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815 Demolition Safety
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Safe Work Practices

  • When working on the work platform, all personnel should wear hard hats, long-sleeve shirts, eye and face protection (such as goggles and face shields), respirators, and safety belts, as required.
  • Care should be taken to assign the proper number of workers to the task. Too many people on a small work platform can lead to accidents.
  • An alternative to the use of a self-supporting tubular steel scaffold is to "climb" the structure with a creeping bracket scaffold. A competent person should inspect the masonry and decide about the safety of this alternative. The masonry of the chimney must be in good enough condition to support the bracket scaffold.
  • Rope off or barricade the area around the chimney. Post appropriate warning signs and do not permit unauthorized entry.
  • Keep a worker (i.e., a supervisor, operating engineer, another worker, or a "safety person") on the ground to communicate with workers above.
  • Pay attention to weather conditions when working on a chimney. Do not work during inclement weather such as during lightning or high wind situations.
  • Wet down the work site as needed to control dust.
  • Excess canvas or plywood attachments can form a wind-sail that could collapse the scaffold.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

5-4. What is a safe work practice to follow during demolition?