Top 10 Demolition Safety Tips

Working in demolition requires crew members to take extra precautions against potential dangers. Typical demolition hazards include proximity to materials containing asbestos, sharp objects and exposure to lead-based paint.

At The Cat® Rental Store, we want every customer to stay as safe as possible. Here's our demolition safety tips checklist to help protect you and your workers on a jobsite:

1. Wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE): While the PPE requirements for each country may vary, workers should wear a hard hat/helmet, safety goggles, gloves, high-visibility vest or jacket and steel-toe boots at a demolition site.
2. Maintain a mindset of asbestos awareness: Don't begin any demolition phase until you've conducted comprehensive asbestos surveying at the site. Make sure you've removed all licensed and non-licensed asbestos materials before proceeding.
3. Shut off utilities: Turn off all electricity, sewer, gas, water and other utility lines, and notify the applicable utility companies before starting.
4. Start at the top: When demolishing exterior walls and floors, the safest approach is to start at the top of the structure and work your way down to ground level.
5. Remove load-bearing structures last: Don't remove any load-bearing component until you remove the stories above the floor on which you're working.
6. Protect against falling debris: Install chutes with enclosed gates on the discharge end when dropping debris into containers or onto the ground.
7. Limit the size of floor openings: Check that the size of all floor openings intended for material disposal does not exceed 25% of the total floor space.
8. Keep workers out of unsafe areas: Make sure your team doesn't enter any areas where structural hazards are present until you've implemented the appropriate shoring or bracing steps.
9. Establish clear vehicle paths and pedestrian walkways: Allow construction equipment and workers to navigate the site freely and safely by creating unobstructed pathways that are out of the danger zone.
10. Maintain a clean job site: A cleaner demolition site leads to fewer injuries and accidents. Keep the area clean by removing debris consistently throughout the project instead of waiting until the end.

Contact The Cat® Rental Store for All Your Demolition Equipment Needs

The Cat Rental Store has what you need to execute a productive and safe demolition project. Our extensive equipment inventory includes everything from Cat articulated trucks and material handlers to excavators and backhoe loaders. You'll also find a wide assortment of demolition attachments like buckets, grapples, hammers and multi-processors.

Our expertise sets us apart. We can help you choose the right machine for your applications and provide guidance on how to use it effectively and safely.

Rent the equipment you need from people who do whatever it takes. Browse our current equipment inventory and give us a call at 1-800-RENT-CAT or contact us for a quick quote today.