Utilities & Controlled Shutdown

Welcome back, let's Build Smart & Build Safe! Yesterday, we established the crucial role of the pre-demolition survey. Today, we're focusing on the deadliest physical threats revealed by that survey: live utilities.

A successful demolition requires the absolute control of all energy and material sources. A cut structural member might cause a fall, but a cut gas line or a severed live wire can kill instantly and indiscriminately.

You must assume all utility lines are live until physically confirmed otherwise.

The only way to ensure safety is to locate, disconnect, and secure every line outside the structure before any interior work begins.

• Gas Lines: These must be disconnected outside the structure and capped. Any gas left in the lines is an immediate explosion and fire risk, often ignited by a nearby cutting torch or spark.

• Electric Lines: The primary power source must be disconnected and locked out. All remaining wires and conduits must be clearly identified and treated as live until proven otherwise.

• Water and Steam: While not an explosive risk, broken water lines can obscure vision, cause slips, or lead to structural damage and collapse. Active and recently active steam lines can cause major burns. They must be controlled and drained.

The Danger of the Unknown

Often, structures have undocumented or abandoned lines. Even if a utility company says a line is dead, the on-site supervisor must physically verify that the line is not live before allowing any work in the area.

This step is a matter of life or death. Never proceed with demolition until every utility hazard has been identified, secured, and marked according to the demolition plan.

Tomorrow, we tackle the core of demolition—preventing uncontrolled collapse.

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-The Safety Man