Renovation and Demolition Safety

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Conduct or evaluate the engineering survey required by Subpart T (§1926.850): assessing structural condition, identifying load-bearing members, determining the presence of hazardous materials, evaluating utility connections, and producing the written survey that must be completed before demolition begins.
• Plan utility disconnection and verification: identifying all utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer, telecommunications, steam), coordinating disconnection with utility providers, verifying disconnection before work begins, and capping or controlling utilities that must remain active during partial demolition.
• Plan demolition sequences that maintain structural stability: floor-by-floor removal, load-bearing member identification, temporary shoring and bracing, controlled collapse zones, and the engineering analysis that prevents unplanned structural failure during progressive demolition.
• Conduct pre-demolition hazardous material surveys: identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACM), lead-based paint (LBP), PCBs, mercury, and other legacy contaminants through building surveys, material sampling, and laboratory analysis before renovation or demolition disturbs these materials.
• Apply lead paint safety during renovation per the EPA RRP Rule and OSHA 1926.62: worker training requirements, lead-safe work practices (containment, wet methods, HEPA vacuuming), prohibited practices (open-flame burning, dry scraping large areas), worker exposure monitoring, and blood lead level monitoring.
• Apply asbestos safety during renovation and demolition per OSHA 1926.1101 and EPA NESHAP: asbestos classification (Category I and II non-friable, friable), regulated work areas, negative pressure enclosures for friable ACM removal, worker monitoring, respiratory protection, and the NESHAP notification and disposal requirements.
• Manage silica exposure during demolition per OSHA 1926.1153: identifying silica-generating activities (concrete cutting, masonry demolition, crushing), applying Table 1 controls or alternative exposure control plans, exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, and respiratory protection.
• Implement fall protection on partially demolished structures: evaluating structural integrity of remaining surfaces before workers access them, anchorage assessment on degraded structures, controlled access zones, and the fall protection challenges unique to demolition (guardrails removed as structure is dismantled).
• Manage debris safely: chute systems for debris removal, material drop zones with barricading, mechanical demolition debris management, loaded truck routing, and the housekeeping that prevents debris accumulation from creating additional hazards.
• Protect the public and adjacent properties: perimeter barricading, pedestrian protection (covered walkways, sidewalk sheds), dust and noise control for neighbouring occupants, vibration monitoring for adjacent structures, and the environmental controls that prevent demolition impacts beyond the project boundary.

Core Curriculum Topics

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T: engineering survey, preparatory operations, floor-by-floor removal, specific structure types
• Engineering Survey Requirement (§1926.850): structural assessment, hazardous material identification, utility mapping
• Utility Disconnection: identification, provider coordination, verification, active utility management
• Demolition Sequence Planning: structural stability, load-bearing members, temporary shoring, controlled collapse
• Pre-Demolition Hazardous Material Surveys: asbestos, lead, PCBs, mercury, sampling and analysis
• Lead Paint Safety: EPA RRP Rule, OSHA 1926.62, lead-safe work practices, exposure monitoring, blood lead levels
• Asbestos Safety: OSHA 1926.1101, EPA NESHAP, classification, regulated areas, enclosures, disposal
• Silica Exposure Control: 1926.1153, Table 1, alternative plans, monitoring, medical surveillance
• Fall Protection During Demolition: structural integrity assessment, anchorage on degraded structures
• Debris Management: chutes, drop zones, mechanical removal, truck routing, housekeeping
• Public and Adjacent Property Protection: barricading, pedestrian covers, dust/noise/vibration control
• Environmental Compliance: demolition waste classification, disposal requirements, stormwater management

• 30-Hour Construction recommended
• Construction experience helpful
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; professional proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Demolition contractors and demolition supervisors who plan and execute building demolition
• Renovation contractors working on pre-1978 buildings where lead paint and asbestos may be present
• Safety officers managing demolition or renovation project safety compliance
• Environmental consultants who conduct pre-demolition hazardous material surveys
• Project managers overseeing renovation or demolition within larger construction projects
• Abatement contractors (lead and asbestos) who work within demolition and renovation projects
• Anyone involved in renovation or demolition of buildings constructed before modern hazmat regulations

• Renovation and Demolition Safety — YOU ARE HERE (structural + hazmat for renovation/demolition)
• OSHA Focus Four — Caught-In/Between (demolition collapse as one caught-in hazard)
• Construction Safety Management (managing renovation/demolition within broader projects)
• Introduction to Industrial Hygiene (exposure limits and health hazard fundamentals)
• International Diploma in Construction Safety Management (Unit 3: demolition, excavation, mobile plant at diploma depth)
• International Diploma in Advanced Toxicology (lead, asbestos, silica toxicology at diploma depth)