Deconstruction | Dcon Demolition & Deconstruction
“ Excavation services at a glance After many of DCON’s demolition projects the company has remained onsite to provide the excavation and site works for the new development. With its modern, well equipped earthmoving machinery the team can carry out any bulk excavation accurately and efficiently to meet your requirements. • Earthmoving • Land and site clearing • Tree, shelter belt and stump removal • Logging and portable milling • Quarry/river extraction • Overburden removal • Onsite screening and crushing • Rock breaking • Construction of building platforms – laser levelling • Access tracks/forestry roads • Shingle and soil supplies.
Line in the sand The earthquake drew a line in the sand, changing the demolition and deconstruction industries forever, Jeff says. Big players from throughout the country arrived on our doorstep and suddenly the industry that had been a law unto itself, up until that moment, was thrust into the limelight. “In the old school generation you would be onsite first with no builders or trades, your job was simply to clear that site,” Jeff says. “Today the demolition contractor is responsible for everything related to that building – service connections, plumbing, even liaising with the council over the footpath – you’re responsible for all these processes before you’ve even stepped onto the site.”
Staff training is more front of mind than ever before. “Demolition is so much more involved than I think anyone realises, but I think people are beginning to realise the intricacies involved. It’s not just about tearing down a building.
One of the positives to come out of the earthquake was that the spotlight was put on the health and safety aspects of demolition and the industry has stepped up to the play. - Jeff Hingston, managing director, DCON Demolition and Deconstruction
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“When a multi-level building has been irreparably damaged and needs to come down, ensuring that building comes down safely is all down to the skills of the company behind it.” Working at heights using winches, harnesses, lifting and cutting gear, as well as the inherent risk associated with demolition work, including possibility of falls and unplanned building collapse, means demolition workers must be highly trained and follow New Zealand health and safety regulations and the codes of practice and relevant industry standards and guidelines. “One of the positives to come out of the earthquake was that the spotlight was put on the health and safety aspects of demolition and the industry has stepped up to the play.” Site Safe offers the construction industry a tiered accreditation programme which recognises the companies which are performing at a high level. The Construction Safety Charter Accreditation Programme ensures members are performing at a high level of site safety, in all facets of planning, communication, monitoring and accountability. DCON ensures its site foremen all hold a Site Safe Supervisor Gold Card. This ensures they are up to date with the very latest safety practices and must be updated at least every two years. “Our guys are some of the best and most experienced operators in the industry and have all completed advanced professional operator and driving training with National Qualification Certificates,” Jeff says. DCON is also an accredited CERA contractor, authorised to undertake both full and partial demolitions and create safe sites. All contractors who apply for accreditation are individually assessed by an independent panel.
Although it has increased organisational administration in a significant way, Jeff says it’s a positive step forward for the industry. “Keeping up with your risk and planning obligations and the high verification and accreditation processes has weeded out the cowboys,” he says.
DCON Demo is also a member of the New Zealand Demolition & Asbestos Association (NZDAA), a national body that represents both the demolition and asbestos industries, ensuring it is operating at best practice. “This is essentially like an industry watchdog led by contractors,” Jeff explains.
“That’s all the work behind the scenes, before you’ve even put the effort into securing the work.”
Importantly, the training organisations have had a hand in the increasing recognition of site safety, he adds. “The training
organisations have really stepped up as well and now we have staff coming through the system who are proactive about training and that can only be a positive for the industry.” The removal of asbestos is also becoming an area of increasing importance. Until the late 1980s, more than 3,000 products containing asbestos were used in housing construction. When renovating or demolishing older homes, there is a high probability of encountering asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that were commonly used in residential construction.
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Asbestos-containing materials must be removed and disposed of by trained and qualified workers before renovations or demolition begins. There’s always a member of DCON’s team carrying an unrestricted qualification to handle different types of asbestos. “There are hundreds of buildings which contain asbestos,” Jeff explains. “It’s important that samples are taken and analysed, then it’s about handling this the right way. We can’t afford to demolish a building and then say whoops.” >
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www.canterburytoday.co.nz September/October 2014 | 73