Demolition Safety Checklist

Let’s see what should a standard demolition safety checklist cover and how to use it to make the demolition process as safe as possible.

What is a Demolition Safety Inspection?

A demolition safety inspection is an evaluation that verifies the health and safety of a site before demolition activities begin. Demolition is dangerous work, and these safety inspections help identify and minimize or eliminate hazards that endanger workers and the environment. They also confirm demolition workers have taken all precautions and received the proper training when it comes to performing the work safely. Furthermore, they can serve as proof that a business was compliant with any local, state, or federal regulations.

Therefore, no business or contractor should ever skip or rush a demolition safety inspection.

Why is a Demolition Safety Inspection Checklist Necessary?

Because of risk of injury or death is so high, it's crucial to have a checklist when verifying the safety of the demolition site. Such a checklist helps ensure that inspectors and workers miss no areas of concern, particularly anything involving explosives. Going through each question on the checklist allows the demolition team to create a plan of action to minimize or correct risks. This might include better securing the site or acquiring necessary personal protective equipment or additional training. 



This checklist also creates a paper trail of the steps taken to ensure workers’ safety. This becomes incredibly important if tragedy strikes, legal issues ensue, and you need proof that a thorough safety inspection took place.

What Does a Demolition Safety Inspection Checklist Look Like?

Since demolition typically pertains to the use of explosives in construction, a demolition safety inspection should include the following checks:

• Are only authorized and qualified persons permitted to handle explosives?
• Are smoking or firearm and other products used during the blasting?
• Are all records of an inventory maintained?
• Are all vehicles in a proper condition to carry all explosive materials?
• Are all materials properly cared for?
• Are all explosive materials locked?
• Is all explosive material under the observation of staff facility?
• Are all different materials stored separately?
• Is all safety taken related to explosive material?
• Is the blaster given a proper signal?

The form should also include the following information about the person who performed and approved the inspection:

• Name
• Contact Number
• Signature
• Place
• Date

Of course, you can add more questions to your checklist to cover other aspects, such as the potential for falls, fires, collapses, and more. You can also identify the level of a risk (low, medium, or high), suggest what controls workers put in place to address the hazard before demolition starts, and include photos of the site to use in the event anyone ever challenges the veracity of the inspection.

You can’t be too thorough when it comes to preparing for demolition work!

Bellow is a snapshot of a demolition safety checklist built with Forms on Fire.

What is a Demolition Safety Inspection Report?

A demolition safety inspection report is a PDF file of a digitally completed checklist. Admins can view these completed checklists each time they’re completed. These reports prove valuable if there’s a question or incident, as they can indicate the inspector's name, the date of the inspection, and if various safety precautions were met.

Here is an example of a report based on the checklist we showed above.

Where do I Get a Demolition Safety Inspection Checklist?

You can create your own demolition safety inspection checklists with just word processing software and a printer. But that is slow and clunky.

You can build you own demolitions safety checklists  in a matter of minutes with a no-code form builder like Forms On Fire. We offer hundreds of templates — including a demolition safety checklist — that you can customize to your exact needs. You can then publish your checklist and distribute it to your team of surveyors, who can complete and submit it while in the field using a smart device.

Additionally, you can generate reports using information from the checklists. The entire process is automated and removes any need to keep track of hard copies, duplicate data-entry tasks, and manually submit and track information.

Frequently asked questions about demolition safety