Commercial demolition contractors are the go-to people when you need to bring down a commercial structure. Just like construction contractors, these contractors are required to abide by worker safety and environmental protection regulations. Here's an overview of what most demolition contractors usually do to ensure optimal employee safety and environmental protection when they are tearing down commercial buildings.

Employee safety

Contractors that bring down commercial buildings have a responsibility to provide their workers with a safe working environment. If demolition workers become injured when working for a contractor, the contractor may be held liable for the injuries suffered by the workers. Therefore, it is the job of commercial demolition contractors to identify potential safety hazards associated with each job and implement steps to protect workers from harm. 

There are various ways that commercial demolition contractors can use to ensure employee safety. First, demolition workers must be provided with personal protective equipment, such as hard hats for head protection, ear muffs for ear protection, safety goggle for eye protection, leather gloves to prevent painful blisters on the hand, and so on. Second, commercial demolition contractors must take steps to keep unauthorised people out of the demolition site because they can compromise the safety of ongoing operations. The contractors can do this by placing warning signs, such as "ONLY AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ALLOWED" and "RESTRICTED WORK AREA" around the worksite. When those who are not directly involved in the demolition job are kept at bay, trained demolition workers will be able to focus on keeping themselves safe. Third, contractors that demolish commercial buildings should make sure that the tools and equipment that employees work with are in good working shape. Faulty working tools and equipment may lead to operational failures, which may put employees/operators in harm's way.

Environmental protection

Commercial demolition contractors are also expected to identify any environmental safety hazards associated with each job. Generally speaking, there should be no harmful substances being released into the ground and/or the air. In situations where exposures cannot be completely avoided, steps should be taken to minimise the amount of hazardous elements that gets into the environment. 

When tearing down an old commercial building built with concrete, for example, it would be a good practice to wet down the dust that will be produced with water, so as to minimise the release of silicosis-causing concrete dust into the air. 

If you intend to venture into the commercial demolition business, you will need to get acquainted with all the regulations that guide the demolition of commercial structures in your state and local area. If you need a professional to demolish your commercial structure, then you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that the job will be performed safely and in an environmentally-sensitive manner.