CROSS Safety Report
Collapse of external brick wall during demolition works
Overview
A section of an external brick wall of a building collapsed suddenly and unexpectedly part way through a demolition contract.
Key Learning Outcomes
For clients and demolition contractors:
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Where demolition works are required it is good practice to provide knowledge and history of the structure, including form, materials of construction, structural interactions, and location
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A comprehensive structural evaluation during the pre-demolition process can identify structural interactions to allow to demolition works to be carefully planned
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A section of the 2nd floor external brick wall of a building collapsed suddenly and unexpectedly part way through a demolition contract. This was a brick and concrete framed, 3-storey building.
The single skin external wall relied on restraint by steel ties to structural wind posts. All of these ties had however been removed during soft strip works thus removing support to the wall which came down in moderate winds.
The issue was that the ‘soft strip’ process was meant to remove components such as wiring and services but, inadvertently, included the ties which were assumed to be non-structural. It demonstrated the need for a comprehensive structural evaluation during the pre-demolition process.
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