Demolition Near Live Services

Demolition near live services creates extreme hazards from gas explosions, electrocution, flooding, and fire.
A pre-demolition survey must identify all services entering, passing through, and adjacent to the structure.
Services include gas, electricity, water, telecoms, district heating, fibre optics, and drainage.
Disconnection and capping of all services is the preferred control before demolition begins.
Where disconnection is not possible, services must be physically protected during demolition works.
Mechanical demolition generates shock and vibration that can damage underground and above-ground services.
Falling debris from demolition can strike and rupture overhead cables and exposed service runs.
Gas, electricity, and water utility companies must confirm disconnection before relying on it.
Emergency procedures for a service strike during demolition must be briefed to the entire team.
BS 6187 requires live service identification and management as a core part of the demolition plan.

Explosion and fire	Striking a live gas main during demolition can cause a catastrophic explosion endangering workers and the public.
Electrocution	Contact with live electricity cables hidden in walls, floors, or underground is frequently fatal during demolition.
Service disruption	Damaging live services causes loss of supply to surrounding properties and costly emergency repairs.

Do

Don't

Commission a full service survey as part of the pre-demolition assessment
Arrange disconnection and capping of all services before demolition work starts
Obtain written confirmation of disconnection from each utility provider
Protect any services that cannot be disconnected with physical barriers and markings
Brief the demolition team on the location of all known and suspected service routes
Include service strike emergency procedures in the demolition method statement
Use CAT and Genny to verify service disconnection and detect any unmarked services
Monitor for gas at ground level during demolition of buildings with former gas supplies
Maintain exclusion zones around services that remain live during the works
Record all service disconnections and protections in the site safety file

DON'T start demolition without written confirmation that services are disconnected
DON'T assume all services are dead because the building appears vacant or disused
DON'T use mechanical demolition methods near live services without protection measures
DON'T forget underground services — gas, water, and electric run beneath buildings too
DON'T ignore overhead cables when planning the demolition sequence and machine reach
DON'T rely on verbal assurance of disconnection — demand written confirmation from the utility
DON'T allow debris to fall on or near protected live services during demolition
DON'T cut into walls, floors, or ceilings without checking for embedded cables and pipes
DON'T bypass the pre-demolition service survey to accelerate the programme
DON'T dismiss small-diameter pipes or thin cables — they may carry gas or high voltage

See also: Demolition Safety Awareness | Service Strike Emergency Procedure

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