The Abu Dhabi City Municipality has stressed the importance and mandatory implementation of public safety requirements during building demolitions to preserve the health and safety of both community members and demolition site workers.
This was announced during the field awareness campaign (Safety in Demolishing Buildings) implemented by the Environment, Health, and Safety Department in the construction sector and during the awareness workshop implemented within this framework.
The field campaign and awareness workshop are being held in line with the municipality's commitment to applying best practices in demolition and in line with its ongoing efforts to protect community members and the health and safety of workers in this field from potential hazards resulting from demolition operations, as well as to preserve the protection of the environment and buildings adjacent to work areas.
The field campaign aimed to raise workers' awareness of the safety requirements for building demolition projects in Abu Dhabi. Its goal was to ensure that all demolition sites comply with safety requirements to protect the safety of the community and neighboring buildings and to eliminate building demolition accidents.
The inspection campaign included ensuring the availability of the most essential requirements that must be met in demolition sites, including:
1- The site must be secured appropriately to prevent materials from falling on neighboring buildings and passersby.
2- Compliance with safety requirements during demolition operations.
3- Providing the necessary training to technicians and equipment operators by a third party.
4- The need to provide personal protective equipment for all workers.
5- Measuring the noise level and appropriate preventive measures.
6- Maintaining the site's cleanliness, removing construction waste, and spraying pesticides.
7- Ensuring that there is a valid demolition permit.
8- The need to secure all scaffolding correctly.
9- Having emergency and evacuation plans and training workers on them.
During the field inspection visit, the HSE teams educated, warned, or issued violations to sites that did not comply with the general requirements and safety requirements related to the building and construction law, specifically demolition operations.
Simultaneously with the field campaign, the Environment, Health, and Safety Department conducted an awareness workshop on safety requirements for building demolition in the construction sector. The workshop was held in the municipal council hall in the Abu Dhabi Municipality and targeted workers in demolition projects represented by contracting companies operating in Abu Dhabi. The workshop aimed to raise awareness of safety requirements and ensure that all demolition sites comply with these requirements to maintain public safety.
Within this framework, the Abu Dhabi City Municipality has urged consulting offices and contracting companies working in building demolition to adhere to environmental, health, and safety standards while implementing demolition operations for all types of buildings. This is done by following sound procedures that ensure a safe working environment for workers in construction sites, community members, and public and private property.