Planning Safety During Demolition - BIOZ Protocols and Standards

Planning Safety During Demolition - BIOZ Protocols and Standards

Comprehensive Approach to H&S in Demolition Projects

Safety planning in demolition projects requires special attention at every stage of implementation. According to the latest regulations from 2025, the health and safety plan (BIOZ) is a key element ensuring worker safety during construction work, including demolition .

Legal Requirements for BIOZ Plan in Demolition

The BIOZ plan on construction sites must be prepared for demolition of buildings over 8 meters high and when the planned construction work is expected to last longer than 30 working days and at least 20 workers will be employed, or when the labor intensity of planned work exceeds 500 person-days .

Cases requiring mandatory BIOZ plan preparation:

• Demolition of structures over 8 meters high
• Work related to asbestos removal, which involves exposure to chemical substances
• Work near high-voltage power lines
• Demolition in dense urban development

BIOZ Plan Structure for Demolition Projects

The BIOZ plan consists of a title page, descriptive part, and graphic part prepared on a copy of the site or area development plan .

Title page contains:

• Investor and construction manager data
• Name and address of the construction manager preparing the BIOZ plan, and if the plan is prepared by another person - also the name and address of that person
• Characteristics of the structure intended for demolition

Descriptive part includes:

• Scope of work for the entire construction project and sequence of individual objects implementation
• Identification of site or area elements that may pose risks to human safety and health
• Information on anticipated hazards during construction work, specifying the scale and types of hazards and the place and time of their occurrence

Key Safety Protocols in Demolition

1. Site Preparation Protocol

• Disconnection of utilities (electricity, gas, water)
• Protection of adjacent structures
• Information on separation and marking of construction work areas, appropriate to the type of hazard
• Structural condition assessment

2. Demolition Work Sequence Protocol

• Roof demolition — removal of roofing, then dismantling of the entire roof structure
• Gradual dismantling of walls and floors — construction work proceeds from top to bottom, first removing partition walls, then gradually load-bearing walls and floors
• Removal of foundations and basements — exposure and breaking of foundations, demolition of basement walls

3. Waste Management Protocol

• Sorting and removal of debris — segregation of waste into different fractions (concrete debris, brick, wood, metal, glass)
• Transport to appropriate disposal points
• Documentation of waste quantities and types

Graphic Part of BIOZ Plan

The graphic part is prepared on a copy of the site or area development plan and includes the layout of fire protection equipment with media consumption parameters, intake points, shut-off valves, access roads .

Mandatory elements in the graphic part:

• Layout of rescue equipment necessary for construction work
• Layout and marking of internal and external protection zone boundaries resulting from separate regulations
• Presentation of communication system solutions, construction transport, and site fencing

Responsibility and Supervision

The construction manager is obliged to prepare or ensure the preparation of a health and safety plan before starting construction, taking into account the specifics of the building structure and construction work conditions .

Roles of key participants:

• Demolition manager - responsible for the safety of the entire process
• If demolition is carried out using explosive methods, it must be conducted under the supervision of a blasting operations manager
• Investment supervision inspector - control of compliance with the BIOZ plan

2025 Safety Standards

The latest regulations from 2025 place particular emphasis on:

• Digitization of BIOZ documentation
• Harmonized principles for expressing performance characteristics of construction products in terms of environment and safety
• Increased environmental protection requirements
• Integration of safety management systems

Emergency Procedures and Crisis Management

Crisis situation action plan:

1. Evacuation procedures - clearly defined evacuation routes
2. Communication protocols - contact with emergency services
3. First aid - equipment and trained personnel
4. Incident control - documentation and analysis of events

BIOZ Plan Monitoring and Updates

The construction manager introduces changes to the BIOZ plan during construction . The plan must be regularly verified and adapted to changing conditions on the construction site.

Control frequency:

• Daily control - condition of safety measures and equipment
• Weekly control - progress and hazard analysis
• Monthly review - documentation updates

Conclusions

Effective safety planning during demolition requires a comprehensive approach covering all project stages. The BIOZ plan aims to identify workplace safety hazards and implement solutions to prevent them during project implementation . Compliance with the latest 2025 standards guarantees not only regulatory compliance but, above all, the safety of all participants in the demolition process.

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Bibliography:

1. Act of July 7, 1994, Construction Law (Journal of Laws 2025)
2. Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of June 23, 2003, on information concerning safety and health protection and the safety and health protection plan (Journal of Laws No. 120, item 1126)
3. Regulation of the European Parliament and Council (EU) 2024/3110 on construction products
4. Central Institute for Labor Protection - Health and Safety Plan (BIOZ), 2025
5. General Construction Supervision Office - Guidelines for BIOZ plans in demolition, 2025