of the following potential hazards
that can be associated with this activity in order to access relevant
recommendations in the general recommendations document:
Additional Medical Needs
- Follow medical guidance and precautions outlined
in the general
recommendations document
- An asbestos-specific medical surveillance program, as outlined
in 29 CFR 1926.1101(m), is required for employees working with asbestos for 30 or more days per year (1) who may be exposed
at or above the permissible exposure limit or (2) who are likely
to conduct Class I, II, or III asbestos abatement activities
- Employees who may be exposed above the action level for lead for a single day must be enrolled in an initial medical surveillance program. Additionally, employees who are exposed to lead levels at or above the action level for more than 30 days in any consecutive 12 months must be enrolled in a medical surveillance program, as outlined in 29 CFR 1926.62(j)
Additional Training Needs
Related Activity Sheets
Other Resources and References
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T, Demolition. OSHA.
- 29
CFR 1926 Subpart O, Motor vehicles, mechanized equipment,
and marine operations. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926.251, Rigging
equipment for material handling. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926.550, Cranes and
derricks. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, Fall protection. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1910.23, Guarding
floor and wall openings and holes. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart I,
Tools - hand and power. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1910.1001, Asbestos
(general industry). OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926.1101,
Asbestos (construction). OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926.105, Safety
nets. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart J, Welding and cutting. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart X, Ladders. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L, Scaffolds. OSHA.
- 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory
protection. OSHA.
- Suggested Guidance for Supervisors at Disaster Rescue Sites.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (2001,
October).
- Demolition and Cleanup. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005), 22 KB PDF, 2 pages.
-
Demolition. OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page.
- NIOSH Interim Recommendations for the Cleaning and Remediation of Flood-Contaminated HVAC Systems: A Guide for Building Owners and Managers.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
- Working Safely Around Downed Electrical Wires. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005), 21 KB PDF, 2 pages.
- Preventing Falls. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2004), 352 KB PDF, 2 pages.
- Scaffolding. OSHA eTool.
- Working Safely with Electricity. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2004), 353 KB PDF, 2 pages.
- Lockout/Tagout. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2002), 207 KB PDF, 2 pages.
-
Hand and Power Tools. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- Crystalline Silica. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2002), 52 KB PDF 2 pages.
- Protecting Workers from Asbestos Hazards. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005), 21 KB PDF, 2 pages.
- Asbestos.
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
-
Lead. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- Respiratory Protection. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (2004,
October).
-
Fire Safety. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
-
Noise and Hearing Conservation - Construction.
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- Mold. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005), 22 KB PDF, 2 pages.
- Mold and Fungi.
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
-
Using Portable Generators Safely. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005), 22 KB PDF, 2 pages.
-
Portable Generator Safety. OSHA Quick Card, (2005), 19 KB PDF, 1 page.
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