The demolition of a building interior or exterior is an inherently challenging process. Commercial demolition is particularly nuanced as it involves deconstructing a business-related structure such as a factory, retail site, or warehouse. Let’s take a quick look at a few helpful commercial demolition tips to consider prior to scheduling your building’s demolition.

1. Turn off all utilities.

All the utilities at the site must be turned off in the proper manner before commencing demolition. One example of this process might include capping off gas lines after the gas has been completely turned off. If you are ever unsure of how to properly perform this important step, the assistance of utility companies will certainly help ensure the utilities are properly turned off.

2. Everyone involved in the demolition must recognize the threat of hazardous materials.

Depending on the age of the building, demolishing a commercial structure can sometimes lead to the release of harmful materials. Everyone involved in the project should be aware of this threat and act accordingly. This is precisely why it is in your interest to lean on a team of commercial demolition professionals who have the knowledge, expertise, and qualifications necessary to handle hazardous materials such as lead, asbestos, etc.

Particularly, commercial structures built prior to1980 pose an elevated threat regarding the release of hazardous materials during demolition. Such a building should be comprehensively inspected prior to demolition to pinpoint the location of asbestos and other potentially harmful materials/substances. Furthermore, it also makes sense to rely on a certified asbestos inspector and possibly even an air testing specialist to ensure harmful asbestos fibers do not linger in the air.

3. Limit exposure to harmful chemicals.

Residential building contractors are, of course, aware of the serious dangers of lead, asbestos, and other hazardous materials involved in home construction. None of these toxins are found in new houses, but residential contractors frequently get hired to perform retrofitting work so that an older house can be brought up to code. The following are some examples of hazards that are not illegal but potentially irritating that residential construction workers may run into while they are working on old buildings:

Synthetic mineral fibers (SMF). This refers to fibrous products that are made fiberglass, ceramic and rock wool. Studies that shown that SMFs are not as noxious as asbestos, and are therefore used in thermal and sound protection products still. The most common symptoms associated with SMF exposure are an irritation to the throat, nose, and eyes. However, some people question whether SMFs may also cause lung cancer since at times they contain fiberglass. Industrial demolition experts recommend that workers be required to wear protective clothing and respirators whenever it is possible they will come into contact with SMFs.

4. Fall protection.

Since the entire business of demolition companies is to create holes and tear things down, they are very aware of how important fall protection is. Whenever working around an open roof, open wall, or hole with a fall of more than 6 feet, usually demolition workers are required to have on full-body restraints. Those same hazards often are present throughout the construction phase also, and that means fall protection is as critically important for builders.

5. Lead Paint.

A hazard that is often overlooked is the dangers that become increasingly present when torching steel beams that have been painted with lead paint. A simple cut on these beams can expose the air to lead levels and the worker who is in the area to extreme levels of airborne lead. Wearing PPE such as a respirator, protective clothing, and having hand & eye washing stations at the ready are necessary. Residential demolition companies are sure to have experienced coming across lead paint but keeping the risks of exposure fresh in memory is what keeps health and safety from being compromised.

6. Work Ethics.

Commercial demolition varies from residential demolition heavily since commercial buildings are often larger and can take longer periods to complete a job on. Yet demolition companies never try to treat a job any different from another. Whether a job is a large one that can take up to a full week to complete or a small one that only takes 2 days total of planning the demolition, the demolition, and the clean-up, every demolition job should have the same amount of care, and planning put into them.

Residential demolition jobs can take up to a week, while normally being 4-5 days on average to complete. This means factoring in all the planning that goes into a demolition job, the demolition of the structure, and the cleaning up afterward. All that work put into the job should be the same for every job. Keeping a reputation as a professional demolition company is important and showing it through thorough work is the number one way to keep that reputation.

Your best call is to hire the experts whenever a project involving demolition. We are ECG, We are safety first.

This field definitely needs some expert hands and skill. So, have you decided on what type of project you need? Make sure you research on this for a while before coming up with a decision.

We pride ourselves in providing Demolition, abatement and Environmental Services you can depend on. (Concrete cutting, coring, green demolition, disinfection and sterilization cleaning services, asbestos abatement and more)

Contact us to get started on your next project, Call us: 562-438-7999.