Case Studies on Accidents

Relating To Demolition Works

Chan Yew Kwong
Deputy Director, Construction & Equipment Safety
OSH Specialist Dept, OSH Division

Agenda
Case studies
Overview of legal requirements pertaining
to demolition works
CP 11 Code of Practice for demolition
Asbestos Health hazard in demolition
works

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Brief Description of Work

1) The work involved the demolition of 12 blocks of low rise
buildings.
2) It was raining heavily and the wind was strong prior to the
incident.

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Brief Description of Incident

Collapse of scaffold hoarding

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Brief Description of Incident

Hole in the ground indicating the
position of a wall tie which was
fixed as an anchorage prior to the
collapse of the hoarding

How the wall ties looked like

at other unaffected areas

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Key Findings
1) There were 2 types of PE-endorsed designs for the anchorage
of the hoarding
one for solid ground, the other for concrete ground.
2) The span of scaffold hoarding that collapsed was not erected in
accordance with the PEs design.
3) Wall ties were used as a form of anchorage on the road asphalt
surface instead of concrete block footings.
4) The anchorage distance from the hoarding base was also too
close.

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Lessons Learnt
1) Incident could have been prevented if the hoarding and its
anchorage system were constructed according to the PEs
design and drawings.
2) The contractor should appoint a competent person experienced
in the hoarding erection to supervise and control the work on site.
3) The condition of the hoarding should be inspected on a regular
basis, especially after incremental weather conditions.

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Brief Description of Work

1) The work involved the demolition, removal and replacement of
2 combined cycle plants in a power station.
2) Prior to the accident, the demolition of the embedded cooling
water stub pipes was being carried out. This was the last of
the 4 sets of cooling water stub pipes to be demolished.

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Brief Description of Accident

This section of the

concrete block &
steel pipe was pulled
out from the hole
before lunch

Concrete block still stuck

in the hole. Deceased
was standing inside the
hole hacking the concrete
prior to the accident

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Brief Description of Accident

This section of the concrete
gave way and struck the Deceased

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Key Findings
1) During the demolition of the embedded cooling water stub pipe,
there were no continuing inspections made by a designated
person to detect any hazard resulting from weakened or
deteriorated floors or walls, or loosened materials.
2) The weight of the top portion of the concrete aggravated by the
vibration generated by the pneumatic breaker used in the hacking
process probably caused the sidewall of the concrete to crack
and eventually gave way, resulting in the top right corner of the
concrete falling onto the deceased.

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Lessons Learnt
1) Accident could have been prevented if the worker has carried
out the hacking work by standing in front of the block of the
concrete to be hacked instead of going inside the pipe hole
and worked under the block of the concrete to carry out the
hacking.
2) A designated person should be appointed to carry out continual
inspection while the demolition of the embedded cooling water
pipe was being done to detect any hazard resulting from the
work.
3) Appropriate training and briefing should be provided
for workers before they can be deployed to carry out such
demolition works.
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Brief Description of Work

1) The work involved the expansion of a road junction and a bridge.
2) Prior to the accident, about 30m of the existing roadside drain
and its metal railings beside the footpath were demolished. The
contractor was in the process of demolishing some metal railings
beside the footpath.

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Brief Description of Accident

30m of drain and railing has been
demolished prior to accident

One piece of 3m long metal

railing was demolished first

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Brief Description of Accident

When the hacking started this end of the railing

swung towards the direction of the footpath with
great force and speed
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Brief Description of Accident

Deceased was
standing here

This metal leg did not

break off completely

This metal leg of the railing

panel was badly corroded

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Key Findings
1) When the hacking started, it caused the end of the railing with
the very badly corroded metal leg to swing with great force
and speed. The force could be due to the vibrations
transmitted from the concrete breaker to the railing panel.
2) No Safe Work Procedure for the demolition of railings.

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Lessons Learnt
1) Accident could have been prevented if gas cutting was used to
cut the two metal legs and remove the railing panel instead of
using concrete breaker to hack the footings.
2) No worker should be in the vicinity of the operation zone of the
excavator mounted with hydraulic breaker when it is in
operation.
3) The contractor should appoint a competent person experienced
in
the type of demolition work concerned to supervise & control the
work on site.
4) Appropriate training and briefing should be provided for workers
before they can be deployed to carry out such demolition works.
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Brief Description of Work

1) The Work involved addition and alteration works to an existing
school.
2) Prior to the accident, the deceased was demolishing a partition
brick wall inside a toilet.

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Brief Description of Accident

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Brief Description of Accident

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Brief Description of Accident

Partition wall that

has collapsed and
hit the Deceased
on his head

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Brief Description of Accident

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Key Findings
1) Deceased had hacked the partition wall from the bottom section
using a 10-pound hammer.
2) The partition wall was simply resting on the ground and abutted
against the adjacent main wall. There was no interlocking joint
between the partition wall and the main wall.
3) As-built detailed drawings of the toilet walls were not made
available to the contractor prior to the hacking work.
4) In-house demolition procedures were not effectively implemented.

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Lessons Learnt
1) Accident could have been prevented if the wall was demolished
in the reverse manner to that of its construction, i.e. the partition
wall should be hacked from the top section and extended down
progressively so as to maintain its structural stability.
2) Workers should be grouped in teams of two or more when
carrying out demolition works.
3) The contractor should appoint a competent person experienced in
the type of demolition work concerned to supervise and control
the work on site.
4) Appropriate training and briefing should be provided for workers
before they can be deployed to carry out such demolition works.

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Legal requirements for demolition works

Workplace Safety & Health Act 2006
Every occupier is to take, so far as is reasonably practicable,
such measures to ensure that:
> the workplace;
> all means of access to or egress from the workplace; and
> any machinery, equipment, plant, article or substance kept
in the workplace,
are safe & without risks to health to every person within
those premises (including members of public)
Every employer is to take, so far as is reasonably
practicable, such measures as are necessary to ensure the
safety and health of his employees at work

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Legal requirements for demolition works

WSH (Risk Management) Regulations 2006
Employers / Principals of workplaces are to:
Assess risk to workers arising from work before work
commences
Eliminate the risk where possible, or if not take measures
to control the risk such as:
(i) Substitution
(ii) Engineering controls
(iii) Administrative controls, including safe work
procedures
(iv) Provision and use of suitable personal protective
equipment
Establish Safe Work Procedures
Communicate the risk & control measures to the workers
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Legal requirements for demolition works

WSH (Construction) Regulations 2007
All worksites to implement an OSHMS audit/review once
every 6 months
Convene regular site co-ordination meeting :
- to coordinate various works carried out on site;
- ensure measures are taken for works to be carried out
sequentially and systematically with due regard to the safety and
health of workers
- to be presided by the project manager

Implement permit-to-work system

Appoint WSH co-ordinator (contract sum less than $10m)
Safety and health training for workers and person who
oversees or supervises any work processes
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Legal requirements for demolition works

WSH (Construction) Regulations 2007
PART X -DEMOLITION
Regulation
69. General duty on occupier
70. Preparation of demolition work
71. Protection of adjacent structures
72. Removal of load bearing structures
73. Demolition of walls, partitions, etc.
74. Access to floor
75. Barricades, catch platforms and warning signs
76. Mechanical method of demolition

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CP 11 Code of Practice for Demolition

The building or structure should be examined and, if
necessary, tests carried out, to determine its condition, and
whether constituent materials have deteriorated in strength
which could result in instability arising due to a particular
demolition process.
The demolition contractor is required to appoint a competent
person experienced in the type of demolition work
concerned to supervise and control the work on site.
A programme should be drawn up in which the proposed
sequence and methods of operations are clearly indicated.

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CP 11 Code of Practice for Demolition

The demolition contractor should be responsible for
ensuring that plant and equipment is maintained in good
working condition at all times.
All workmen, during demolition work, shall wear adequate
protective clothing and where appropriate helmets,
goggles, safety footwear, safety harness and industrial
gloves.
Buildings and other structures should generally be (hand
demolition) demolished in the reverse order to that of their
construction.

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