Management and Overview

I as a Project Manager for the demolition work under Arcadis Australia am responsible for the entire work related to the demolition. In this report I am presenting the company details, details of other workers and contractors required to carry out the demolition work. This report will also discuss about the safety guidelines for the demolition work given by Safework Australia for eliminating health and safety risks or hazards.

Management and overview: Arcadis Australia Pacific Pvt Ltd has been given a task of preparing a demolition management plan (DMP) of an existing single storey building on the site located in Campbell, by the Defence Housing Australia (DHA). The Principal Contractor will be responsible for the implementation of the DMP prepared by the Arcadis Australia Pacific Pvt Ltd. The objective of the DMP should be focused on the measures to ensure that the entire demolition work is carried out without any adverse effect on the environment and the surroundings around the site. Its main aim is to complete the work without any hazards in the vicinity of the work area.

The existing building is located in the Campbell. It is a single storey building built in 1930s and later extended in the late 1950s with cement sheeting. A garage and shed were also built with cement. It also has a concrete drive, two old oil drums, which are now empty and a strong oily smell is all over in the area.

Principal Contractor Details: Principal contractor has control over the construction phase of the project (HealthandSafetyExecutive, 2014). Here Minter Ellison Pvt Ltd is appointed as principal contractor for the demolition of the existing building and the construction of a four block unit in the suburban area by Defence Housing Australia (DHA). Minter elision is providing engineering services for the construction of the infrastructures in Australia. The company was established in 1995 and its head office is located in Sydney, Australia.

Demolition Contractors: Arcadis Australia Pacific Pvt Ltd is given the responsibility of demolition of the existing building by the DHA. Arcadis Australia is a professionally managed organization. It was established in 2000, and has been providing services related to the infrastructure, mining and construction since then. Arcadis offers implosion and demolition of all structures and buildings of residence, commercial and industrial.

Asbestos Assessor: SESA stands for Safety & Environmental Services Australia are appointed for the asbestos assessor for demolition work. It is a team of management environmental consultants, scientists, OHS consultants, engineers, occupational hygienists and inspectors. The team is specialised in workplace health and safety (WHS), property safety, risk management and occupational hygiene. It is based in Sydney but providing services in all over Australia (SESA, 2018).

Principal Contractor Details

Asbestos Removalist: For the removal of asbestos ‘Asbestos Removals Australia (ARA) are hired. It is a Queensland-based company that provides services of asbestos removals throughout the Australia. It has extensive experience in removing asbestos safely and effectively. It also has license to transport the asbestos waste (ARA, 2018).

Scope of Work: The objective of this assessment is to providing a safe workplace to the workers, ensuring proper health conditions of the site workers and elimination of risks to the neighbouring residence. This assessment will provide guidelines for the implementation of demolition work at any site and ensuring safety of the people in the vicinity of the work area and effectively manage and reduce the potential impact on the environment.

Principal Contractor: This DMP will be implemented by the principal contractor. The roles of the principal contractor includes the watching performance of the work in accordance to administrative requirements, all the documentation related to the demolition plan, monitoring and reporting operation and post demolition requirements (HSE, 2015).

Contractors: Demolition Contractors implement relevant components needed for the task to carry out. Their job is to report all the environmental risks, hazards and misses to the principal contractor immediately and also providing safety measures in association with environmental incidents (Safeworkaustralia, 2012).

Workers: Duties of workers is to take care of their own safety and health. It is also their job to take care of health and safety of other workers and persons in the vicinity of work. Workers need to follow all the rules, instructions provided them regarding safe work and must cooperate with procedures and policies related to the safety at the workplace (Victoria, 2015).

Roles of environmental consultant in accordance with this DMP includes providing information to the principal contractor related to environmental issues linked with the work, management of all the environmental impacts linked with the project, identify risks and issues with the work and  implementation of corrective measures for the environmental incidents (Ahrens, 2018).

Asbestos assessor and removalist job is to providing sufficient advices to the principal contractor about the hazard materials and asbestos present in the work area (SESA, 2018). They monitor the asbestos fibres when the elimination for them is on-going. And after the clearance of asbestos, they conduct an inspection of the site to ensure all the corrective measures and issue a clearance certificate (ARA, 2018).

Work health and safety Act proposed code of practise for regulation of safety and health risk related with demolition work under section 274. The code of practice was developed by Safe Work Australia under the council of government of Australia. This code provides guidance to manage the safety and health risks while conducting the demolition work. This code is applicable to all the types of demolition work (Safeworkaustralia, 2012). The code of practise provides guidance for demolition contractors as well as to the principal contractors.

Demolition Contractors

Services included at the work site where demolition is to be done are electricity, gas, telephone and water. These could be hazardous to the health and safety of workers and the people working in the vicinity of work site. As a project manager, it will be my first priority to ensure the health and safety of people working at the work site. These services are come into underground services. Safe work code of practice has provided guidelines for managing underground services (Worksafe, 2016). It is the responsibility of Arcadis contractor to minimise the risk associated with excavation near services. Information about the buried services from service owner will be obtained. Further, to trace the underground services, pipe locating devices will be used in conjunction with information of cable plans. After that digging process will be started by using safe digging practice. Before any excavation is carried out, trial holes are essential by hand excavation. Hand digging will be done till all the services have been found. For hand digging proper hand tools will be used like spades and shovels, picks, pins or forks and so on (DepartmentofLabour, 2002). Once underground services will be uncovered, these will be identified correctly by using the techniques of colours for pipes, duct and cables and variety of materials. Gas pipes, telecommunication cables, water pipes and electricity cables may be of black colour. Any black pipe or cable is assumed to be live electricity line or gas pipe until proved it is not (HealthandSafetyExecutive, 2014).

Operating Machinery used for the demolition work includes 20 tonne excavator, skid steer loader and semi tipper. Personnel working in the vicinity of heavy equipment may have risk of physical injuries. Hence, proper guidelines will be needed to the personnel working near heavy equipment. Personnel must be aware about their position in relation to operating machinery. Without the knowledge of the operator, no one should walk behind or to the side of operating machinery (OfficeofIndustrialrelations, 2015). It should be not assumed that the operator knows about their position. Minimum distance of two meter should be maintained from the operating machinery. Heavy operating machinery may produce high noise which is not likely for long term. Hence, use of earplugs and earmuffs should be considered in high noise situation (OfficeofIndustrialrelations, 2015).   

Here, demolition of a single storey building that was built in 1930s and was extended in late 150s with cement sheeting needs to done. There is also a garage and shed of the material is present which is also needed to be demolished. On one side of the site is a childcare centre, at the rear side of the site there is a primary school oval and on the other side of the site there is two-storey residence. The fence along this boundary is very dilapidated and looks ready to fall. On the front side there is a fire hydrant and two large trees. And the opposite side of the street is a milk bar with parking of five cars. Hence, a plan needed for the demolition will consider these conditions. Potential impact of demolition on air quality, surface water, asbestos dust, sediments and tree management all will be considered in the demolition plan (NCA, 2017).

Asbestos Assessor

Emissions from asbestos dust, soils, plant and equipment and dust produced during demolition work will impact the air quality. As there are two oil drums which are now empty but the stains of oil are on the ground and there is strong oily smell in the area. Therefore, under the supervision of principal contractor and the environmental consultant, odour suppressant will be managed. The objective of this management is to eliminate and minimise the effects of the odours and the dust on the environment, health of workers in the vicinity of the site and the residents around the site (Gunton, 2017). Actions that will be taken in this process include use of sealed cabins, materials containing asbestos remain moist, covering of stock piles, residents in the vicinity of the work must be informed in prior of potential dust impacts. It would be make sure that there should be no complaints from neighbouring residents and surrounding businesses. As a project manager I will evaluate the air quality myself.

Mechanical removal of building materials, earth disturbance due to vehicle movement and demolition over asbestos impacted soil generates asbestos dust. This generation of the asbestos dust should be prevented and its impact should be minimised. The action plan for this management plan is use of water spray for dust suppressant, after finishing of earthworks the area should be covered with plastic sheeting, use of sealed cabins on truck entering and excavation equipment (Queenslandgovernment, 2018). I will evaluate the air quality along with environmental consultant.

As the demolition work is to be carried out in the residential area where surface water is present, so the impact from sediments. Main objective of this management is to avoid impact on the water quality in drains and surface waters, minimise soil migration to surface waters and drains. Management plan for sediment control includes use of sediment control structure before commencement of works (EPA, 2017). It is will be the responsibility of site contractors to check the increase in the sediment and as a project manager I will be responsible for ensuring that the trained and qualified staffs are monitoring the program.

As there are two trees at the front side of the site, hence a tree management plan is needed as per the tree management plan 2011. The objective of this plan is to avoid the damage to the regulated trees, minimising soil damage and avoiding impact to ecological habitats. The tree management plan includes the fencing around the regulated trees will be installed. Site contractors will watch any damage to the regulated trees (OxfordBrookesUniversity, 2014). And as a project manager I will be responsible for the monitoring program for the tree management.

Asbestos Removalist

Waste generated during the demolition work needs to be managed properly. Appropriate disposal of waste is to be ensured. Objective of waste management is to minimise its impact on the environment. Health risk is associated with dust generation and contaminated soil exposure, hence waste management plan is must. Action plan that needs to be implemented for the waste management include a spill clean-up kit should be there where bulk fuel is being transferred; transport of soil is to be done with trucks fitted with cover tarpaulins (NCA, 2017). Regular observations will be made by me and the principal contractor will ensure the proper implementation of the monitoring program.

As the work site is surrounded by infrastructures of a childcare centre at one side, a primary school oval on the rear side and a two-storey residence on the other side and the fence along this side looks ready to fall, hence because of the close proximity of the structures, it is the responsibility of the principal contractor to consider a structural integrity assessment by a specialised consultant or a qualified engineer of the buildings within proximity of the work area. Its objective is to minimise the effects on the adjacent buildings due to the project (Designingbuildingswiki, 2018). Action need to be taken for the prevention of adjacent structures will include an inspection to access the potential damage to the surrounded structures associated with vibration impacts. Therefore, to minimise the vibration effects appropriate size machinery and equipment will be used. Machinery used is such that over-revving and over-loading would be prevented and also reduce vibration generation. As a project manager I will inspect, monitor and surveillance the entire setup along with contractors.

Work site is located in the residential area and there is a milk bar on the opposite side of the site and only has parking for the five cars, therefore a proper plan for the traffic management is needed to avoid the effect of project related traffic on the local area. Action plan include designated vehicle movement routes on the site in a clockwise direction, truck movements will be restricted to truck routes in the work area, proper pedestrian warning signs to be placed in the vicinity of the site (OfficeofIndustrialrelation, 2008), all the requirements are to be in accordance with Safework like pedestrian arrangements and erection of safety fencing.

As a project manager I will be responsible for conducting regular audits of the implementation of the DMP. Review of all environmental records, documents and reports will be audited by me to ensure compliance with the requirements of the DMP (Worksafe, 2016).

Scope of Work

Issues covered with audit relating to key environmental and procedural will include

• Legislative requirements
• Abidance to reporting procedure
• Incident and complaint management
• AMP environmental management measures

To demonstrate compliance with environmental requirements, reporting and auditing records will be maintained.

Conclusion

This report provides guidelines and the health and safety management needed while conducting a demolition work according to the Safework Australia. As a Project Manager it is my responsibility to plan work guidelines that will be conducted with proper safety and without any risk and hazards to the personnel working in the vicinity of the work-site. Minter Ellison Pvt Ltd is the Principal contractor of the project. Defence Housing Australia (DHA) appointed Arcadis Australia as the demolition contractor for the project. As a project manager of Arcadis, I have prepared this report that discussed about the safety laws and a management plan for conducting the demolition work safely. Asbestos assessor task is given to the SESA and Asbestos removal will be done by ARA. All the legislation by Safework ACT is discussed in the report and entire demolition plan is prepared by following the rules provided by Safework Australia for the demolition. Safety needed for maintaining air quality, water quality, management of asbestos dust, tree management, waste management, traffic management near the work site and the effect of vibration generated due to the construction work on the nearby or adjacent infrastructures are discussed in detail in this report.

References

Ahrens, 2018. Construction & Environmental Management Plan. [Online] Available at: https://resourceco.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Construction-Environmental-Management-Plan.pdf

ARA, 2018. ARA. [Online] Available at: https://www.asbestosremovalsaustralia.com.au/contact-us/

AustralianCapitalTerritory, 2015. Work Health and Safety (Demolition Work Code of Practice) Approval 2015. [Online]
Available at: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/DownloadFile/ni/2015-329/current/…/2015-329.PDF

AustralianGovernment, 2005. The Principles of Effective OHS Risk Management. [Online] Available at: https://wlcheung.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/6/1/20613982/the_principles_of_effective_ohs_risk_management_ohs_61_dec05.pdf

DepartmentofLabour, 2002. Guide for Safety with Underground Services. [Online] Available at: https://worksafe.govt.nz/…/1442-guide-for-safety-with-underground-services

Designingbuildingswiki, 2018. Damage Caused by Construction Work. [Online] Available at: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Damage_caused_by_construction_works

EPA, 2017. Managing Stormwater and Dust at Demolition Sites. [Online] Available at: https://www.epa.gov/large-scale-residential-demolition/managing-stormwater-and-dust-demolition-sites

Gunton, C., 2017. Demolition Management Plan. [Online] Available at: https://www.nca.gov.au/sites/g/files/net791/f/consultation/DEMOLITION%20MANAGEMENT%20PLAN%20-%20Block%203%20Section%2065%20Campbell.pdf

HealthandSafetyExecutive, 2014. Avoiding danger from Underground Services. [Online] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg47.pdf

HSE, 2015. Are you a principal contractor?. [Online] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/areyou/principalcontractor.htm

NCA, 2017. Demolition and Associated Waste Management guidelines for Home/Building Owners. [Online] Available at: https://www.nca.gov.au/…/DEMOLITION%20MANAGEMENT%20PLAN%20-%20B…

OfficeofIndustrialrelation, 2008. Traffic management for construction or maintenance work. [Online] Available at: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/58203/traffic-management-construction-cop-2008.pdf

OfficeofIndustrialrelations, 2015. Guide to machinery and equipment safety. [Online] Available at: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/82783/guidetomachinery-equipmentsafety.pdf

OxfordBrookesUniversity, 2014. Estates & Facilities Management -Trees and Construction – Policy and Procedures. [Online]
Available at: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/estates/site-assets/trees-and-construction-policy/

Queenslandgovernment, 2018. Asbestos and demolition. [Online] Available at: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/construction/workplace-hazards/demolition/asbestos-and-demolition

Safeworkaustralia, 2012. DEMOLITION WORK Code of Practice. [Online] Available at: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1705/mcop-demolition-work-v1.pdf

SESA, 2018. Safety & Environmental Services Australia. [Online] Available at: https://www.sesa.com.au/about-sesa-safety-and-environmental-services-consultants-sydney-nsw-canberra-act.html

Victoria, 2015. Grdan Wilson Flats. [Online] Available at: https://wellington.govt.nz/~/media/your-council/plans-policies-and-bylaws/district-plan/changes/active-changes-variations/files/plan_change_81/a9.pdf?la=en

Worksafe, 2016. DEMOLITION WORK Code of Practice. [Online] Available at: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1705/mcop-demolition-work-v4.pdf