Safedem & Brandis A/S join forces to implode 2 tower blocks

Two tower blocks located in Copenhagen have been imploded successfully through a joint venture between Safedem and Brandis A/S. You can see the towers coming down in the videos above and below.



The collaboration was made possible through the European Demolition Association, who counts Safedem's William Sinclair and Bradis' Morten Brandis as board members.

The implosion went off without a hitch, with Safedem admitting the fact they were a Scottish company working in Denmark garnered just as much media attention as the implosion itself.

Source: Demolitionnews

HSE promote free safety event in Scotland

On June 27th a free health and safety event is being held at Sibbald Training, Shona's Way, Sibbald Park, Blackridge, West Lothian. The HSE is encouraging any and all construction companies in the Central Scotland area to attend.

The HSE is desperate to cut the high rate of workers being injured or killed on building sites, and safety courses such as this are key to educating individuals. The event has been organized by the HSE in conjunction with the construction industry's Working Well Together campaign. It will include practical demonstrations such as quick hitches; unloading/loading lorries; working with buried services; safe trench work and working in confined spaces.

For further details please get in touch with Allan Mulholland via allan.mulholland@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Source: HSE

JCB update their Toughphones, now even more hard-wearing

JCB don't just manufacture hard wearing machinery, they also produce a range of phones you can use on a demolition site without fear of the dust, water, or the odd drop breaking them. They are called JCB Touchphones, and they've just been updated to introduce three new models.

First up there's the JCB Pro-Smart, which is being touted as the world's toughest phone. It is waterproof, dustproof, passes IP67 certification, and still manages to act as a smartphone with a touchscreen running Android.

Next there's The Sitemaster 2, which is probably going to be better for anyone who hasn't joined the smartphone revolution yet. It has the same durable features of the Pro-Smart, but with the old-style keypad and small non-touchscreen display. Finally, there's the Sitemaster 3G, offering a slightly better camera and IP54 certification. It's definitely one for the managers among you.

If you want to know just how durable these phones are, then check out the videos below:




Find out more about these demolition-friendly phones at JCB's website.

Stephano Panseri confirmed as speaker at World Demolition Summit 2012

We are very pleased to announced that Stephano Panseri has been confirmed as a speaker for the World Demolition Summit 2012 being held in Amsterdam this November.

Stephano is the Managing Director of Despe in Italy and has a long spanning career in the industry, which the image above gives full details of (click it to see a larger version).

A full list of the speaker line-up for the summit can be seen on the KHL World Demolition Summit website. You can also still secure an early booking discount for the event, but you need to be quick. The cheaper pricing for the conference and dinner will expire of July 2nd.

John Woodward's 2011 World Demolition Summit speech

Above is the speech John Woodward gave during last year's World Demolition Summit. You can book your tickets now for this year's event taking place on November 1st at the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam. Please head over to the KHL website to find out more and book your tickets.

Builder fined £12,500 for disregarding asbestos risk

A Surrey builder has been handed a £12,500 fine and costs demand after demolishing a house known to contain "high risk" asbestos.

Before the house was set to be demolished a plumber had previously carried out a partial survey of the building and deemed it unsafe to work within. The builder in question, Stuart Pearson, knew of the survey, which said the area was unfit for work and required a licensed asbestos contractor for removal of the material to make it safe. This information was ignored, the house was demolsihed, and the surrounding environment was subsequently contaminated.

Pearson was found guilty of breaching Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations in the Guildford Magistrates Court. He received a fine of £5,000 and must pay costs of £7,500.

It is imperative that the relevant surveys and actions be taken to ensure the safety of workers and the general public on any site. C&D Consultancy offer a range of courses to ensure the proper procedures are known about, therefore avoiding any issues. Please get in touch or visit our training pages if you'd like to know more.

Source: HSW

This could have gone very wrong

Skill or luck? The method used to demolish the building in the video above could have ended in success or failure and injury. It turns out it was a success, but what would of happened if the structure had fallen differently? I think we're looking at one very lucky machine driver.

Electrical safety checks deemend pointless waste of money

I've worked for a few companies where a firm has been hired to go around checking every single electrical device plugged into the building's sockets. The end result is a week or two of having a stranger in your offices plugging in and unplugging lamps, laptops, and coffee machines before putting a little sticker on each plug saying they are safe (for a year at least).

It seems pointless at the time, and now the HSE has confirmed it is completely pointless for low-risk environments such as an office.

As the HSE points out:

"It's a myth that every portable electrical appliance in the workplace needs to be tested once a year - and what's more it's a costly one."

So, the next time you get approached to carry out an electrical safety check to comply with health and safety, I'd suggest keeping your wallet in your pocket, saving yourself a load of money and wasted time, and just being sensible with the equipment you use.

Another key point the HSE makes regarding this matter:

"The law simply requires an employer to ensure that electrical equipment is maintained in order to prevent danger - it does not state that every item has to be tested or how often testing needs to be carried out."

Say that down the phone next time one of these safety check companies cold calls you and see if they have a clever response.

Source: HSE

Dangerous tower block in Glasgow to be demolished this week

Earlier this year a tower block in Glasgow located at London Road had to be evacuated. The building was deemed unsafe after tenants noticed large cracks appearing in the walls seemingly overnight. The owners were given until April 27th to either repair or demolish the building. That order lapsed with no action having been taken.

Now the local council has decided the block needs to come down and the wheels have been set in motion for the demolition to happen this week. The quick turnaround is due to the fact the building continues to show signs of movement, suggesting it could soon come down on its own potentially causing injury to passers by.

Source: 24dash

Birmingham City University pioneer Vibrating Suit as training aid

Researchers at Birmingham City University have pioneered the development of a new suit called MotivePro. It consists of a number of vibration sensors that activate when a desired movement or series of movements is not carried out correctly. Its core aims are to aid both sports and those with health problems, but could one day form a training aid for manual work.

As the video above shows, a series of movements, such as lifting something properly, can be taught by an instructor. However, once that instructor is gone it is up to the individual to remember the correct series of movements and carry them out without feedback. Getting them wrong can lead to injury.

Using MotivePro, the training can continue through active feedback as those movements are done. Over time, correcting such movements should become second nature, meaning a better trained workforce and fewer injuries across all industries. The other good news is MotivePro can be warn under clothing and without restricting movement, making it ideal for all situations, even a cold, wet demolition site.

Source: Birmingham City University