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The National Association
of Demolition Contractors (NADC) has begun working closely
with OSHA's Office of Training and Education in the development
of a First Response team training program. Long the leading
national supporter of worker safety and health initiatives,
OSHA is now calling on demolition contractors to join in a
strong and effective public-private partnership that will
help save lives the next time a disaster occurs.
Everyone is familiar
with the brave and admirable actions of the New York City
First Response team following the attack of 9/11. This disaster
focused the nation's attention on the equipment, training,
and resources available to First Responders, which have traditionally
been firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical
technicians (EMTs). What most Americans might not know is
the role that demolition contractors played immediately after
the attack. On the very day the tragedy occurred, NADC members
were called on-site as emergency response contractors, providing
invaluable support services to the victims and the city. Because
of the work our members did following the attack‹and the support
services they provide after many other natural and manmade
disasters—NADC proposes that qualified, experienced demolition
contractors be part of each local, state, and federal First
Response team.
According
to White House figures, even the best-prepared First Response
teams on both the state and local level do not possess adequate
resources to respond to a full range of threats. These figures
show that nationwide, there are 1 million firefighters, 750,000
of them volunteers. In law enforcement, there are 436,000
sworn enforcement police personnel and 186,000 sworn sheriffs'
personnel. EMTs, the third category, account for 155,000 people.
Acknowledging the need for additional funding, President George
W. Bush signed the First Responder Initiative that has earmarked
$3.5 billion for enhancing the homeland security capabilities
of America's First Responders. The Department of Homeland
Security and the Directorate of Emergency Preparedness and
Response (formerly FEMA) are also providing needed dollars
to this end.
Technology to
Save Lives
So why are demolition
contractors also qualified to wear the honorable mantle of
"First Responder"? Skilled in operating highly complex
disaster-debris management equipment that can help save lives,
demolition contractors can effectively complement the response
capabilities of traditional First Responders. Our contributions
following disaster after disaster back up this contention.
Not only did demolition contractors work at the World Trade
Center, they also cleaned up after the attack on the Pentagon
the same day. And they handled the painstaking forensic recovery
effort at the landfill where the debris from the WTC attack
was taken. One NADC member was specifically called upon by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to decontaminate
the Hart Senate Building following the anthrax contamination
of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office. NADC members
also played essential roles after the attack on the Alfred
P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City and the California earthquake
of 1989. And for many years, demolition contractors have provided
needed environmental remediation services to public agencies
to safeguard the public health.
The
familiarity with decontamination, remediation, and hazardous-waste
handling means demolition contractors may provide First Response
teams with the supplemental level of experience and specialty
equipment needed to respond quickly and safely. In addition,
the evolving, specialized technology used by these contractors
may enable First Response teams to save lives and clean up
sites more efficiently. Today's standard demolition equipment
does not include a wrecking ball but rather a hydraulic excavator
with such attachments as grapples, shears, hammers, and concrete
crushers. Grapples, for example, enable an operator to quickly
and gently remove a piece of concrete or steel in a collapsed
structure so a trapped person may be freed.
Identifying
Hazards
Disaster
sites pose a multitude of health and safety concerns, many
of which may not be immediately obvious or identifiable. Being
able to identify these hazards before work begins is another
strength of demolition contractors, who routinely are called
upon to handle this task before starting‹and during‹any demolition
project.
In
addition, some inexperienced rescue personnel may select protective
measures based on limited information. Again, demolition contractors
know the right personal protective equipment to choose according
to the hazard present, whether it is asbestos, lead, or anthrax.
Demolition contractors and their staffs are also routinely
trained and experienced in compliance with all local, state,
and federal EPA and OSHA regulations for handling hazardous
materials or working in potentially unstable environments.
Additionally,
today's demolition contractor is capable of providing realistic
First Responder training at select demolition sites throughout
the United States. These sites can be configured to mirror
any manmade or natural disaster for practical training and
evaluation. NADC is partnering with OSHA on its Disaster Site
Worker Training Program, which will address unique hazards
of weapons of mass destruction and other disasters.
Specialists
in their field, demolition contractors can be depended upon
to complete the skill set needed by traditional First Response
teams. NADC members are anxious to partner with communities
to develop and enhance the safety of our country, states,
and towns. Now is the time to evaluate and recruit demolition
contractors as First Response team members, before the next
natural or manmade disaster occurs.
Guest
editor Michael R. Taylor, CAE, is executive director of NADC,
a professional organization that represents more than 850
US and Canadian demolition contractors and more than 200 providers
of services and supplies to the industry. NADC maintains a
directory of qualified First Responder candidates for every
geographical region. The Web site is www.nadc.org.
GEC
- July/August 2004
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