11:28 am, Thursday 7 February, 2013

Demolition work is when a structure or part of a structure that is either load bearing or associated with the integrity of the structure is demolished or dismantled.

Demolition is potentially dangerous work and can cause serious injury or death. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation) categorises demolition work, as high-risk construction work and special demolition licences are needed.

Notification of demolition work

If demolition work involves any of the following WorkCover needs to be advised:

- A structure, or a part of a structure, that is either load bearing or related to the physical integrity of a structure if the structure is over six metres high

- Load shifting machinery (such as excavators) on a suspended floor

- Explosives

The person that is running the business or the operation needs to lodge the notification with WorkCover five days prior to conducting any demolition work. This notification can be through the online system.

Safe work method statement for demolition work

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for demolition work that identifies and addresses the risks associated with the planned task must be completed before the demolition work starts.

For more information and to access all of the online tools see the WorkCover website.

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04:05 pm, Thursday 7 July, 2011

The Perth Magistrates Court has fined a demolition contractor $5000 for failing to disconnect the electrical supply to a demolition site.

The contractor pleaded guilty to undertaking demolition work that was not performed in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard.

In November 2010, he was engaged by a property owner to demolish a single-storey residential building in Dianella, a suburb of Perth.

According to WorkSafe, electricity services on the site had not been properly disconnected before commencing the work, and overhead power lines remained connected to the building.

The demolition site was also accessible to the public because some of the fencing had fallen down.

“Demolition work can be hazardous at the best of times – that’s why it is controlled under workplace safety laws and Australian Standards,” said Acting WorkSafe executive director Andrea Crichton-Browne.

“Failing to ensure that electricity services to the site were disconnected created the additional unnecessary risk of electrocution to workers,” she said.

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12:31 pm, Monday 8 November, 2010

A demolisher has been fined after it was found that it was performing asbestos removal without the required licence.

The Geelong Magistrates Court was told the demolition company had potentially exposed workers, at least one client and nearby properties to asbestos due to its questionable practices.

The owner of the company pleaded guilty failing to ensure employees were not exposed to risk and removing asbestos without a licence and to the unlawful assault lodged by a 65-year-old customer. He was fined $35,400 and ordered to pay costs of $2141.

According to Worksafe Victoria prosecutor Virginia Whalen, the defendant advertised in the Yellow Pages that his company was qualified to remove asbestos despite not holding a licence.

Ms Whalen said the company was hired to demolish a section of a house at Corio in January 2009.

“[The defendant] assured the owner he was licensed to remove asbestos,” she said.

The court heard a Worksafe Inspector went to the home but did not see any signage and barriers to prevent airborne fibres entering the house. He also found workers were not wearing any personal protective clothing.

Ms Whalen said a similar incident happened in September 2009 at a garage of a house at Torquay. The home owner informed the defendant about the asbestos, but was assured that the necessary licence was obtained.

“While demolition was going on the owner saw three young men… loading a couple of trucks with asbestos,” she said.

“Again they were not wearing any type of protective clothing.”

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said the defendant had exposed employees and other people to asbestos.

“People die that is what happens with this stuff,” he said.

“I have personally known people who died through exposure to asbestos and I can tell you, it is a cruel death.”

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08:06 am, Tuesday 14 September, 2010

A school in Burpengary has been fined after dangerous asbestos particles were released during a demolition work.

Education Queensland said it is investigating the incident and looking into the issue of asbestos contamination.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) sent an inspector to the school on Wednesday after receiving complaints about a lack of proper barricading and excessive noise at the construction site.

The WHSQ inspector discovered the major safety breach by chance when he saw a contractor disassembling buildings, which are believed to be more than 25 years old.

The worker was reportedly carving through asbestos sheeting with power tools to make way for a Building the Education Revolution-funded teaching block.

According to Education Queensland, none of the 1,050 students and staff were in the area during the incident.

Acting Deputy Director General of Infrastructure Services Graham Atkins said WHSQ has imposed a $1600 penalty due to the incident, payable by the school. The contractor has also been ordered to pay a fine of $800.

Atkins said protocol had been disregarded, noting that a Work Area Access Permit had not been issued by the school to the contractor before demolition started. The document was supposed to identify all locations of asbestos and its condition.

“This matter will be reviewed as part of the department’s investigation into this incident.”

He clarified that the demolition work was not funded by BER, although it was undertaken for preparation for a BER-funded project.

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06:44 pm, Friday 10 September, 2010

Canberra’s Barton Highway has finally been reopened today after the collapse of a bridge under construction on August 14.

Construction workers suffered injuries after a span of the Gungahlin Drive bridge collapsed during a concrete pour.

The road was expected to open two weeks after the incident. However, demolition work and evidence gathering for the investigation delayed the reopening.

Roads ACT’s Tony Gill said it has been a difficult time for everyone.

“People don’t expect to be encountering that on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

“While we have no control in some situations when these things happen, we are mindful of the fact that it does frustrate people and can often delay people on their way to and from work.”

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09:27 pm, Thursday 9 September, 2010

Farmers and workers in rural industries in Queensland will have to deal with new safety rules beginning this month after the phase out of legislated occupational health and safety exemptions.

Dr Simon Blackwood, Executive Director for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), said the phasing out of exemptions, which began in 1990, mandates rural property workers to comply with Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008.

According to Dr Blackwood, the removal of exemptions will ensure workers will get appropriate safety training, certification and licensing.

“The phasing out of these exemptions is part of a staged removal to bring the rural industry in line with other Queensland industries,” he said.

“Exemptions being removed from this September regard registrable plant design, confined spaces and atmospheric contaminants.

In 2009, exemptions on demolition and construction work and use of hazardous substances were revoked in rural Queensland.

“A new rural chemicals guide is available to rural workplaces containing information on herbicides, pesticides, hazardous substances, dangerous goods, flammable liquids, and agricultural and veterinary medicines.

“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’s A guide to working safely in confined spaces highlights the new requirements and provides useful tools and information.

He notes the new guide highlights how working in a confined space can potentially increase the risk of injury from noise, fumes, extreme temperatures, oxygen depletion and manual handling, among others.

According to Dr Blackwood, the changes that became effective on 1 September did not apply to rural workers who are exempt from holding licence to perform high risk work such as forklift, tower crane and scaffolding.

“The rural exemption for this part of the regulation has been extended indefinitely until the new national model health and safety laws are enacted in Queensland,” he stated.

“The amendment ensures workers in the rural industry are not legally required to undertake the cost of training to obtain a licence only to find out when the national OHS laws are finalised that they may no longer be required to hold a licence to operate in that class of work.

“However, it should be noted that forklift licensing is an excellent means of meeting the requirements of the current WHS legislation to provide a safe workplace,” Dr Derrick said.

Licensing of classes of high-risk work is expected to be required under the nationally harmonised legislation starting 1 January 2012.

You can call the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline on 1300 369 915 for more information about the changes in safety rules in rural industries.

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09:04 pm, Friday 3 September, 2010

Complications with the demolition of the bridge in Canberra has led to delays in the reopening of Barton Highway.

A span of the Gungahlin Drive bridge crashed on August 14 during a concrete pour, where nine construction workers were hurt.

An engineering report was released stating the formwork was not properly braced to stop girders from moving sideways during the concrete pour.

The original plan by Roads ACT was to open the highway this weekend.

However, spokesman Tony Gill said the date of reopening has been pushed back.

“They’ve encountered some difficulties in demolishing the concrete bridge that was poured and didn’t collapse,” said Mr Gill.

“They’ve had to change tack and it will delay the demolition process by about five days.”

According to Mr Gill, Barton Highway will hopefully be reopened on September 11.

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06:18 pm, Monday 30 August, 2010

The demolition of Canberra’s bridge on Barton Highway is on schedule and could be open to traffic at the end of the week.

Roads ACT said workers are removing the rubble caused by the bridge collapse around the clock.

The bridge crashed on August 14 during a concrete pour, where nine construction worker were injured.

An engineering report was released saying the formwork was not braced properly to prevent girders from moving sideways while concrete was being poured.

According to Roads ACT spokesman Tony Gill, demolition work was performed over the weekend.

“The estimate is that we will take between five and seven days depending on the progress and depending on some of the difficulties they encounter when they are trying to protect the existing structure because some of the structure can be salvaged,” he said.

“The concrete pier in the median and the bridge abutment on either side, they can be salvaged. So they just have to be careful how they do the demolition in that area.”

However, Mr Gill has cautioned that demolition has to be done carefully since WorkSafe ACT is still collecting evidence from the construction site.

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02:23 pm, Thursday 26 August, 2010

The bridge collapse across Barton Highway in Canberra was a result of improper support of the project’s formwork, an engineer’s report says.

Concrete pouring was being performed when the bridge collapsed on August 14. Nine workers were injured in the construction accident.

The engineer’s report, which was prepared for Roads ACT, revealed the formwork was not braced to stop the girders moving sideways while concrete was being poured. This led to excessive stress on the structure.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said he will not make any comment on the report until Worksafe completes its inspection.

ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said an investigation will be conducted while the bridge is being demolished.

“We have identified points in the demolition where it will need to stop, we’ll need to collect some of the material that’s there and take it away for analysis and consideration,” he said.

“The real evidence that we need is probably lying on the roadway underneath all of that mess.”

The head contractor for the project released a statement accepting the findings in the report.

“We are also holding our own internal inquiry into our processes to make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” the statement said.

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11:49 am, Monday 16 August, 2010

Nine construction workers have been injured on Saturday after the bridge in Canberra they were working on partially collapsed.

The nine workers were taken to the hospital, although their injuries were described as non-life threatening.

Concrete was being poured on a span of bridge over the Barton Highway. It was closed to traffic when the incident occurred.

ACT WorkCover is investigating the bridge collapse.

According to ACT Roads spokesman Tony Gill, the road can be reopened when the debris is cleared away.

“Our initial advice is that it could take up to two weeks before we are in a position to remove the debris and get the road open for public use,” Mr Gill said.

“We are getting an independent engineer’s report just to get an understanding of how the bridge collapsed and secondly we need to engage a demolition contractor to remove the debris.

“But we also have to make sure it is safe for that demolition contractor to go in and remove the debris.”

In light of the incident, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) is calling for work in formwork structures to be halted on certain sites.

“We will be conducting inspections of the formwork and safety procedures throughout Canberra,” CFMEU’s Dean Hall said.

ACT WorkSafe’s Mark McCabe believes it is not necessary to stop work in construction sites.

“I would certainly think that all businesses should be having a good look at that kind of work before they proceed,” he said.

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