Writing a demolition method statement: sequence, exclusion zones and services

What a demolition method statement must actually do

A demolition method statement is not a pretty folder for the office shelf. It is the playbook the supervisor and machine drivers will work to when the rain is bouncing off the cab. If someone new joins mid-job, they should be able to read it at 6 am and know the sequence, the kit, the hazards and where the safe places are. Use the term demolition method statement in the title and first page so the client and any inspector know exactly what they are reading.

Legally you work inside the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015. CDM 2015 reg 8 says the contractor must have the right skills, knowledge, experience and organisational capability for the work. Your method statement is one way you show that competence. It links the risk assessment to a planned sequence under BS 6187, names the supervisor, sets site rules like exclusion zones and permits, and sets out who stops the job if something is not right.

Structure it roughly the way you will run the job. Start with pre-demolition information you already hold, then sequence and plant, then exclusion zones and public protection, then dust, noise and vibration controls, then waste and closeout. Keep the language plain. If the job might change with neighbour access or a late-discovered service, write the trigger for a pause and review. A one-page plan of the site showing access, welfare, fencing, overhead lines and the first exclusion zone helps more than a paragraph ever will.

If you need a starting point for structure and headings, our Demolition RAMS Template UK shows the typical order and the sort of detail clients expect.

Pre-demolition information you need in your hand

Do not plan the sequence blind. You need the asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey, the utility disconnection proofs, and enough structural information to know what holds what up. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require you to identify asbestos before work that could disturb it, and a refurbishment and demolition survey is the right survey for this. The smell of cut cement board in the air is a sign you missed something. Get the survey, read it, and plan the soft strip and licensed removals before any structural break out.

Services kill people, and they also set jobs back when they are found live. For mains supplies, get formal disconnection certificates from the utility providers. For private feeds and redundant plant, do a survey with cable avoidance tools and plans, and verify dead before you cut or dig. HSE guidance HSG47 on avoiding danger from underground services is the standard reference for this. Lock off what you can, tag it, and keep copies of every certificate in the site file and in the method statement appendix.

Structural information does not have to be pretty, it has to be useful. Original drawings help, but you also want a walkthrough with a structural engineer to confirm load paths, spans and where temporary works might be needed. If you are demolishing part of a building that will remain occupied, find out about party walls, shared services and sensitive finishes on the retained side. Note adjacent hazards like overhead lines, basements, culverts or poor ground.

Round out the pack with neighbour information and permits. Has the Section 80 demolition notice been served on the local authority if required by the Building Act 1984, and are there any constraints set by them? Are there ecology or bat issues raised by planners? Will you need a temporary traffic order to close a footpath at certain times? It is easier to allow for all this in the method and programme than to write a mid-job addendum when tempers are up.

To sense check your paperwork against common inspector asks, run down the Demolition RAMS Checklist before you brief the team.

Sequence and plant: soft strip, top down and constant checking

BS 6187 is clear that sequence matters. In most cases you will soft strip first to remove fixtures, fittings, services, floor coverings and ceiling void items so you can see the bones of the structure. Then it is a top down, controlled reduction. Roof coverings and fragiles first, then plant rooms and water tanks, then upper floors, then down to ground. If you are working with a high reach excavator, detail where you will start biting, how you will avoid pushing debris outside the footprint, and how the operator will maintain line of sight with the banksman.

Choose the plant and attachments to suit the structure. Pulverisers and concrete crackers for reinforced concrete, shears for steel, munchers for blockwork, and nibblers for delicate separations. If you have a suspended slab or a basement, include ground bearing checks, slab thickness checks and any temporary works needed to spread loads. Where a facade or party wall is to be retained, state the propping scheme and who signs it off. Temporary works should follow BS 5975 procedures, so name the temporary works coordinator if the job needs one.

Write inspection and hold points into the method. For example, stop and review after the first bay is down to check stability against the plan, or before removing a transfer beam. The site diary should record the checks. Weather limits matter too. Wind and poor visibility change how dust behaves and how safe lifting or high reach work is. Set wind thresholds for specific plant where the manufacturer gives them, and plan water supplies and misting so dust is controlled even if the street hydrant has poor pressure.

If you want a wider refresher on what clients mean by a method statement, read the What Is a Method Statement? UK Construction Guide and then come back to the demolition specifics here.

Exclusion zones and public protection that stand up to real life

Public protection is not a line on a drawing, it is a fence that stays up in a squall and a gate that actually locks. The method statement should set initial exclusion zones for soft strip, then larger ones for mechanical demolition, then narrower ones for processing and loading. Define how you will set them out, who checks them, and how they move as the building comes down. For town sites, solid hoarding is often the only way to stop debris and prying eyes. On tighter sites, debris netting and scaffold fans come into play, but do not hide a poor sequence behind a sheet.

Think about vehicles and people as separate streams. A plant route in and out that does not cross the public footpath reduces risk and arguments. If you need to block a footpath for a period, agree timings and signage through the local authority. Use a trained banksman with a clear radio channel whenever plant is moving towards an opening or loading point. If the public pass within sight of the works, your method should include how you will keep faces clean of dust and eyes from sparks. Keep fire and first aid points outside the fall zone.

Overhead hazards include live lines and falling materials. If there are overhead power lines nearby, plan your plant limits using HSE guidance GS6 on avoiding danger from overhead power lines. On site, keep an eye on part-loaded scaffold lifts and temporary edge protection as the building changes shape. A small change in load can shift more than you think. Daily checks and a simple marker board at the gate with date, time and checker initials help keep everyone honest.

Dust, noise and vibration: do not be the neighbour from hell

Dust is the one the public see and smell. Most demolition dust is concrete, brick and mortar, so respirable crystalline silica is a real risk. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations you must control exposure. Water suppression at the bite point, mist cannons for wider plumes and local extraction in enclosed spaces are the basics. RPE should be at least FFP3 for high risk dust. Plan the water supply, drainage or settlement tanks, and have spare jets and hoses. If you have ever tried to wet down a bite with a split hose you know why this matters.

Noise ruins days too. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require you to assess and control exposure for your team. For the public, agree noisy hours with the client and, where needed, with the local authority. Use munchers and crackers instead of breakers where you can. Maintain plant, fit acoustic covers and keep doors shut on cabs and compressors. A simple noise monitoring routine during the first day tells you if you need extra screens or schedule tweaks. Put a contact number on the hoarding for complaints and deal with them quickly.

Vibration has two parts. Hand-arm vibration from breakers and saws, and building or ground vibration from the demolition itself. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 cover the hand-arm exposure for your team, so plan tool rotation, maintenance and gloves that keep hands warm and dry. For building or ground vibration, agree trigger levels with the client if you are next to sensitive neighbours, set up a basic monitor if asked, and choose techniques that nip rather than batter. Good technique reduces both dust and vibration.

Waste, salvage and closing the job properly

Demolition produces a lot of waste fast. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty of care on everyone in the chain to manage waste properly. Set out in your method how you will segregate streams like concrete, brick, timber, metal and plasterboard. Name your waste carrier, confirm they are licensed, and name the receiving facilities if known. For each load you need a waste transfer note, and for hazardous waste like asbestos you need a consignment note. Keep copies with the job file. Do not let the last skip go without the last bit of paperwork.

Salvage can be worth planning. If there are steel sections or historic features to retain, write how you will lift, store and protect them. For crushing on site, say how you will process arisings, test the product if it is to be reused, and where you will stockpile without overloading a suspended slab. If you are using a mobile crusher, allow for dust and noise controls around it and for haul roads that drain. A tidy processing area makes everything else safer, and neighbours judge you on your heap more than you think.

Closeout is more than a sweep and a photo. Include in the method who will do the final inspection, what they will check and how you will hand back. If services are to be reconnected to a retained building, list what tags and records will pass over. If you had monitors for dust, noise or vibration, keep a short log and any exceedances with what you did about them. A simple two-page closeout report with key photos, the last transfer notes and a ground level plan can save you later if questions come back.

Questions we get asked

What should a demolition method statement include as a minimum?

Include pre-demolition information like the asbestos survey and utilities disconnection certificates, the sequence under BS 6187, plant and attachments, exclusion zones and public protection, dust, noise and vibration controls, and waste arrangements with named carriers. Name the supervisor and include hold points for checks. Tie it back to your risk assessment and emergency plan.

Do I need an asbestos survey before demolition starts?

Yes. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require you to identify asbestos before work that could disturb it, and a refurbishment and demolition survey is the right type for demolition or intrusive strip out. Plan removals before structural demolition and keep the survey on site.

What proof of utility disconnections will an inspector expect?

Formal disconnection certificates for gas, electricity and water from the utility providers, plus your own records for private feeds that you have isolated and proved dead. Follow HSE guidance HSG47 for detecting and avoiding underground services. Keep copies in the site file and in your method statement appendix.

How big should an exclusion zone be on a demolition site?

There is no one-size number that suits every structure. Follow BS 6187, use the building height and the technique to set a zone that captures the realistic fall and throw of debris, then adjust as the job progresses. Record checks daily and keep the public and non-essential workers out with physical barriers and signs.

Do I need a structural engineer or temporary works coordinator involved?

If you are removing structural elements or retaining parts of a structure, you will almost always need input from a structural engineer. Where temporary works are required, follow BS 5975 and appoint a temporary works coordinator to manage the design and checks. Write their names and responsibilities into the method statement.

The short version

A good demolition method statement mirrors how the job will actually run. Start with solid pre-demolition information, including an asbestos survey and utilities disconnection proofs. Plan the sequence under BS 6187, choose the right plant, and build in hold points and checks.

Protect the public with real exclusion zones, hoardings and traffic plans. Control dust, noise and vibration using water suppression, better techniques and simple monitoring. Manage waste with licensed carriers and full paperwork. CDM 2015 reg 8 expects competence, and the method is where you show it.