Mobile Home Demolition Safety

[Brian Kent]

In a nearby town a church is having a visiting work team demolish their mobile home style classrooms. These are 50 youth probably without construction experience. I am not hearing about safety training beyond "wear goggles and gloves."

It seems to me there could be more than the usual safety issues on this work team. Broken glass and sheet metal edges for starters.

I'm looking either to redirect their work to safer projects or to find out how to train these kids for safety.

Any ideas?

Brian Kent

NEW INFORMATION: I just called the work team and asked if they could do painting instead of demolition. It seems worth it to have professionals come and do the work safely.

[Lee Schierer]

Typically you would want to have all workers wearing safety shoes, hard hats, safety glasses (not just regular glasses), leather work gloves and have ear plugs available at a minimum. Long pants and shirts would be necessary as well.

Each person should be trained on any tools they are using, including hammers, saws, ladders and pry bars.

Adult supervision who is aware of construction safety should be present at all times supervising and watching for safety, not pitching in and doing the work.

Demolition is always dangerous and things can fall and most things are heavier than expected.

See if you can get a local construction contractor or safety supervisor to come out and do the training for you.

[Dan Mages]

Just curious, why are the being demolished instead of being sold off?

[Peter Stahl]

I'd want signed legal release forms from all their parents first. No way I would want that many kids doing that kind of work. Definitely train them and keep them spread out. Hard hats, goggles, gloves and steel tip shoes minimum. Like Lee said demolition is very dangerous work. You also should have respirators of some type too.

[curtis rosche]

it depends on how they do it. if they just let them go, that would be a concern. if they do it in steps with some one like how they do home at habitat for humanity and things like that, then it should be fine

[Mike Williams]

...It seems to me there could be more than the usual safety issues on this work team. Broken glass and sheet metal edges for starters...

Do they need a tetanus shot / booster before they show up?