Soft strip demolition can produce high levels of respiratory dust. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), respiratory dust poses a real risk to your lungs. Therefore, effective control measures must be put in place. Read our guide on the control measures for soft strip demolition to discover how our team mitigates risks on-site here.
What is Soft Strip Demolition?
Soft strip demolition is the process of removing all non-structural elements from the inside and outside of a building in order to facilitate demolition, refurbishment or remodelling works.
What Do Soft Strip Works Include?
Here at Reddish Vale, we carry out non-mechanical soft strip demolition (as opposed to mechanical soft strip demolition). Non-mechanical soft strip out works can include, but are not limited to:
- The removal of fixtures and fittings
- The removal of internal walls and ceilings
- The removal of temporary structures
- The removal of M&E fixtures
- The removal of floor coverings
- The facilitation of new structural openings
Find out more about non-mechanical soft-strip demolition here.
Is Soft Strip Demolition Dangerous?
The short answer is, yes. As we’ve established, the process of soft strip demolition has the potential to produce high levels of respiratory dust. This is because strip out works often involve the removal of construction materials, such as plasterboard, glass fibre or MF installations, and other building materials.
According to the HSE, depending on the type of dust inhaled, regularly breathing it in can cause very serious diseases, such as:
- Lung cancer
- Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Silicosis
To learn more about construction dust, click here.
What are the Control Measures of Soft Strip Demolition?
To mitigate any risks, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations state that you must follow the ‘Assess, Control and Review model’ when carrying out non-structural strip out works.
Assess the Risk Level of the Soft Strip Out
The first thing we will do is assess how much material needs to be removed during the interior soft strip, and what these materials contain. The removal of materials that contain silica or wood dust for example, will require higher-risk control measures.
The release of a silica or wood dust cloud will put anyone working on-site at risk if the appropriate control measures are not put in place.
Put Soft Strip Out Control Measures in Place
Before any strip out works begin, the HSE states that soft strip teams should:
- Carefully plan the work
- Limit the number of people that need to be in the work area
- Screen off areas to prevent construction dust spreading
During the soft strip out, our team will try to use water suppression or on-tool extraction where possible and every on-site team member will be wearing RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) with an assigned protection factor of 20, e.g. a FFP3 disposable mask or a half mask with a P3 filter. Your RPE will need to be compatible with other items of your team’s protective equipment.
Additionally, it’s important to maintain ventilation during the soft strip process by opening windows where possible. For enclosed spaces, general mechanical ventilation may be needed to improve circulation and provide clean air.
Review the Soft Strip Out Control Measures
Before the soft strip demolition can take place, the Reddish Vale team will ensure the appropriate control measures have been implemented and all RPE is being worn correctly.
During the strip out process, our team’s supervisor will also monitor any signs of damage to water suppression or dust extraction equipment and where damage is present, resolve these issues as quickly as possible. Generally, issues with dust extraction equipment are unlikely to occur on-site as it should be tested at least once every 14 months.
Finally, depending on the amount and type of dust at-hand, we will assess whether any team members need a health surveillance programme. The HSE states that you may need advice from an occupational health professional in order to make this decision.
To learn more about the ‘Assess, Control and Review model’, click here.
Get A Free Soft Strip Demolition Quote
If you require soft strip demolition or enabling works for your commercial premises, our dedicated soft strip out team can undertake your project as a standalone solution, or as part of a bespoke package alongside one of our asbestos surveys, asbestos removal or lead remediation/removal services.
Our friendly and knowledgeable team is always happy to discuss your individual project requirements with you over the phone or via email. Alternatively, if you would prefer to leave us a message about your enquiry, please fill in the contact form on our website and we will get back to you as soon as possible with a free, competitive, no-obligation quote.
Contact our soft strip demolition team today for more information.
