Demolish and Dismantle

Demolition & Dismantling magazine gets 1st new issue for 2012

2012-02-17T08:46:00.000Z

The NFDC online magazine, called Demolition & Dismantling, has seen its first new issue released in 2012 and you can read it below.

Open publication - Free publishing - More demolition

Footage of the Cat DEM70 high reach appears

2012-02-16T09:40:00.001Z

As discovered by Demolitionnews, the video above is the first footage we've seen of the Cat DEM70 high reach hard at work in Oslo, Norway.

It's the biggest of four new high reach machines created as part of the collaboration between Caterpillar and Demlone. As you can see, it has a watering system built into the shear to help keep dust levels down at the point where it is being created.

Source: Demolitionnews

Wembley Stadium apology

2012-02-15T10:06:00.000Z

A few days ago we posted about an offer to see the England team train at Wembley Stadium. We should not have put up details about the day as it was an invitation-only event. We must apologize if the post resulted in an influx of calls to Wembley Stadium for an event that was never open to the general public. Also, we are sorry if this got anyone's hopes up about actually getting tickets.

Texas Medical Centre Prudential Building implosion (video)

2012-02-15T09:23:00.001Z

Last month the Prudential Building located at the Texas Medical Center in Houston was imploded. The reason for the demolition is thought to be damage to its foundation that made the building unsafe. Here's a couple of videos of the implosion from different angles.

Billionaire gets 16 years in prison for asbestos-related deaths

2012-02-14T08:38:00.000Z

A billionaire is on his way to prison due to his company's mishandling of asbestos over two decades ago.

Stephan Schmidheiny is the man facing 16 years in prison after being convicted of negligence in a civil action lawsuit that has been ongoing since 2009. His company, Eternit fiber, went bankrupt in 1986. But before that it dealt heavily in asbestos and allowed asbestos particles to spread across northern Italy due by not following safety precautions. In total, some 2,000 deaths have been caused so far by the actions of Eternit, split between workers at Eternit plants and the general public.

The asbestos particles were leftovers from roof coverings and pipe production. Rather than being contained, it was left to be carried away by the wind and to surrounding populated areas.

As well as the prison term, Schmidheiny is going to have to pay each civil party 30,000 euros, which could amount to millions in total due to the 6,000 people involved in the court case.

Schmidheiny isn't the only man facing a long prison term. Major shareholder Baron Jean-Louis Marie Ghislain de Cartier de Marchienne is facing the same 16 year term. Their crime's maximum punishment was actually 12 years, but the prosecution asked for 20 due to the fact asbestos related diseases can present a couple of decades after exposure occurs. In the end, 16 years is what each man will face, and they could both end their days in prison. Schmidheiny is 64, and Marchienne is 90 years old.

Source: Medical Daily and BBC News

Robert Maxwell's Maxwell House demolished

2012-02-13T08:48:00.000Z

Robert Maxwell isn't having a great time of it in the UK at the moment, mainly due to the actions of his newspapers here. But late last week a part of his company's history got demolished.

Maxwell House in Milton Keynes has been torn down and brought mixed emotions for former workers. Some are happy to see it go, where as others have fond memories of working in the building, if not for Maxwell himself.

Although Maxwell House is now being demolished, the site will be regenerated and become a datacenter containing thousands of computers holding the data we all increasingly use on the web.

You can watch the video of Maxwell House's demolition at the BBC.

Safedem prepare Red Road flats for demolition (video)

2012-02-10T09:23:00.000Z

C&D Customer Safedem Limited are currently preparing the Red Road flats in Glasgow for demolition and Glasgow Housing Association have allowed a local artist to produce a short film documenting the story o fthe Bingo Hall that used to be in the flats.

Unfortunately, we can't include the video as embedding has been disabled. However, you can watch it by visiting stv's website.

A new hobby for the demolition industry?

2012-02-08T09:25:00.000Z

Photograph by Tom Ryaboi

If you've worked in the demolition industry for any length of time, then you've no doubt stood on top of some pretty tall buildings. The Daily Mail has a new hobby for you next time you're up there: it's called rooftopping.

Rooftopping only requires a camera and the nerves to teeter on the edge of a rooftop and look down. You then snap a shot and hope it doesn't turn out blurry.

I'm sure this breaks several health & safety regulations, but one guy by the name of Tom Ryaboi is hooked. Luckily for him he lives in Toronto, Canada where there are many a skyscraper he can climb to capture some quite stunning shots.

You won't get the same stunning view if you're demolishing a two-storey home, but next time there's a tower block to take down, consider taking a camera to the top and sharing your photographs with us.

Source: Daily Mail and LooksLikeGoodDesign

Soldiers called in to implode safety tower in New Mexico

2012-02-07T09:25:00.000Z

If there's one thing the US and UK military share, it's the desire to solve their own problems rather than getting someone else in to do the job. Apparently that extends to demolition work too.

The White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico is home to the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), which recently had a large metal safety tower become unsafe. ARL's management could have chosen to contract a demolition company to implode the structure, but instead decided to use it as a training exercise and save some money in the process.

The ARL didn't just put some C4 in the hands of untrained soldiers. Instead, the 2nd Engineer Battalion, 573rd Clearance Company was called in. Having recently taken on new recruits, they were eager to get some training done before being deployed. The safety tower formed the perfect opportunity.

Imploding the tower was made more complicated by the fact it was positioned 50 feet away from another building. In its unsafe state it was actually leaning towards that building. To ensure the tower fell in the right direction it was attached by wires to two Buffalo vehicles. C4 charges were then placed at the bottom of each of the four posts supporting the structure. Two kicker charges were also installed at the top of the tower.

The tower came down without a problem and in the process the Clearance Company got some much-needed real-world training.

Source: Alamogordo Daily News

NFDC Working Wednesday happening 22nd February

2012-02-06T08:59:00.000Z

We are pleased to announce that the NFDC are holding their next Working Wednesday on the 22nd February 2012. They have kindly agreed to make it a joint event with the IDE meaning that you can gain 3 hours core CPD for attending.

The topic will be discussing Low Emission Zone for non-road mobile machinery which could have an enormous impact on the demolition industry. More information can be found at the NFDC website.

The Working Wednesday will be held at Resurgam House, Paradise, Hemel Hempstead, Hearts. HP2 4TF between 2pm and 5pm. If you would like to attend, then send an email to the following address: info@demolition-nfdc.com

Berlin Demolition Conference set to be packed

2012-02-03T09:13:00.000Z

The Berlin Demolition Conference is being held on the 16th March this year. Usually a German-language conference wouldn't be of that much interest, but this year it will be fully translated into English. When you see the packed program below, you may be tempted to book a place and fly over next month:

Friday, 16th March 2012

Moderator: Andreas Arnold, dialoginar Communications Agency, Bonn

09:00 Conference opening address
Johann Ettengruber, DA spokesman

09:10 Training in the demolition industry
Marcel Schröder, DA board member

09:20 Technologies for nuclear facitilites dismantling
Patrick Kern, KIT Karlsruhe

09:40 Why train your staff? Answers on the example of the courses "Lead worker" and "Site foreman" for demolition
Gerhard Geske, Training Centre in Hamm

09:50 Training of machine operators in the field of demolition in accordance with ZUMBau
Heinz Ehrmann, Bavarian Construction Academy, Feuchtwangen

10:00 Noise prediction for demolition sites
Matthias Barth, Engineering Office Goritzka Acoustics, Leipzig

10:20 Demolition of a 140 m high chimney in the vicinity of operating plant
Michael Barnsteiner, MB, Chimney and Concrete Demolition GmbH & Co. KG, Memmingerberg and Markus Rost, Exponent Industrial Structures, Düsseldorf

10:50 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 Current waste legislation - the new KrWG; ErsatzbaustoffVO soil conservation; New regulations for demolition
Dr. Rolf Kaminski, Avocado Lawyers, Cologne

11:50 Revitalization of the Post-gallery Speyer
Dr. Brigitte Peter, GESU Construction and Demolition Services GmbH, Eschbach

12:10 Decommissioning of the Caorso Nuclear Power Plant, Italy
Stefano Panseri, Despe SpA, Italy

12:35 Real time, on-site asbestos detection: The latest developments
Alan Archer, Select Group, UK

13:00 The Lab in the hand - applications for the demolition and dismantling sector
Dieter Boehme, Analyticon Instruments GmbH, Rosbach

13:20 - 14:50 Lunch

14:50 Technologies to prevent theft and vandalism on demolition sites
Ralf Müller, Alinotec GmbH & Co. KG, Darmstadt

15:10 Disposal of photovoltaic modules
Jürgen Beckmann, Bavarian State Office for Environment, Augsburg

15:30 Health risks through exposure to biologi-cal materials - Practical examples with mould remediation
Andrea Bonner, BG BAU, Karlsruhe

15:50 Engineering performance: Technical challenges on occasion of a high-rise building demolition
Johannes Harzheim and Oliver Krenc, Jean Harzheim GmbH & Co. KG, Cologne

16:05 Preliminary release of the VDI-Guideline 6202 - Remediation of contaminated buildings and facilities
Martin Kessel, ARCADIS Germany GmbH, Karlsruhe

16:30 - 17:10 Coffee break

17:10 Blasting of the Tower-Hotel in Solingen
Helmut Roller, Roller Blasting Technology GmbH & Co. KG, Wuppertal

17:30 Dismantling of the biological shield within the Stade Nuclear Power Plant, Germany
Dr. Georg Rachor, Norbert Braun GmbH, Münster and Jürgen-Werner Imhof, Hochtief Solutions AG

17:50 Stuttgart 21 - North wing demolition
Thilo Weigele, GL-Demolition, Esslingen

18:10 Application of high-pressure water jetting within demolition
Thomas Nowotny, Hammelmann Maschi-nenfabrik GmbH, Oelde; Matthias Schäfer, Richard Liesegang GmbH & Co. KG, Hürth

18:25 Closing Remarks

Saturday, 17th March 2012

Option 1: Forum Discussion 09:00 - 12:30 One of the topics: Further information on training within the demolition industry or Excursion to demolition sites in Berlin (08:30 - 13:00). Excursion to demolition sites in Berlin (13:30 - 17:00 - as morning visit)

Source: d&ri

Details of the IDE Spring Seminar on February 24th

2012-02-02T09:36:00.002Z

The IDE Spring Seminar is happening on Friday, February 24th at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The proceedings will be opened by our own John Woodward with a Welcome Address followed by a number of papers and reports being presented.

Highlights of the reports being presented include:

Armac's Noel McLean on the demolition of the Calthorpe road interchange
Coleman and Company's Chris Holland on work carried out at Birmingham New Street Railway Station
Brown & Mason's Alex Hadden on the demolition work at the Dunamenti Power Plant near Budapest in Hungary
IDE vice president Steve Jack on nuclear demolition activities
Graham Gilbert on demolition of dockside cranes
NFDC chief executive Howard Button on a new 30m high reach training course and changes to the NFDC Guidance Notes

More details about the Sping Seminar along with a booking form can be found on the IDE website.

Source: d&ri

Video of AR Demolition Chimney Blast

2012-02-01T08:40:00.000Z

Last week we got to share a few shots of the chimney blast at the former British Union Shoe Machinery (BUSM) works in Ross Walk, Belgrave. The work was carried out by AR Demolition to make way for new housing.

Now we've been lucky enough to receive video footage of the demolition from Paul Boynton and his son David who runs DB Photographic Solutions. You can watch the chimney fall above.

John Woodward interviewed about demolition from an anthropological viewpoint

2012-01-31T08:23:00.000Z

From time to time John gets interviewed on a variety of subjects such as the recent interview in The Independent, a post on The Independist, and his regular articles in PDi magazine.

But these articles are vastly different to a recent interview with Alberto Goyena from Brazil who interviewed John as part of his research into demolitions from an anthropological viewpoint. The first of Alberto's articles has now been published with more to follow so why not take a look on his site, called Vibrant, where the article is the last one on the list.

We will bring you the new articles as they appear.

Demolition/Asbestos Awareness Course February 3rd

2012-01-30T08:28:00.000Z

Following requests from regular clients C&D are holding a Demolition/Asbestos Awareness Course that is open to all companies at the end of this week.

The course is booked for the 3rd February at the Tractor Shed, Bantock House, Finchfield Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9LQ and will start at 09.00am

The cost will be £70.00 per person plus VAT and we have spaces available if you require them.

To book, please email jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

CDI implode a Load-Out Tower (video)

2012-01-27T08:56:00.000Z

Controlled Demolition Inc. must have someone on-site exclusively looking after filming their implosions, as it seems every building demolished gets multiple angles recorded. Not that we're complaining as we love seeing these videos at Demolish and Dismantle.

Earlier this week we got to see a DAP Buliding imploded at a chemical plant in Bartow, Florida. The building was 100-feet tall and comprised mainly of steel. This latest video is on the same site, and shows a Load-Out Tower that measures 120-feet tall being imploded. Again, the structure was mainly comprised of steel and it looked to be a very clean blast.

“There She Blows” - AR Demolition Ltd Levels Chimney at Former Shoe Machine Factory

2012-01-26T08:58:00.000Z

The Leicester city skyline was re-modelled in an instance on Saturday 21st January when an iconic 115ft tall chimney at the former British Union Shoe Machinery (BUSM) works in Ross Walk, Belgrave, was blown up in spectacular fashion.

Hundreds of people watched as the chimney was demolished by AR Demolition to make way for new housing. Westleigh Developments plans to build 1,200 homes on the 30-acre site, six play areas, shops, cafes, commercial units and a nursery, at a cost of around £15 million.

Residents from 26 homes, whose houses were inside the safety exclusion zone, were invited as VIPs to the controlled demolition.

Also there, were former employees of BUSM one of whom 62 year old Tom Keville, pushed the buttons to trigger the explosions to bring the chimney down at exactly 11am. Tom, who worked at the factory starting as an apprentice 47 years ago, won the chance to have his finger on the fire button after bidding £1,700 in a charity auction.

It was a bitter sweet moment for Tom, but sad for others such as former management accountant trainee, Peter Barratt who had come to bid a fond farewell to the landmark, part of the huge factory which in it’s hey day was the largest manufacturer of footwear machinery in the world, employing some 4,500 people.

Richard Dolman, managing director of AR Demolition Ltd, who oversaw the demolition of the chimney said: "It is an adrenaline rush. It was a perfect job."

AR Demolition commenced work on the four phase contract mid 2011 to clear the site of the main four storey factory and associated buildings and infrastructure. The chimney demolition is part of the third phase of the job.

Commenting on the controlled explosion Richard said, “Preparation as usual was key to the success of the blast. Charges were strategically placed on the morning of the demolition. The evacuation was completed 20 minutes ahead of schedule and the exclusion zone given the all clear.

Institute of Construction Management Annual Meeting

2012-01-25T08:34:00.000Z

Many members of the IDE are also members of The Institute of Construction Management as there is considerable overlap between the aims of the two institutes and their joint stance on CPD. So we are pleased to announce that the 37th National Rally of the ICM is being held on Saturday, June 30th at the Devere Village Hotel North Leeds.

The event commences at 7pm and will include a three-course dinner, cabaret, and dancing to live music. Tickets are £32 per person with accomodation available for £75 per double room.

For more information get in touch with the ICM directly via their webiste. The full address of the venue is also available along with a date reminder on the ICM Google Calendar.

Controlled Demolition implode 100-foot Chemical Plant DAP building

2012-01-24T09:14:00.000Z

Following on from yesterday's Dick Green implosion, we have another explosive takedown video to share with you. This one is from Controlled Demolition, Inc. who acted as implosion subcontractor to Southern Salvage, Inc. of Fort Meade, Florida.

The job involved the demolition of a DAP Building, which formed part of a chemical plant located in Bartow, Florida. The structure was 100-feet tall and comprised mainly of steel. The implosion was carried out at 10am EST last Friday.

Dick Green blows up two concrete hoppers in Doncaster

2012-01-23T08:46:00.000Z

Our friend Dick Green has just completed a job for Able UK which saw two concrete hoppers imploded. The job required 138kg of explosives and you can see the hoppers implode in the video below.

The hoppers formed part of the Thorpe Marsh power station in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Able had been tasked with asbestos removal and de-planting, both of which have now been completed.

More info about the Thorpe Marsh job is avilable at Able's website.

But could it have all been different? IOSH seminar

2012-01-20T08:26:00.000Z

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has announced a seminar aimed at health and safety practitioners, facilities managers, occupational health practitioners and other professionals with the responsibility for accident prevention, investigation and behavioural change.

It has been titled "But could it have all been different?" and will deal with the important health and safety issues relating to accident prevention and behavioral safety, and will provide advice and information on developing a positive safety culture within a workforce.

The seminar includes key informative and motivational speakers, and will be spearheaded by Ken Woodward OBE, who will deliver a keynote session highlighting the horrific workplace accident in which he lost his eyesight and sense of smell and taste.

The seminar is taking place at the Uttoxeter Racecourse in Staffordshire on the 2nd February. IOSH members only have to pay £102 inc. VAT, non-members pay slightly more at £117.60 inc. VAT.

For more information and booking details visit the IOSH website.

Construction Site Fire Safety Risk Assessment Training Course

2012-01-19T08:54:00.000Z

The Association for Project Safety (APS) is reintroducing its course specifically tailored to train CDM-Cs and other construction professionals in the art and science of fire risk assessment on construction sites. It is called the Construction Site Fire Safety Risk Assessment Training Course, and will be run again in 2012.

The course covers construction risk management and will include coverage of recent work activity undertaken by the fire and rescue service, HSE and Timber Framed interests in respect of the problems of fire spread on sites where timber framed buildings are being constructed.

Starting in April the APS will hold 6 events across the UK in Gatwick, Milton Keynes, East Midlands, Leeds, Edinburgh and Knutsford. However, places are limited to 20 per event, so you need to act quickly if you wish to attend.

More details can be found on the APS website.

Demolition worker fined for causing severe leg injury

2012-01-18T09:16:00.000Z

Devon Stoner, a 44 year old demolition worker employed by Sloane Demolition Ltd., has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.

In January last year Mr Stoner entered a 360 excavator on the site of a two-storey building that was being demolished in Kent. Four other men were present sorting and reclaiming bricks. Mr Stoner started the excavator, but could not control it.

The uncontrolled movements of the machine managed to knock over a wall. A co-worker could not move away from the wall quick enough and suffered severe injuries to his leg. The injury was so bad, the man now walks around with a steel plate in his shin and ankle. At the time, his shin was completely shattered and his ankle broken.

The blame for the incident lies with Mr Stoner who was both untrained and unauthorized to use the machine by his employer. After pleading guilty to breaching section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, a court ruled he pay a £500 fine and undertake 120 hours of community service.

That's little compensation for his co-worker who has to live with the consequences of Mr Stoner's actions in what was a completely avoidable incident.

Source: HSE

Register for the International Safety Awards 2012

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000Z

The International Safety Awards is now accepting applications for the 2012 scheme. They are open to members and non-members, and relate to the health and safety management at a particular site or business unit during the previous calendar year.

According to the British Safety Council there are many benefits for applicants and of course the winners. These include:

External endorsement
Performance benchmark
Heightened prestige
Press coverage
Winners' banquet
Winners' logo
Winners' trophy and certificate

Registering to take part involves answering 12 questions relating to your health and safety management. These need to be completed and returned by the 29th February. The results are issued on the 22nd March.

You can find out more details including how to register at the British Safety Council website.

Safe Working Practice for Office Staff

2012-01-16T08:29:00.000Z

Demolition is a safety critical industry and we are all aware of the training employers need to provide in order to maintain a safety aware and competent workforce on site.

However, how often do we consider the legislation that is in place to protect those working within the office/administrative environment of demolition, and how often do we provide necessary and adequate training in order to comply with this legislation?

Granted, the office is not the most dangerous of places, but the office does contain many hazards that if not properly addressed and managed, have the potential to cause harm and have a significant impact on effectiveness and efficiency, not to mention time and money lost through illness and injury.

C&D Training Division have developed a new course specifically designed to address these issues and to raise awareness on how to keep the office a safe and healthy work place.

Acknowledge The Legislation Relating To Health And Safety In The Workplace
Identify Hazards Within The Office Environment & Ways In Which They Can Be Reduced
Identify Safe Practice In The Use Of Display Screen Equipment
Identify Safe Manual Handling Techniques
Recognise The Impact Of Workplace Stress On Personal Health And Safety
Identify Ways To Reduce Workplace Stress

For more information, please email jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

2012 World Demolition Summit date and venue announced

2012-01-13T08:36:00.000Z

Demolition & Recycling International and its publisher, KHL Group, are delighted to announce that the 2012 World Demolition Summit will once again be held in the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The venue will be the HN Grand Krasnapolski Hotel in the centre of the city and the event will take place on Thursday 1st November, 2012.

As with the previous three highly successful Summit events, the 2012 World Demolition Summit will consist of a full day technical programme and an evening gala dinner, during which the winners of the 2012 World Demolition Awards will be revealed.

Details of the 2012 World Demolition Awards are available from the Demolition Awards website. Entries can be made for projects that have either been completed or started during the period June 2011 and June 2012. The closing date for entries will once again by July 31st, with no entries being accepted after this date. All entries MUST be accompanied with a 1,200 word summary and a completed project summary sheet, if appropriate.

To book your attendance at the event, go to www.demolitionsummit.com.

C&D awarded another Demolition Project CDM-C appointment

2012-01-12T08:55:00.000Z

Just when you think that all new orders for January are in, another drops into the in box. C&D are pleased to have been appointed as CDM-C for a demolition project in Darwen, Lancashire. This small project is for the demolition of a cooling tower and will be carried out by Frank O'Gara and Sons of Irlam.

Work commences this month and will be completed in around 6 weeks.

How to produce a great corporate video

2012-01-11T08:39:00.000Z

Visitors to this site know that we like a good video and we have found a great corporate demolition video on youtube today.

Hughes and Salvidge have produced the video to showcase their work in the industry and it is a good example of animation and live footage combined.

You can watch the video below or click through to the website www.hughesandsalvidge.co.uk where the video is on the front page and see what they can offer.

NDTG Demolition Manager Training Course dates for 2012

2012-01-10T08:31:00.000Z

When John wrote the NDTG CCDO Demolition Managers Course in 2011 he had no idea how successful that course would be, but as we go into 2012 we are pleased to announce that NDTG will be running 5 further courses throughout the year.

From it's initial conception the course content has evolved, mainly due to feedback from candidates, and is now fully agreed and fixed. The course remains as four days of classroom and group exercises followed by a day at the ACT-UK Centre in Coventry where candidates are placed into the site office simulation area to deal with likely scenarios from a typical working day.

There is, however, a change for 2012 in as much as John will be joined in course delivery by Roy Brown, in order that the NDTG has two trainers able to deliver the course at the required level.

As such the 2012 courses are divided as follows:-

11 January Day Release Course (11,18,25 Jan then 2 & 3 Feb) John Woodward
16 to 20 April (Block Release Course) John Woodward
11 June Day Release Course (11, 18,25 June then 2 & 3 July) Roy Brown
16 August Day Release Course (16, 23,30 August then 6 & 7 September) John Woodward
18 October Day Release Course (18, 25 October then 01,08 & 09 November) Roy Brown

Places are available on all courses except the January course, so why not click across to the NDTG andbook your place now.

John Woodward interview in The Independent

2012-01-09T08:27:00.000Z

Just before Christmas, John was interviewed by The Independent newspaper with regard to demolition techniques at the moment. The hour long interview was condensed down in last Thursday's edition to a few lines in the article. To read the article in it's entirety please click on the following link:

The art of demolition: Bringing down a multi-storey ctructure is a process as scientific as it is creative

Another major training order for C&D

2012-01-06T08:19:00.000Z

C&D customer Berkeley Homes have appointed C&D to carry out their Demolition Awareness for Managers training programme for 2012.

Following successful delivery of training courses for a number of their site managers in 2011 Berkeley Homes have today re-appointed C&D Consultancy as their training providers for an identical course running throughout 2012.

This new order, following on from other orders confirmed in the last few days reinforces C&D's position as one of the leading demolition training providers in the UK.

Full details of the courses offered can be found in our training section.

Armac's Harry Ward completes first solo mission

2012-01-05T08:31:00.000Z

Armac’s own Harry Ward, who recently completed his A61 appointed persons certification has completed his firs solo mission.

The demolition of an aerial mast, approximately 33m high of tubular steel construction which was diagonally crass braced up to a working platform. The mast had previously been constructed in sections obvious from the bolted connections between sections.

To establish an accurate weight the mast was surveyed by our in-house engineers. The frame was detailed up in AutoCAD and modelled for mass. This allowed for a fair estimate for the overall weight of the tower sections in each lift.

The lift area was surveyed to determine crane position for the overall lift and lay-down radius. Using calculated weights (3.5t with contingency), lift radius and required lift height a Liebherr 1070-4.1 (75t) was selected lifting at three points with a four leg chain.

The mast was cut into three segments to enable the tower to be laid down adjacent the lift. The mast legs and cross bracing had to be cut free using an oxy-propane torch.

Training orders renewed for C&D Consultancy

2012-01-04T08:36:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that C&D have had training orders renewed by a number of our regular clients over the last 24 hours. Our recent decisions to revamp a number of our courses have proved to be correct with another flood of orders to the office during yesterday.

The new orders include:-

1000 hours of training for EDS on the new C&D Hot Works course.
1000 hours of training for EDS on Work at Height and Rescue Plans.
100 hours for City Demolition (Birmingham) Limited for Demolition & Asbestos Awareness.
60 hours for City Demolition (Birmingham) Limited for Manual Handling.
100 hours for Frank O’Gara and Sons for Asbestos Awareness & Manual Handling.
1000 hours for Total Reclaims Limited for Demolition & Asbestos Awareness. 200 hours for CMR Demolition Limited for structural awareness.
100 hours for various clients on the new open to all recently launched C&D Behaviour and Stress Management course.

The courses will be delivered by the C&D training team between now and the end of March in venues around the country.

If you require additional specialist demolition training to upskill your workforce then please take a look at our training pages where you will find over 100 courses available at competitive rates.

C&D start 2012 with a large training order

2012-01-03T08:41:00.000Z

The New Year is only a few hours old and C&D are pleased to announce a large training order.

The Association for Planning Safety have appointed John Woodward to tour the country presenting half day seminars on demolition from a CDM viewpoint. The seminars are designed to allow MaPS members to obtain knowledge about the demolition planning process, the need to appoint competent contractors and how to judge that competency, whilst accruing 4 hours CPD.

The tour dates are as follows:-

February
15th Premier Yew Lodge Inn, Kegworth, Near East Midlands Airport.
16th Hilton Tree Tops Hotel, Aberdeen.
22nd Holiday Inn, Garforth, Leeds.

March
7th Hilton Hotel, Stansted Airport.
8th Coin Street Community Builders, Central London.
20th Hilton Hotel, Southampton.
21st Holiday Inn, Gatwick Airport.
22nd Kents Hill Park Conference Centre. Milton Keynes.

May
2nd Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, Glasgow.
3rd Holiday Inn, Edinburgh.
9th Bescot Stadium, Walsall.
10th Hilton Hotel, Bristol.
11th Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff.
30th Cottons Spa Hotel, Knutsford.
31st North Lakes Hotel & Spa, Newcastle upon Tyne.

June
12th Park Avenue Hotel, Belfast.

All talks will commence with registration at 13.00 and will close at 17.00.

Further details and tickets are available from the APS website (PDF)

Review of the year

2011-12-31T08:04:00.000Z

With 2012 beginning tomorrow, we thought it was the perfect time to look back at 2011 and what was posted on Demolish and Dismantle. But we don't need to put together a summary of everything that happened, as this website has a very nice visual snapshot system built-in. It allows you to see every single post as bank of images you can easily scroll through in your web browser.

To try it out just click here and it will load.

Here at C&D Consultancy we'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year and hope you have some celebrations planned for tonight before the clock strikes twelve.

Big news about a member of the C&D team!

2011-12-27T09:30:00.000Z

Regular readers of this page and demolition publications in general will know that Harpreet Bilkhu joined C&D from the NDTG when she married her husband Jag and moved to Birmingham to be with his family. Harpreet dealt with all training enquiries for the NDTG prior to her marriage and then continued in a similar role at C&D where she worked as training course co-ordinator for us at our offices in Tipton.

When the industry suffered a downturn in 2010 training enquiries dried up and Harpreet left her full time employment with C&D to take employment nearer to home and spend more time with Jag, but we continue to hear from her from time to time.

I was delighted to hear from Harpreet late last week that she and Jag are now going to be parents as Harpreet is expecting a baby that is due in April 2012.

It goes without saying that all at C&D, and I am sure all who have met and dealt with Harpreet over the years, wish them all the best and say Congratulations!

We hope that all goes well with the pregnancy and we hope to bring you photos of the new arrival in April.

Seasons Greetings from C&D Consultancy

2011-12-23T15:59:00.001Z

Here at C&D we are now closed until 03 January 2012.

If you do need urgent demolition advice before that date please call John on 07870 404906 and leave a message and he will get back to you as soon as he can.

We thank all of our customers, large and small, for their business in 2011, wish you all the Compliments of the Season and hope to see you all in 2012.

Have a great break and remember eat, drink and be merry as it may be the last chance before this time next year!

Farmer attempts grain silo demolition with a sledgehammer

2011-12-22T08:35:00.000Z

Usually, when a large grain silo needs demolishing you call in the explosives team and take it down with a controlled explosion. But the farmer in the video above decided to save a bit of money and demolish this silo on his own. He didn't have any specialist demolition equipment--it's just him and his trusty sledgehammer.

The farmer is very lucky not to have been injured as the silo could have fallen in any direction. Unfortunately for him, it didn't fall down at all. Luckily, he had a tractor with enough pull to topple the then weakened structure.

Health and safety best practices this is most definitely not.

NDTG unveils On Course magazine for demolition professionals

2011-12-21T09:10:00.000Z

The National Demolition Training Group (NDTG) has unveiled the first-ever edition of On Course, a new magazine developed to keep demolition professionals informed of the latest changes in the field of demolition training, and to ensure that they’re fully aware of changes in the rules and regulations governing worker competence.

Sophie Francis, NDTG group training manager explains:

"For a long time, we have been aware of the need to keep the industry informed. Our website does part of that job but we also know that our members and those in the wider demolition community are not constantly online. On Course has been designed, therefore, to allow readers to take the latest information with them, and to share it with their peers and colleagues.

There are a large number of people involved in the training process from a company’s human resources department, through the directors and training professionals, to the operatives themselves. We have, therefore, produced the magazine in a format that can be readily circulated by email to ensure that it can reach all parts of the demolition management structure"

You can have a read of the magazine yourself by visiting the On Course Issue 1 web page.

Glasgow Co-op Funeral Service building demolition begins

2011-12-20T08:49:00.000Z

At the end of November a fire broke out in the Co-op Funeral Service building (also known as the Gusset Building) on Morrison Street in Glasgow. The fire managed to leave two of the three buildings making up the structure completely gutted.

100+ firefighters brought the fire under control, but the building was deemed dangerous and had to be demolished. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as though anything could be saved, including the well-known and distinctive clock front.

According to STV, demolition has now begun.

The video below was recorded by a resident who also lives in Morrison Street. It shows you the extent of the damage and just how quickly the fire spread through the building:

Source: STV

Swindon College demolition postponed until spring 2012

2011-12-19T09:01:00.000Z

The Swindon College building at Regent Circus is being demolished to make way for a 60,000 sq ft Morrisons supermarket along with space for 450 cars, 8 restaurants, a 30,000 sq ft cinema complex, and a number of bars. It's meant to be completed by 2014 and will surely rejuvinate the location.

Demolition of the existing college building and clearance of the 5 acre site was meant to start before the end of the year, but that now isn't going to happen. Ashfield Land owns the site and has admitted to being frustrated when people say progress isn't being made on the new complex. Apparently, even though demolition has yet to commence, funding is in place and much work is being done behind the scenes towards developing the site.

Here's what the site looks like now:

and here's an artist's rendition of what the final new complex could look like in 2014:

We're hoping that when demolition does finally commence we get to see some video footage of the work posted.

Source: This is Wiltshire

Unusual place for a quote by John to appear

2011-12-16T08:48:00.000Z

As regular readers of this site and Demolition News will know, John features from time to time in the demolition trade press and is often quoted on demolition related issues. But we have to admit that this post at The Independist is a first for us.

John gave comment to the blogger Riam Dalati when he was asked, but never thought that the comments would end up in the actual blog itself. Obviously Riam must have liked what he heard.

Excavators dismantle leaning Chinese tower block from the top down

2011-12-15T09:32:00.000Z

The building regulations in China leave a lot to be desired, if they are followed at all. But one of the growing problems in the region is newly built tower blocks starting to lean shortly after being built. The problem seems to be with the land they are being built on.

A lot of new buildings are sprotuing up across China built on land reclaimed from the sea or some other body of water. The problem is, that land does not settle evenly, meaning a heavy structure on top of it is going to sink. In the case of the tower block you see above, it started leaning almost immediately after building work was completed. The construction company then attempted to reinforce the base, but one of the main support pillars broke a few months later rendering the structure dangerous.

As you can see below, lots of health and safety rules are being broken to demolish it. Those machines have been lifted on top of the building by a crane and are working precariously to break up all the concrete floor-by-floor. We hope they can finish before the other support pillars decide to crumble.

Source: Daily Mail

Sneak peek at Inside Construction magazine Issue 3

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000Z

C&D are pleased to support Inside Construction Magazine as it continues to increase its readership with every issue.

We are pleased to see a new construction magazine in circulation and we wish them all the best as they continue to grow. Why not take a look at our advertisement on page 14 and book onto our newly launched "Management of Stress in the Workplace" course.

View or download the magazine sneak peek by clicking here.

Another New Course from C&D...

2011-12-13T08:38:00.000Z

The British Safety Council has recently published their guidance booklet on ‘Managing Stress at Work’ (Dec 2011-2013) and defined stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other type of demand placed on them at work.”

This booklet outlines the serious nature of stress related illness, both for the individual affected and the companies they work for. Long absences, ill health, poor productivity, high staff turnover and increase in accidents, are all consequences of the poor management of work place stress.

And although stress-related illness is not reportable, employers still have an implicit legal duty to assess and control the risk of stress-related ill health due to work activities. These duties are set out in the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

To help employers meet their legal duty to control the risk of ill health arising from work related stress, the Health and Safety Executive have developed a set of ‘Management Standards’ which clearly set out a ‘Five Step Risk Assessment’ to help employers manage the situation more effectively.

Having just launched the ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ course which is aimed at Managers and Supervisors in Demolition, C&D Training Division have decided to compliment this course with a half day course entitled ‘Work Place Stress – Assessing the Risks’. The primary focus will be on:

Understanding the Management Standards
Using the standards to assess workplace stress levels
Implementing an appropriate plan to ensure that stress factors are managed effectively

As the British Safety Council point out, the ’Management Standards’ are not a legal requirement, but, given that stress related illness costs the UK economy 700 million pounds per year, with 11 million lost working days in 2010-2011 alone, clearly it is an issue to be taken seriously. Moreover, it can be extremely costly to employers in safety critical industries, such as demolition, with very serious consequences.

The course will commence in 2012, at a cost of £50.00 per person.

For further information, please contact jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

Armac Group “Clock Off” at Pinderfields Hospital

2011-12-12T08:30:00.000Z

Over the last twelve months C&D customer Armac Group have been demolishing the former hospital at Pinderfields in Wakefield and have worked progressively through the hospital buildings demolishing and, in some cases, carefully dismantling sections for preservation and reuse on the new development.

When the bulk of the work was complete they were then given the difficult task of carefully lifting the clock tower and storing it for reuse.

Balfour Beatty Construction Limited Pinderfields Joint Venture wanted to preserve the clock for resiting in the new development so quite a lot of lateral thinking was needed to achieve their wishes.

Armac directors Adrian McLean and Noel McLean were involved in the lift with the original concept and lift design by Adrian. The roles of Appointed Person and Lift Supervisor being carried out by Noel.

We have no photographs of the work being carried out but we do have some nice video footage so please take the time to watch the video below.

World Demolition Awards 2011 Videos - Manufacturers Innovation Award

2011-12-09T09:03:00.000Z

It's the final day of our week of World Demolition Awards 2011 videos, and this time John Woodward presents the Manufacturers Innovation Award:

Thanks once again goes to KHL for providing access to these videos.

World Demolition Awards 2011 Videos - Collaborative Demolition Award

2011-12-08T09:10:00.000Z

The World Demolition Awards video today shows the presentation of a new award entitled the Collaborative Demolition Award.

World Demolition Awards 2011 Videos - the Haitian earthquake experience

2011-12-07T08:45:00.000Z

Day 3 of our World Demolition Awards 2011 video week sees David Sincalir, Mike Janssens, and Jesula Andre, the first female Haitian Government machine operator speaking. The subject covered is Demolition and Debris Removal: the Haitian earthquake experience.

Thanks to KHL for providing the videos.

World Demolition Awards 2011 Videos - John Woodward on safety and training

2011-12-06T09:07:00.000Z

Day 2 of our World Demolition Awards 2011 sees our very own John Woodward talking about safety and training in the current economic climate.

Thanks to KHL for providing the videos.

World Demolition Awards video week

2011-12-05T09:39:00.000Z

At the beginning of November the World Demolition Summit 2011 was held in the Hotel Akura, Amsterdam. As part of the event the World Demolition Awards 2011 were also announced. KHL has been kind enough to give us access to a number of videos from the awards, and this week we will be posting them on the site.

The first video of the week is the Introduction from the Morning Session given by our very own John Woodward and Giuseppe Panseri, President of the EDA.

We're hoping that YouTube's automatic translation feature kicks in and allows English subtitles to appear in the video soon.

Eurocodes Plus launches

2011-12-02T09:04:00.000Z

Eurocodes were first introduced to the UK in March 2010 and present a unified set of standards for the design of buildings and structures. By 2013, they will be a standard part of the Building Regulations.

With that in mind, civil and structural engineers need to know and understand what Eurocodes are available, something that is estimated to cost £16,000 per engineer to implement. In total there are 10 Eurocodes split into 58 parts adopted across all EU member states.

Things are about to get a lot easier and cheaper, though. The BSI has been developing Eurocodes Plus for the last 18 months, and the system has been on trial with 30 engineering companies to ensure it works (including Network Rail, the Highways Agency, Atkins, Arup and Mott MacDonald).

By opting to use Eurocodes Plus, engineers gain access to an online workflow tool that can find Eurocodes with the click of your mouse.It's also possible to share interpretations and provide practical advice next to specific clauses, tables, figures and equations makes it easier for engineers to understand and implement the codes.

Mike Low, Director of Standards at BSI, said:

“Eurocodes PLUS is the first product of its kind in the sector and will play an important role in helping companies implement the Eurocodes quickly and efficiently. The Eurocodes play an integral role in harmonizing construction standards across Europe. We believe this product will help make them more accessible while helping companies share knowledge, save money and remain competitive.”

You can find out more about Eurocodes Plus at the BSi website.

Terry Quarmby awarded a PhD, becomes Dr Demolition

2011-12-01T09:03:00.000Z

Former IDE President Terry Quarmby has been awarded a PhD with an 800,000 word thesis being the final piece of work to garner him the title of Dr. Demolition, at least among those who know him.

As for what his thesis covered, Demolitionnews has a decent summary:

"Quarmby highlights the correlation between the increase in recycling and an increase in on-site accidents; charts the rise of accidents since the beginning of the global recession; and postulates that – in the future – the industry might have to choose between safety and sustainability."

Below is a 45 minute interview given with Demolitionnews which is worth saving for a lunchtime viewing:

Source: Demolitionnews

C&D launch new demolition training website

2011-11-30T08:47:00.000Z

Regular readers of this site will know that C&D intend to launch on line training for the demolition industry in early 2012 and in preperation for this launch a new website has been created to deal specifically with demolition training.

Details of C&D courses will remain on www.demolishdismantle.co.uk as at present, but the new site www.demolitiontraining.com will have further details of all of the courses and will, in the future, include video training and awareness courses.

At the moment Matthew is building the new site so it is in its infancy, but please click across to it and then mark it as a favourite for the future.

C&D on tour!

2011-11-29T08:35:00.000Z

Over the last few years we have all become accustomed to rock bands and big selling artists doing residencies at Las Vegas and the O2 Arena for nights on end. But are C&D the first demolition training company to do a residency as a training provider?

From 28th November to 22nd December 2012 C&D trainers will be at the same site, Lee Demolition Limited-Kidbrooke, delivering training in a number of subjects for 19 consecutive days in a row!

Lee Demolition have, once again, turned to C&D to provide their training at all levels of the company as feedback from the men has been excellent across the board on courses delivered during 2011.

Training courses delivered during this residency will be as follows;-

NDTG Approved Demolition Awareness refresher for 120 employees.
NDTG Approved Asbestos Awareness refresher for 120 employees.
Work at Height and Rescue Plans refresher for 40 employees.
Use and Inspection of Harnesses refresher for 40 employees.
Slinger/Signaller for 10 employees.
PASMA Tower Scaffold erection for 10 employees.
Use of MEWP (Boom & Scissor) for 10 employees.
Hot Works and Fire Marshall for 20 employees.

AND

The new C&D bespoke Demolition and Construction course, “Management of Stress in the Workplace” for 12 employees.

Trainers will be Chris Williams and John Woodward for the main body of courses with Jill Woodward delivering the new “Management of Stress in the Workplace” course.

Further details of all of C&D courses can be found at www.demolitiontraining.com or www.demolishdismantle.co.uk

C&D Consultancy launch a new Stress Management Course

2011-11-28T08:30:00.000Z

C&D Consultancy (Training Division) are committed to providing bespoke training for the construction and demolition industry, in order to promote safer working practices within these professions.

Both the HSE and the British Safety Council recognise these industries as being associated wth high levels of stress. Not only can this stress in workers lead to a loss of effectiveness, it can be extremely costly to employers in terms of days lost due to stress related conditions. Moreover, it can be extremely costly to employers in safety critical industries, with very serious consequences.

With this in mind, C&D recently launched a new one day course entitled 'Management of Stress in the Workplace' which is specifically targetted to the Construction and Demolition industries. The response so far to the course has been overwhelming, and although it has initially been aimed at managers and supervisors it can be tailored to suit the needs of your company.

The maximum number of attendees is 12 and the cost per person is £100.00 plus VAT.

For further information or to book a place, please email jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

Glencairn Tower falls (videos)

2011-11-25T08:46:00.000Z

Last weekend Glencairn Tower in Motherwell was imploded by Technical Demolition Services in what looks to be a very clean takedown. Videos have now appeared of the event on YouTube, and we've selected a few of the best to include on the site.

The Tower demolition wasn't without its problems, the main one being a survey failing to identify asbestos throughout the structure. That took the costs well over a million pounds where as the original budget was just £703,400.

Lincoln University fined for asbestos failings

2011-11-24T09:21:00.000Z

We all know that there are many buildings across the UK containing asbestos. Many of them will not be checked until either renovations are carried out or demolition occurs. In the case of universities, regular inspections are done to ensure that buildings remain safe for students and staff.

In the case of Lincoln University, it seems asbestos surveys were carried out at regular intervals, but approrpriate action was never taken based on their findings. Now the university is facing a bill of £22,759 after being prosecuted for breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

The threat of asbestos was discovered when a lecturer became trapped in a room due to a lock breaking. While breaking the door open it was discovered that asbestos insulation board surrounded it. Further checks were done and found similar boarding was used in other doors. An investigation carried out by the HSE discovered the surveys had been carried out, but their findings didn't result in any action.

Edward Walker, HSE Inspector, commented:

"The university had an asbestos management plan but had failed to follow it and failed to take appropriate steps to manage the risks associated with asbestos over a number of years, putting staff, students and contractors at risk of potential exposure."

It just goes to show that carrying out the checks is not enough. Any problems discovered during a survey must be dealt with immediately so as to stop prosecution. Now Lincoln University not only faces a large bill from the prosecution, they still have to pay for the work to make the university buildings safe again.

Source: HSE

NFDC introduces a 3-day High Reach Training Course

2011-11-23T08:58:00.000Z

The High Reach is a machine that has become so popular in recent years, you may be surprised not to find one on some demolition sites. The problem is, they can also be very dangerous if not used correctly.

With that in mind, the NFDC introduced the High Reach Guidance Notes document 5 years ago. But that's no longer enough, and a 3-day training course has officially be unveiled.

Here's the explanation of the course direct from the NFDC:

"Open to demolition plant operatives holding an A65B CPCS card for excavators with a working height up to 15 metres, the new three-day course is designed to introduce candidates to additional health, safety and legislation required when operating a demolition-adapted high reach excavator at working heights of up to 30 metres. The course indentifies methodology and additional structural awareness required when dismantling differing structures.

The course also covers specific machine controls and maintenance requirements based on an array of manufacturers’ operating manuals. Candidates will also visit a manufacturers’ premises where they will have the opportunity to operate the machine in a controlled environment."

The course starts on April 3rd, 2012 and will be limited to 8 candidates. After that, the course will be repeated regularly in the months that follow, so you and your staff should be able to secure places.

For more information visit the following 3 links:

High Reach Training Course Schedule
High Reach Training Course Content
High Reach Training Course Application Form

We are also delighted that C&D employees Duncan Rudall & John Woodward were chosen by the NFDC/NDTG to write the course.

IDE Annual General Meeting videos

2011-11-22T08:52:00.000Z

Mark Anthony over at Demolitionnews took the time to record video of the different speeches given during the latest IDE Annual General Meeting last week, and has been kind enough to share them via YouTube.

All 3 videos can be viewed below, two of which are given by our very own John Woodward:

Source: Demolitionnews

Thameside Hospital demolition time-lapse

2011-11-21T08:38:00.000Z

C&D customer Armac Group have recently completed the demolition of Thameside Hospital in Manchester for BBCL, and even though the work was done quickly it was not quite as quick as this timelapse would have us believe.

Rebuilding Libya: Opportunities for British Business

2011-11-18T08:37:00.000Z

Below is an email sent out by the Institute of Demolition Engineers highlighting a one day conference being held on 14th December. Any companies interested in helping to rebuild Libya would do well to attend.

Now that the situation on the ground in Libya is beginning to improve, the major task of rebuilding the country can start. For British companies, this represents a real opportunity.

Companies first need to have a good understanding of what the opportunities are and how they should position themselves in order to have the best chance of winning contracts. To meet this need, City & Financial, supported by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), is organising Rebuilding Libya: Opportunities for British Business; a one day conference in Central London on 14th December 2011. It is important to note that this conference will be held after the new Libyan interim Government is due to be formed.

The objectives of this event are: to provide details about the opportunities that are available to UK companies in the reconstruction of Libya; to provide a networking forum in which you can form business relationships with the other UK companies that are likely to be at the forefront in tendering for major contracts; to assist you in linking up with some leading foreign companies that are also likely to be bidding for major projects in Libya; and to ensure that you receive an overview of the potential challenges you face in doing business in Libya.

On booking IDE member's are given a 10% discount.

More information is available on the IDE's website in the Events section. Please contact nnoakes@cityandfinancial.com for further information.

Attend the HSE Mock Trial on December 14th

2011-11-17T09:10:00.001Z

C&D are always willing to work with the HSE to inform the demolition industry and we are delighted to be asked to publicise an HSE event that will be of interest to you all.

Here is the invite being sent out by the HSE with details on how to attend.

You are cordially invited to a Mock Trial at York Law School (University of York) on 14 December (pm) which the N&W Yorks Working Well Together (WWT) has organised. Full address - York Law School, University of York, Law & Management Building, Freboys Lane, York YO19 5GD.

The Mock Trial scenario is the same one (fall from scaffolding) which the South Yorkshire/Humber WWT Group used for their three (Pontefract, Sheffield and Hull) Mock Trials last year so if you/your sub-contractor, client etc attended any of those you will not benefit from attending this one.

Please complete the booking form and send to Richard Thorpe of the HSE as soon as possible but by Monday 12 December at the latest if you'd like to attend. First come, first served, 50 people maximum due to size of court room.

Cost is £25 per delegate. Max of 2 people per company. Each delegate will receive buffet lunch on arrival, some construction health & safety leaflets & WWT branded merchandise. For those delegates parking at the venue the Group will be paying for their parking (£5 each) for the afternoon. However, please note that the venue is an eco-friendly site and there is an excellent park and ride service to the venue (see 'Buses' section of map/directions attached).

We are able to take bookings up until Monday 12th December (provided cheque received with completed booking form or, if BACS payment made, booking form received & 'payment sent by BACS' section completed').

You can download the booking form. Once completed, the form needs to be returned to:

Richard Thorpe
Health and Safety Executive
Visiting Officer - Construction Division (West & North Yorks)
Lateral
8 City Walk
Leeds LS11 9AT

You can also contact Richard by email at Richard.Thorpe@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Presidents Charity for IDE Luncheon on 18th November 2011

2011-11-16T08:44:00.000Z

I would just like a few minutes of your time to introduce you to Claire House, the Presidents Charity for today’s AGM.

Claire House is a hospice for children who have life limiting illnesses.

The 10 bedded unit is based in Merseyside and provides care for children and their families. All the children that go to Claire House are not expected to reach adulthood, although due to medical advances in the last 10 years many of their patients with conditions that meant they may only have lived until their teens, are enjoying a longer life.

Sadly though, many children will die and they go to Claire House for end of life care.

Claire House have to raise £2.5 million every year to keep their doors open to these children and provide the specialist care they require.

They get NO guaranteed funding from the Primary Care Trusts nor do they get any funding from government. Like all hospices they can apply for a grant of approximately £300,000 for the year.

This grant covers just 6 weeks of care out of the 52.

The rest of the money has to be raised through fundraising and donations and I have decided, therefore, that the IDE Presidents charity during my time in office will be Claire House. As such, the proceeds from Friday’s raffle and auction will be split, as they have in the past, between the IDE’s own charitable funds for further education within demolition, and Claire House.

Can I ask you to please dig deep in these difficult financial times to help us to raise as much money as possible for this deserving cause.

John Woodward. IDE President

A letter from Mark Coleman

2011-11-15T08:53:00.000Z

Below we have included a letter from Mark Coleman, managing director of Coleman & Company Limited following their success at the World Demolition Awards:Dear all

We are very proud to announce our recent success at the World Demolition awards in Amsterdam last Friday. The complex nature of the work that we carry out in the most demanding environments has now been recognized at a global level. This is just reward for the hard work and effort that everyone here at Coleman’s put’s into their day to day job. It is also recognition of how the construction industry here in the UK leads in design and innovation, without this we would not be able to provide these complex solutions to our respected Clients.

As you might expect nerves were on edge and emotions running high, no names will be mentioned for fear of embarrassing the individuals involved. If you would like to find out more about this please speak to Paul Mayo or Kieran Conaty. Proceedings commenced with a raffle prize, we knew something was slightly unusual about this special evening when all three prizes were collected by Coleman staff, Dave Coleman, Chris Holland & Ed Aslin. This set the scene and indeed the mood for our table for the rest of the evening, I am sure you can imagine?

The Civils Award came up early on in the evenings proceedings shortlisted against Tyne Tees Demolition Ltd and Matte & Associates from India, we felt we had a good chance as our submission was very strong. Sure enough our name was called out as Winners. This project involved the complex dismantling of a live motorway bridge in Maidenhead which spanned over the high speed rail lines into central London. The work had to be carried out in phases each phase would involve the removal of a “slice” of the bridge in a longitudinal direction. Our team were allowed 3.5 hours every Saturday night to remove the deck comprising of concrete and steelwork which could not carry any plant load above 40 tons. Each of the six phases were saw cut from above during the week, lifting points were fixed to each of the slabs with temporary restraints secured. No form of vibration could be used to carry out the work as the soffit of the bridge deck was spalling, falling pieces of concrete onto trains travelling at 100 mph below would not be acceptable! Thirty possessions were required most of which were Saturday nights - the motorway would be closed, heavy craneage rigged (2 nr 500 tonners for the majority with 2 shifts needing a 1000 tonner on top). We would then remove the temporary restraints, protect the track lift the slabs each weighing between 15-20 tonnes, clean the site down and remove the protection. Our temporary works engineer Ed Aslin worked for 18 months full time working on complex Form C’s and Lifting Plans deserves special recognition.

A few categories later…..our next shortlisting“ The Explosive Demolition Award “. This time our work in Greenock Scotland was under the spotlight, this high rise tower block demolished for our Client River Clyde Homes not only had all of the usual issues for an explosive demolition. Namely specialist structural engineering, pre-weakening of the structure, drilling for explosive charges, at source / secondary / remote protection and the management organisation to include all liaison to evacuate of 500 people. This blow down next to the main rail line into Glasgow, posed an array of risks and issues which had to be resolved by the project team. Working closely with the Ian Wharton from RVA Consulting and Network Rail we ensured that we satisfied Network Rails concerns and complied with their stringent requirements. To achieve this all parties agreed that a night time blow down was the safest time to implode the structure, this itself posed a whole host of other problems. All evacuees were out of their homes for the evening, put up in local hotels, the area within the 15000m2 exclusion zone had to be illuminated and manned to maintain security and control of the zone. Once the rail possession were handed over to our possession manager, track protection was installed whilst Network Rail isolated the overhead power lines. In the early hours of the morning the structure was successfully imploded without any damage or disruption.

The judges decided that in this category we would be "Highly Commended" with the explosive award going to Fabio Bruno of Brazil.

Well done to Mark Carless, Paul Mayo and their team for making this look so easy, I think having worked on some 30 or more combined blow downs has something to do with it!!

Then finally the penultimate award “The Contract of the Year Award”. This category is always the most fiercely fought in any construction industry award event, the World Demolition Awards were no different. With some 40 projects entering from all around the world by all of the major players from every continent, only something special would win. There were six shortlisted contractors each with their own unique challenging projects, each having a innovative solution. From the six shortlisted three were acknowledged for special commendation…our name did not figure – the Coleman table was deathly quiet…

The silence did not last for long as our name appeared on the screen and the Dutch TV presenter called out “Coleman & Company” for the 6th time that evening! Our work at Birmingham New Street had now been recognized as world class, this has only been achieved by working closely with our Client the Birmingham Gateway Team - Network Rail & Mace Group, in particular Steve Williams - Network Rail & Daniel Priest - Mace Group. This complex project presented our company with the most challenging problems encountered in our 49 years of trading. The removal of 8000 tons of mass reinforced concrete with beams weighing upto 90 tons each. Removed above the busiest rail station in the UK, below a City Centre shopping centre. All carried out with limited structural information and executed under onerous noise dust and vibration limits. This challenged our team of Structural and Civil Engineers who worked closely with the Birmingham Gateway Team to bring our solution to life…. A bespoke scheme using a crane system for lifting, similar to that in a factory - support for the system came from the structure itself. Modular trusses were used to support the beams being removed, hang beams and slide beams using the limited inherent strength of the structure. All of this work was carried out working on a floor 110mm thick with a point load limit of 1/3rd of a ton. The cranes travelled on rails north south within the building, for removal of the concrete we used specialist diamond cutting techniques. The mezzanine slab was carefully dismantled using the cranes & trusses to support and move the concrete with the wire saws cutting the structure into 10 ton chunks. Slabs were lifted out whole straight onto the back of haulage. To work through all of the engineering challenges and ensure that the project had been de-risked to acceptable level we employed at peak 15 civil / structural / temporary works engineers. This project was delivered to the highest of safety standards and is a credit to all involved particularly Kieran Conaty Project Director, Chris Holland Technical Manager and our Lead Designer Neil Holdsworth. We feel a worthy winner of this extremely prestigious award.

The combination and mix of this work all of which was carried out simultaneously demonstrates what Coleman & Company are capable of.

I look forward to seeing you soon

Mark Coleman
Managing Director
Coleman & Company Limited
Email: mac@coleman-co.com
Tel: 00(44)121 325 2424
Fax: 00(44)121 325 2425

Coleman & Company win two awards

2011-11-14T09:20:00.000Z

Coleman & Company have won two awards at The Demolition World Summit 2011 which took place on Friday, November 4th in Amsterdram.

The two awards in question are the “Contract of the Year”, for their work on Phase 1 of Birmingham’s New Street Railway Station. The second is a “Civil’s Demolition” award for their work on the A404 Railway Bridge in Maidenhead.

Coleman also received a ‘Special Commendation” for the Explosive Demolition Award for their work at Octavia Court, Glasgow.

Mark Coleman, Managing Director of Coleman & Company said:

“I’m delighted to receive these awards. It’s nice when our team receives recognition for their hard work at such a high profile event. The incredibly complex nature of all three projects highlights how our business has changed and thrived during challenging economic conditions as we move towards our 50th year of trading in 2012.”

We'd like to say congratulations to everyone at Coleman & Company. Also, check back on the site tomorrow when we have a letter from Mark Coleman discussing the awards.

C&D announce new Fire Marshall and Fire Safety Manager training dates for 2012

2011-11-14T08:31:00.000Z

New dates have been added for the Fire Marshall and Fire Safety Manager courses. Both courses take place on the same day starting with Fire Marshall that is a half day course up to lunch and then the afternoon course added to the Fire Marshall course takes the candidate up to Fire Safety Manager level.

Dates and venues include:

Coventry. Ibis Hotel, CV3 4LF
03/01/2012 and 20/03/2012

Leicester, Mercure Hotel LE1 6ES
04/01/2012 and 21/03/2012

Wolverhampton, Park Hall Hotel, WV 4 5AJ
17/01/2012 and 03/04/2012

Birmingham, Ibis Hotel, B5 4S
18/01/2012 and 04/04/2012

Rates are:

Fire Marshall £100 plus VAT
Fire Safety Manager £200 plus VAT

For bookings contact Jill at jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

Last chance to book tickets for the IDE AGM & Luncheon

2011-11-11T09:01:00.000Z

It's your last chance to book tickets for the IDE AGM and Annual Luncheon on Friday 18 November at Glaziers Hall.

Tickets for the IDE Luncheon are now selling fast but there is still time, if you are quick, to get your tickets for what will be an excellent day. Why not click over to www.ide.org.uk and go into the events menu where you will find the booking form and how to pay via PayPal.

As we reported back in September, the day kicks of at 10:45am with the IDE AGM in the Court Room. This will be followed by pre-lunch drinks at noon then the lunch at 12:30 in the Banqueting hall. To round out the day we have the IDE awards ceremony.

Great new website for Institute of Construction Management

2011-11-10T08:22:00.000Z

The Institute of Construction Management, of which John is a member, have revealed their new look website detailing the Institute and how you can become a member. This institute and the IDE are nicely compatible and we do have members of both institutes attending events from the other institute on occasions.

If you feel that membership, and the letters of MIConstM after your name, are of interest click through to the website and take a look

Worldwide training enquiries for C&D Consultancy's new online awareness training courses

2011-11-09T08:51:00.000Z

At the end of last week John was speaking at the World Demolition Summit 2011 where he outlined the proposed new C&D online training courses due to be rolled out in early 2012, following requests from overseas customers for user friendly “bite size” training courses for demolition, asbestos and general safety awareness training.

We are delighted to announce that enquiries following the presentation have been flowing into the office from Brazil, Chicago, Denmark, Cyprus and Australia and further talks are now planned with both potential investors and web hosting companies to move the training forward towards a launch in early 2012.

John's presentation from the Summit can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:

Download John's training presentation

If you're interested in receiving training please get in touch.

Flood of training orders for C&D Consultancy

2011-11-08T08:35:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that C&D have been awarded orders for over 4,000 hours of demolition specific training in the last 24 hours. Our recent decisions to revamp a number of our courses has proved to be correct with a flood of orders to the office during yesterday.

The new orders include over 1,000 hours of training for EDS on the new C&D Hot Works course and over 150 hours for Lee Group on the recently launched C&D Behavoir and Stress Management course.

The courses will be delivered by the C&D training team between now and the end of 2011 in venues around the country.

If you require additional specialist demolition training to upskill your workforce then please take a look at our training pages where you will find over 100 courses available at competitive rates.

Also, don't forget our new People Skills for Managere Course details of which can be found by following this link.

The leaning tower of China

2011-11-07T08:40:00.000Z

Living in the UK I believe everyone has a respect for the building regulations we work under. When a new building is erected, we all expect it to be safe and remain so for decades. In China, those regulations either don't seem to exist, or at least are well below what the western world has come to expect.

An example of how bad the building work can be in China has become apparent as we've progressed through 2011. A number of tower blocks were built and completed in January of this year in the Zhejiang province of China. Each block is 68 meters high and is used for residential apartments. The problem is, one of those blocks started to lean soon after building work was completed. At first it was dismissed as the building settling, but then the angle of the lean continued to get worse.

An evacuation was carried out over the weekend, and now the construction company has to decide how to proceed. The problem is made worse by the fact several other blocks are in close proximity meaning if it does collapse it could take other blocks with it in a domino effect.

It looks like the only way to proceed is to call in the professionals and implode the tower block thus saving the surrounding blocks. But even then, if the foundations of this block are not sound, what's to say the others are?

Source: China Explosion blog (Chinese language)

Glencairn Tower to fall November 20th

2011-11-04T09:03:00.000Z

The date has been set for the 1964, 17 storey Glencairn Tower to fall. On November 20th Technical Demolition Services will drop the flats from the skyline of Motherwell and bring to an end a project whose costs have escalated.

The original contract price was £703,400, but the survey carried out failed to identify asbestos throughout the tower adding a further £380,000. Scottish Power has also submitted a bill for £87,400 due to a need to re-route a power cable.

No details have been made available as to exactly when the demolition will occur, but we hope cameras will be setup to capture the event.

Source: BellshillSpeaker

5-day timelapse of Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition

2011-11-03T09:01:00.000Z

At the end of last month we posted a video of an articulated jack hammer starting work on demolishing the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. It was just a small part of a big project that could prove difficult in places due to the close proximity of the viaduct to surrounding buildings.

That doesn't seem to be slowing demolition down too much, though. Rhine Demolition has recently demolished the south mile of the viaduct, and captured a time-lapse of the event you can watch above.

The time-lapse saw a photo captured every 3 minutes over the course of 5 days from the 13th floor of the nearby Norton Building. As you can see, the team make swift progress along the south mile stretch, and we can only imagine how local residents will feel about so much concrete disappearing from the landscape.

NEW!! People Skills for Managers Course

2011-11-02T08:25:00.000Z

Following the success of the two Communication Courses run by C&D earlier in the year, we have taken on board the feedback from candidates and developed this enhanced one day course for Supervisors and Managers.

The ‘People Skills for Managers Course’ offers a candidate the opportunity to:

Understand the process of communication
Practice effective listening
Identify their own style of communication and that of others
Learn to be assertive rather than aggressive
Explore strategies to deal with complaints

The course is suitable for both site and office based employees and provides an opportunity to develop and practice the interpersonal skills required when managing people.

The cost of the course is £90 per person plus VAT and candidates can join open courses in the West Midlands area or, alternatively, the course can be run as a group course at a venue of your choice.

Maximum numbers of candidates per course will be 12 to ensure that candidates gain most benefit from the experience.

For more information please contact Jill at jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk

Addison Wesley Publishing building imploded

2011-11-01T08:41:00.000Z

The video above is of the old 6-storey Addison Wesley Publishing building being imploded on Route 128 in Reading Massachusetts. The demolition was carried out by S&R Demolition and occurred at 9am last Saturday involving the placement of 200 pounds of explosives. As you can see in the video, the implosion worked perfectly.

Once the site has been cleared there are plans to build a housing complex consisting of 400 units. You may be surprised to hear developers expect to get people moving into finished homes on January 1st.

Source: The Boston Channel and The Wrecking Ball

British Legion Poppy Appeal 2011 and the debt that we owe

2011-10-31T08:32:00.000Z

Regular readers of this website will know that I am immensely proud of the fact that my father John Woodward Senior went to war at an age before he could legally drink and spent years of his young life in the jungles of Burma and Rangoon fighting the Japanese Army so that our generation could be free.

As the British Legion launches it’s Poppy Appeal this year please take 5 minutes to think of those who died in the two World Wars, those that fought in those wars and lived to tell the tale, and those who are currently serving our country in Afghanistan and other distant theatres of war in the fight against terror so that we can remain free, and dig deep into your pockets for a donation to the appeal.

Dad was one of the “Forgotten Army” in the Far East who fought formidable foes in awful conditions during monsoons and tremendous heat and humidity. At times he and his comrades had to eat snakes, bananas and rice to survive and to this day just the smell of rice or a banana turns his stomach. He was a member of the Royal Engineers and part of his job was to destroy bridges and railways, built by the Japanese Army to transport supplies to the front, by explosive demolition so maybe that is where my love of demolition comes from.

There is little footage of the Burmese campaign around to show what these men endured and interviews have been few and far between because they all swore a vow of silence when they returned from the front. But now some footage has emerged and interviews have been conducted with some of the few remaining men as part of a new DVD called “For Your Tomorrow”. I would urge you to watch the trailer for the DVD below and then, if you think you would like to know more, purchase the DVD and see what my Dad and others did for a living when they were young. A percentage from the proceeds goes to the British Legion Appeal.

The Director of the film Don Clark sums it up as follows:-

I hope my film will take you on an exploration of how we value the actions of a group of now elderly men who fought for our freedom in the middle of the last century. It's a different approach to the subject of war, examining how much (or little) modern youngsters know about the incredible experiences of their grandfathers' generation, and I hope you'll find it thoughtful, moving & yet uplifting.

Ben, 19, is an intelligent & likeable young man. Although he knows that his great-grandfather was killed in Burma during 1945, he knows very little else. Pamela, 28, is a vivacious & creative artistic director, who is putting on a play about wartime experiences in her local town. Her late grandfather fought in Burma, & she also knows little of his experience.

For Your Tomorrow examines the torrid Burma campaign of World War Two, of the men who fought & of the 21st Century youngsters whose freedom they guaranteed.

The defence of Burma & India against the seemingly unstoppable advance of a ferocious Japanese military was an event which helped turn the course of the Second World War, yet was, & still is, almost unrecognised by much of the free world. The Forgotten Army, as they became known, were fighting a formidable enemy, often in awful & alien tropical jungle conditions, & handicapped by undersupply.

Many of the surviving men still suffer today from diseases & parasites which they picked up in the jungles & swamps of Burma nearly 70 years ago. Many survived only because they adopted a 'kill or be killed' attitude. Many did have to kill. Most lost friends & comrades. I was privileged to be allowed to conduct interviews with a group of these wonderful men. I was often the very first person to whom they broke a code of silence which they had held ever since the war ended- not even their wives & loved ones had heard their tales. I recorded their testimonies, on camera, originally with the intention of merely creating some sort of archive so that future generations would know something of the story of these unknown heroes of Burma. But it became obvious over the 6 years that I spent time, on & off, with these men, that there was an urgent need to not only preserve their individual interviews for posterity, but to ask questions about our society's knowledge of the enormity of the sacrifices they made for us & the generations still to come.

We were able to take Ben & Pamela on a journey which connects them to the generation whose bravery made their society stable & secure. Men who are now in their eighties & nineties, but who were perhaps Ben's age when they were conscripted, come alive when they talk of 'their' war, & the youngsters are stirred from their personal comfort zones. We as viewers all participate; we all learn.

For Your Tomorrow is a 68 minute film, available to order now for its release immediately after its world premiere at Wolverhampton's Light-House Cinema on 24th October 2011. The DVD of For Your Tomorrow contains about an hour of bonus features, which will not be available to see either in the cinema showings or TV broadcasts of the film.

I'd love you to order a copy of our DVD, because I think you'll enjoy it, but also because it means that at least one more person gains a greater knowledge of what this group of heroes went through. For us. For our tomorrow.

When Dad finished in Burma he then was posted to Japan and saw at first hand the devastation caused at Horishima and Nagasaki after the atom bombs fell and the war in the Far East came to an end.

Wikipedia says about these events:-

During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945 and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.

For six months before the atomic bombings, the United States intensely fire-bombed 67 Japanese cities. Together with the United Kingdom and the Republic of China, the United States called for a surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945. The Japanese government ignored this ultimatum. By executive order of President Harry S. Truman, the U.S. dropped the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed by the detonation of "Fat Man" over Nagasaki on August 9.

Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects killed 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki,[1] with roughly half of the deaths in each city occurring on the first day. The Hiroshima prefectural health department estimates that, of the people who died on the day of the explosion, 60% died from flash or flame burns, 30% from falling debris and 10% from other causes. During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness. In a U.S. estimate of the total immediate and short term cause of death, 15–20% died from radiation sickness, 20–30% from flash burns, and 50–60% from other injuries, compounded by illness.In both cities, most of the dead were civilians.

Six days after the detonation over Nagasaki, on August 15, Japan announced its surrender to the Allied Powers, signing the Instrument of Surrender on September 2, officially ending the Pacific War and therefore World War II, as Germany had already signed its Instrument ofSurrender on May 7, ending the war in Europe. The bombings led, in part, to post-war Japan's adopting Three Non-Nuclear Principles, forbidding the nation from nuclear armament.[9] The role of the bombings in Japan's surrender and the U.S.'s ethical justification for them, as well as their strategic importance, is still debated.

Lack of asbestos survey leads to prosecution

2011-10-28T09:45:00.000+01:00

Building contractor J C Irvine Limited has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for exposing workers to asbestos fibres during refurbishment work at the old Ace Electrics building in The Strand, Swansea.

Before work commenced, no asbestos survey was carried out, meaning the team of workers entered the building blind to the danger. They ended up working with asbestos and subsequently an environment with airbourne asbestos fibers--something we all know can lead to death.

The HSE was informed of what was going on, visited to asses the situation, and issued a Prohibition Notice. That was back in April/May 2010. Now, J C Irvine has pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 23(1)(a) of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 and Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. The total payout for the company is £14,148.50. Unfortunately the workers can't really have their exposure taken back and must now hope they don't suffer because of it.

HSE inspector, Hayley Healey said:

"This prosecution should act as a reminder to those in the construction industry of the importance of ensuring that an asbestos survey, and its findings, are available prior to work being carried out and that the correct control measures are in place to ensure that exposure to asbestos is prevented, so far as is reasonably practicable."

The health risks to workers and the cost to the company could have been completely avoided by carrying out an asbestos survey. Unfortunately, it seems some companies are still either unwilling, or lack the knowledge to do or request such surveys, and ultimately multiple people suffer because of it.

We offer both asbestos and demolition awareness, and asbestos awareness courses, both of which aim to educate personnel and their employers as to the dangers of exposure to asbestos. A little knowledge can help to cut the number of people who die from asbestos-related diseases every year.

Source: HSE

C&D customer AR Demolition completes Rail Bridge dismantle

2011-10-27T09:10:00.002+01:00

Midlands based demolition contractor and C&D Consultancy customer AR Demolition has successfully completed a high profile bridge dismantling contract, removing a disused rail bridge spanning the A444 Weddington Road in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

The contract for British Railways Board (BRB) was undertaken over a three week period to include preparation works, but the final dismantling and removal of the bridge decks and main supports was completed in under 24 hours, a full day ahead of the allocated schedule for the road closure.

The former double track railway bridge spanning the road was constructed in 1972, but after only a few years in service, it was closed along with the entire line, following the Beeching Report. Still under the ownership of the BRB, the bridge demolition was commissioned as part of the company’s non-operational asset rationalisation programme.

The deck was originally constructed using steel trusses and beams and mass-filled with concrete to carry the tracks overhead. The bridge was supported at each end by traditional concrete abutments and from beneath by two pairs of 11 tonne steel legs.

The structure was stripped back to its primary frame and the deck was gas cut into 6 sections weighing between 13 tonnes and 24 tonnes each. AR Demolition used a 230 tonne crane to lower each of the sections and both steel legs down onto crash decks where the pieces were further cut down for transporting off site.

A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order for closing the road over the weekend 24th/25th September 2011 was granted to AR Demolition and work commenced on demolishing the structure at 3.00 am on the Saturday morning. The main work was completed by 11.30pm on the 24th, 24 hours ahead of schedule.

British Rail representatives were on site monitoring the contract and reported back favourably on the professionalism and high standards adopted by AR Demolition throughout the job.

Articulated jack hammer goes to work on Alaskan Way Viaduct

2011-10-26T08:55:00.000+01:00

The video above shows the start of a major project to demolish the very busy Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. Built in the 1950s, this first section of the highway will take nine days to demolish and could cause a bit of traffic chaos as the viaduct carries 110,000 cars every day.

The reason for the demolition is due to another major project set to be finished in 2015, which will see the viaduct completely replaced by a deep bore tunnel highway. It's sure to be a difficult job in parts due to the close proximity it has to some buildings. Here's just one example:

Source: The Wrecking Ball

HSE highlights London 2012 construction project as an example to all

2011-10-25T08:33:00.000+01:00

The Health and Safety Executive is using the construction project for the London 2012 Olympic Games as the standard for how to conduct health and safety, risk assessment, and incident reporting for the rest of the industry.

Through a joint collaboration between the Olympic Delivery Authority and the Health and Safety Executive, a no scapegoating approach was taken to risk management. What that meant was workers were encouraged to raise concerns and report issues without any fear of reprisals. In so doing, it allowed many more problems to be known about and dealt with as well as learning from such incidents.

The results of taking that approach has been made clear in a report released by the HSE this week. Typically the Accident Frequency Rate for the construction industry is 0.4 (calculated per 100,000 hours). For construction during the London 2012 preparations to June this year, the rate had dropped by nearly 60% to just 0.17. In real terms, during 62 million man hours of work only 114 injuries occurred and 8 dangerous occurrences recorded.

Stephen Williams, HSE's Director for London 2012, said:

"The construction industry has for many years been one of the most dangerous in which to earn a living. London 2012 is important because it shows it doesn't have to be that way. No matter what size your organisation, no matter what size your project, small changes in the way you operate can have a huge impact on the health and safety of your workers."

You can view both a summary and the full report on the HSE Research web page

Source: HSE

Diamond sawing MD wins Business Woman of the Year

2011-10-24T08:30:00.000+01:00

Julie White, managing director of D-Drill, has been named the Vitalise Business Woman of the Year 2011 at a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, which celebrates women’s achievements across the Midlands.

D-Drill is a diamond drilling and sawing company based in Coventry. Julie bought the family business from her father in 2008 and has since modernised the company as well as increasing turnover.

Of the award, she said:

"I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have won such a major award.

The competition was so tough and I am just thrilled that the judges chose me and I will use this as an opportunity to further champion the cause of women in business.

It’s not a case of competing against men – it’s all about giving other women the confidence to see what they can achieve. The industry that I am in is traditionally dominated by men and if I can do what I have done – other women can too."

Rogue developers demolishing listed buildings in Northern Ireland

2011-10-21T09:15:00.000+01:00

It seems that some developers are a little unscrupulous in Northern Ireland, and it's forcing the government to consider new laws to stop them destroying listed or historical buildings in the hope of having them demolished.

The thinking behind this destruction is simple. Due to the existing laws in Northern Ireland, it's possible to render a building unsafe usually by way of fire, have it demolished, and then replace it with profitable new builds. Some developers have decided this is a very good way of doing business and at least 11 listed or historic buildings have been lost in this way.

The government aims to stop such practices and is considering a new law that could turn out to be very expensive for these rogue developers. If brought into effect, the new law would see any historically important building being made unsafe having to be rebuilt to look exactly the same. For a developer, that would most likely bankrupt them due to the high costs involved.

For the moment countermeasures are being taken to at least record the crimes properly. The police and Environmental Agency will work together to record crimes against historical landmarks and take the appropriate action to protect any materials from such locations as well as prosecute those who destroyed said buildings.

Source: BBC News

DSM Demolition win £961,000 Dublin flats demolition contract

2011-10-20T09:40:00.003+01:00

DSM Demolition has just secured the contract for a large demolition job in Dublin that's reported to be worth in the region of 1.1 million Euros, or £961,000.

The project involves the demolition of a nine storey block of flats consisting of 96 flats in total. The building is constructed from precast concrete walls and insitu concrete floors. The work will involve soft stripping, removal of any hazardous waste from the site, and demolishing all that concrete.

Earlier this year DSM demolished two towers at Aston University with the aid of PDC Explosives Engineers. You can view video footage of the blowdown here.

Source: Build.co.uk

Interstate bridge replaced in just 55 hours (video)

2011-10-19T09:40:00.000+01:00

The video you see above was captured during a very ambitious bridge replacement project in Massachusettes. It was a collaboration project between J.F. White Contracting Co., Klewit Construction, and Testa Corp. Dismantling and Site Contractors.

This was no small bridge, having 4 lanes and 3-tiers. The timeframe for demolishing and replacing the bridge was just 55 hours over a single weekend. The initial demolition took just 10 hours before moving on to precast erection and placement phase, and the eventual complete replcement of the bridge within the timeframe.

The replacement formed part of a larger project called 93Fast14, which saw 14 bridges completely replaced in just 10 weekends. Now that's efficient.

Source: The Wrecking Ball

Ogden grain elevator implosion (video)

2011-10-18T08:43:00.000+01:00

The best implosion videos are always the ones that have been planned beforehand with multiple camera angles and using cameras good enough to make slow-motion feasible. This grain elevator implosion is one such example.

The elevator has been standing in Calgary for 98 years, but that was brought to an end at the weekend due to it being too expensive to maintain. Owner Cargill decided the only thing to do was raise it to the ground. The work was carried out by Rakowski Cartage and Wrecking Ltd.

With the fun bit over, the site clean up is expected to take until February next year to complete.

Source: CTV.ca, via DemolitionNews

18-storey Grand Palace Hotel implosion date set

2011-10-17T08:58:00.000+01:00

We all remember the damage hurricane Katrina left behind in the U.S. and the clean up operation has been going on since 2005. Most of the big jobs have been done, but one large building remains that needs to come down.

The Grand Palace Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana is no small building at 18-storeys tall and 1,032 rooms. It closed when Katrina hit, and has remained that way ever since. Now it needs to be demolished with the date finally being set for November 20th.

Demolition will be done by imploding the building. Due to its size and location it means the closure of the surrounding area and a major road in the form of Interstate 10. Asbestos removal is currently underway in the lead up to the implosion next month.

Jerry Jones, state official, has suggested this is one implosion you definitely don't want to miss. We're hoping several camera will be setup beforehand to capture the demolition from every angle.

Source: The Wrecking Ball

InterConstruct 2011 Virtual Conference starts Tuesday

2011-10-14T08:53:00.000+01:00

The InterConstruct 2011 Virtual Conference, organised by the IOSH Construction Group in partnership with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), takes place on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 October and is completely online, allowing more opportunity to participate.

As the conference is virtual, you can attend sessions whenever you like. It runs for two days over the 18th and 19th October, but all the sessions will be available to view for 30 days once the event has ended. The sessions on offer are intended for managers, consultants, civil engineers, field-level safety supervisors, construction-level supervisors and safety and health coordinators. Areas covered include:

The latest regulatory issues facing international construction operations
Best practices, case studies and important safety strategies related to such technical topics as scaffolding safety and safe work at heights
How to reduce health hazards on construction sites by design and management
Safety strategies that help you improve your organizational bottom line
Using prevention through design tools to achieve a zero harm project
How to successfully implement safety and health programs on multiple construction sites located in various parts of the world

There's also a full list of speakers and a complete breakdown of the two-day programme available to view online.If you wish to attend, then registration is done via the InterConstruct website. The fees breakdown is as follows:

ASSE/IOSH/CSSE/SIA Member - £98.30
AIHA / ACHMM Member - £113.64
Non-Member - £119.80

Coleman & Company Specialist Cutting Services up and running

2011-10-13T08:55:00.000+01:00

We are pleased to announce that the Coleman & Company Specialist Cutting Services are now up and running.

The new service was first announced last month with the added benefit of Coleman using all electric equipment meaning little noise and also a guarantee of no dust and limited vibration.

The company offers a variety of diamond cutting / cracking / breaking / bursting techniques for use in sensitive areas where accuracy is essential. The plant and equipment is the most modern efficient kit on the market today allowing them to remove concrete or steel work with reduced level’s of dust / vibration / hot works.

If you want to discuss the service further then please contact Chris Eaton, Operations Director at Coleman. He will be able to give advice and discuss budgets as well as provide you with a quotation for the work you need doing.

October 18th Presentation: Demolition at Aston University

2011-10-12T08:42:00.000+01:00

On October 18th there is a presentation being given at the Wolverhampton Science Park that may interest many of our readers. It is entitled "Demolition at Aston University" and has been planned by the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellent (WMCCE).

The presentation will cover the recent demolition of two 1970's tower blocks at Aston University. Robin Powell of DSM Demolition will be giving the talk, which includes coverage of the job planning and use of explosives to raise the towers to the ground.

If you would like to attend (free of charge) then you need to be at the following location by 6pm on the 18th:

Wolverhampton Science Park
Glaisher Drive
Wolverhampton
WV10 9RU

To find out more please contact Jo Webb at jwebb@ciob.org.uk or phone her on 0845 070 6137.

Source: WMCCE

Face fitting of masks

2011-10-11T08:31:00.000+01:00

Do you need to carry out face fitting of masks?

If so, do you want to do the fitting in house?

C&D are pleased to announce that they have a limited number of places available on the Qualitative face fitting course being run for Armac Demolition Limited which will, on completion, allow you to face fit your operatives rather than send them to fitting centres.

The course is running in Birmingham on the 25th October 2011 and will be morning or afternoon sessions at the discounted rate of £100.00 plus VAT per person.

Face fitting kits are available to purchase after the course from Speedy Hire at around £120.00 plus VAT per kit.

If you would like to take one of theses final places please email john.woodward@demolishdismantle.co.uk as soon as you can as the course is filling up fast.

Willenhall school demolition brought forward following arson attack

2011-10-10T08:44:00.000+01:00

Lakeside Primary in Holman Close, Willenhall, has not been in use for the past four years and was set to be demolished next month. However, over the weekend it was subject to an arson attack that required 50 firefighters to put out the 30ft high flames created by the burning school building.

In light of the damage done, and the now unsafe state of what remains, the demolition has been brought forward a month. Humphries Demolition will carry out the demolition and will have the site cleared within three weeks.

Thankfully the school wasn't one in use anymore as children moved to the then new Fibbersley Park School in Noose Lane back in 2007.

Source: Express & Star

Question Time with Paul Morrell 18th October

2011-10-07T09:29:00.002+01:00

Paul Morrell, Government’s Chief Construction Advisor, is heading to the Edgbaston Cricket Ground on the 18th October to field your questions on the recently published Construction Strategy in a special Question Time event.

Included in the batting line up on the panel are Julia Evans, Chief Exec NFB and Mark Wakeford, MD of Stepnell Construction. A representative from Birmingham City Council will complete the team and Dhiran Vagdia has kindly agreed to umpire proceedings. Dhiran is a former regional chair of RIBA of and FORCE best practice club.

If you are interested in attending then please get in touch with the WMCCE either by phone 0121 250 5700) or email at event@wmcce.org

Source: WMCCE

Steve Jobs has died aged 56

2011-10-06T09:22:00.000+01:00

The news is dominated today by the passing of Steve Jobs, a man who has influenced most people's lives either directly or indirectly. As a business man he was a visonary, and the fact Apple's share price is now fighting with Exxon for top spot in the markets is a clear sign of that. Under his leadership Apple's share price went from $10 to $400.

If you own an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Mac, then you have Steve Jobs to thank for that. But equally so, if you own a smartphone, a thin and light laptop, or a digital music player that fits in your pocket, regardless of the brand it carries, Steve Jobs had a hand in creating it purely by pushing Apple's competitors to try and outdo the company's own products.

His final gift to the world hasn't actually been created yet. It's a building unlike any other that has no straight lines. A 150-acre curved, doughnut-shaped new headquarters for Apple in Cupertino that is not only meant to be the best working environment for those people contained within it, but an area rejuvinated and promoting nature next to the technology it will allow great minds to create.

Steve Jobs has had a major impact on the technology we choose to carry in our pockets today, and will continue to do so for many years to come. The fact he died at 56 robs us of what other ideas he had forming in his mind and probably a couple of decades of further innovation.

Our thoughts are with his friends and family.

Marks & Spencer to pay £1 million fine for asbestos exposure

2011-10-05T08:47:00.000+01:00

Back in July we reported that Marks & Spencer had been found guilty of exposing shoppers, staff, and contractors to asbestos.

From our previous coverage:

In its Reading store a number of asbestos ceiling tiles needed to be removed along with other small occurrences of asbestos-filled materials. M&S contracted the work out to Willmott Dixon Construction and PA Realisations. All three companies have been found guilty of breaching health and safety regulations.

The reason why is a failure on the part of each company to take due care to ensure asbestos was handled and removed safely. Surprisignly M&S decided to use its own guidance for the removal of the asbestos rather than adopting an approved approach. It also made the contractors work on small areas above the public shop floor which was then reopened to the public each day.

It has now been revealed what being found guilty has cost the high street retailer. M&S was found guilty of two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. For each offence it has been fined £500,000. Now the company has to find £1 million while at the same time stating it is disappointed as they felt their actions were responsible.

Source: BBC

G2 Contractors unveil re-designed website

2011-10-04T08:55:00.000+01:00

C&D customer G2 Contractors & Groundworks Ltd. have unvelied their new website covering the services they offer in a very clean and professional design.

As a company, G2 specialize in all aspects of construction, civil engineering, groundworks, and controlled demolition. They are also a provider of plant hire services including a 24-hour call out service and operate under CHAS and Contructionline accredition.

If you're in need of their expertise, check out the new website which includes a gallery of work they have carried out plus a detailed breakdown of all the services they offer.

IOSH 2012 announced for March 6-7 next year

2011-10-03T08:32:00.000+01:00

Next year's IOSH Conference will be held across March 6-7th in Manchester with the theme being Health and safety: Changing perceptions.

During the conference there will be 30 sessions, 50 speakers, and 5 key tracks including:

perception versus reality in relation to health and safety
strengthening practitioners’ understanding of legislation and enforcement issues
working smarter to keep health and safety on track
shaping safety culture and behaviour
improving workforce health and wellbeing
investigating work-related accidents effectively

The speakers making presentations during the two days include:

Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, Director, King’s Centre for Risk Management, Department of Geography, King’s College London and Chair, The Löfstedt Review
Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive, Health and Safety Executive
Graham Dalton, Chief Executive, Highways Agency
Hugh Robertson, Senior Policy Officer for Health and Safety, TUC
Mike Wagland, Global Head of Health & Safety, Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Ltd
Richard Perry, Head of Safety Policy and Compliance, BBC

IOSH is also promising some new additions to the conference such as a live and interactive prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act, examining a work-related accident investigation, and an experts panel discussing recent events in the news.

If you book your place before December 9th then you can save £80 on the price of entry. Visit the IOSH 2012 website for more details and to register.

IDE Annual Luncheon confirmed for November 18th

2011-09-30T09:16:00.000+01:00

The Institute of Demolition Engineers Annual Luncheon has been confirmed for November 18th this year. The venue this time is Glaziers Hall on the banks of the Thames in London.

The day kicks of at 10:45am with the IDE AGM in the Court Room. This will be followed by pre-lunch drinks at noon then the lunch at 12:30 in the Banqueting hall. To round out the day we have the IDE awards ceremony.

Booking for the IDE AGM is not necessary and it is open to all members. But if you want to attend the lunch please be sure to book your seat. This can be done by visiting the IDE website where further details of the event can be found.

We hope to see many of you there.

C&D Consultancy add to their demolition industry training course portfolio of courses

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

Following many requests from clients for a site based, demolition specific hot works course, C&D have launched their new hot works and oxy-propane cutting course. The course has been written to PTTLS standards to improve upon the existing hot works courses that do not include site based working, a major failing identified by C&D customers.

The new course will see both classroom and practical sessions where candidates will learn hot works permitry, hot works procedures, safe use of oxy propane equipment, basic structural awareness as to how steel buildings react when cut, and then they will, under the guidance of a fully experienced time served topman, carry out on site burning of steel structures to demonstrate hinge, sit and drop cuts in a site environment.

The session finishes with a demonstration and film footage of preparing buildngs for pulling and demolition by pulling.

Courses are available on site from 01 October and will be a full day in duration. The maximum number of persons that may attend will be 6 as that gives a good ration of teacher to learner. T cost will be £120.00 per person plus VAT.

We realise that this is considerably more than the conventional course, but the new course includes many more elements and one to one instruction.

For available dates please contact jill@demolishdismantle.co.uk or call John Woodward on 07870 404906.

October NFDC Demolition Day at the National Motorcycle Museum

2011-09-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

The NFDC is holding its second Demolition Day of 2011 next month on the 11th October. The venue this time is the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

The day starts at 9:30am with great travel links by road, rail, or air making it an easy trip for just about everyone. However, arriving at 8:30am does allow for an early look at sponsors' stands and access to coffe and pastries.

The schedule is quite packed with a number of presentations and addresses from members of the industry including NFDC president Gary Bishop, Edward King from UKATA, Joy Jones from HSE, William Sinclair from Safedem, Howard Button and Paul Brown from Tiler and Barret, and Sophie Francis from NDTG along with many more. John Woodward will also be speaking and outlining the outcome of CDM Appendix 4 and its impact on demolition contractors.

You can view the full agenda for the day over at the NFDC website (PDF) and you can also find a link to the booking form (PDF) along with details of how much it costs to attend.

via D&Ri