Demolition Plan - Washington (DOSH)

Every demolition job starts with somebody deciding the building is safe enough to take apart. Federal rules ask for that decision to be made by a competent person through an engineering survey. Washington asks for two more things. The survey has to stay on the job site for the whole demolition, and the employer has to turn what the survey found into a written demolition plan that is carried out and available to the state. This Washington Demolition Plan Toolbox Talk covers the survey, the plan, and the other preparatory steps in WAC 296-155-775.

Where the boundary of this talk sits#

This talk covers Washington's preparatory requirements for demolition: the engineering survey, the written plan, utilities, hazardous substances, and the first physical protections. The asbestos survey has its own Washington talk. Demolition methods, chutes, and mechanical demolition belong to the general demolition talk.

The anchor#

Here is the distinction that carries this whole talk: in Washington the engineering survey is the start of the paperwork, not the end of it — before employees start demolition, a competent person must survey the structure for the condition and structural integrity of its framing, floors, and walls and the possibility of unplanned collapse, a copy of that survey must stay on the job site for the duration of the demolition, and the employer must develop and implement a written demolition plan, tailored to the operation and its hazards, that incorporates what the survey found about the framing, floors, walls, and potential for unplanned collapse — so a crew that is told "the engineer looked at it" but cannot see the survey or a plan on site has not been given what Washington requires.

The engineering survey#

WAC 296-155-775(1)(a) says that before permitting employees to start demolition, a competent person must perform an engineering survey of the structure to determine the condition and structural integrity of the framing, floors, and walls, and the possibility of unplanned collapse of any portion of the structure.

Under (1)(b), a copy of the engineering survey must be kept at the job site for the duration of the demolition operation.

The written demolition plan#

WAC 296-155-775(2)(a) requires the employer to develop and implement a written demolition plan tailored to the operation and to the types of hazards involved. The plan must incorporate the conditions of the framing, floors, and walls, and the potential for unplanned collapse of any portion of the structure, as identified in the engineering survey.

Under (2)(b), the plan must be available on the job site for inspection by the department.

The survey tells you what the building is. The plan tells the crew what to do about it: the sequence, which members carry load until last, where people can and cannot stand, and what happens if the structure behaves differently than expected. The rule requires the plan to be built from the survey, not written separately. A plan that could be pasted onto any building has not incorporated anything the survey found about this one.

Supervision and damaged structures#

Under WAC 296-155-775(4), all demolition of buildings and structures must be conducted under the supervision of a competent person. Under (5), when employees must work within a structure to be demolished that has been damaged by fire, flood, explosion, or other cause, the walls or floors must be shored or braced.

Utilities#

WAC 296-155-775(6) requires all electric, gas, water, steam, sewer, and other service lines outside the building line to be shut off, capped, or otherwise controlled before demolition work starts. Under (7), if any power, water, or other utilities must be kept during demolition, the lines must be temporarily relocated as necessary and protected.

Hazardous substances, dust, and silica#

Under WAC 296-155-775(8), the employer must determine whether asbestos, hazardous materials, hazardous chemicals, gases, explosives, flammable materials, or similarly dangerous substances are present. When any such substance is apparent or suspected, testing and removal must be performed and the hazard eliminated before demolition starts.

Under (9), when removing material may expose employees to airborne hazards, the requirements of chapter 296-841 WAC apply, and when it may expose them to respirable crystalline silica, chapter 296-840 WAC applies.

Glass, openings, and dropped debris#

• Glass: under (10), where a hazard exists from fragmentation of glass, it must be removed before demolition starts.
• Wall openings: under (11), each employee working on, at, above, or near wall openings, including those with chutes attached, where the outside bottom edge is 4 feet or more above a lower level and the inside bottom edge is less than 39 inches above the working surface, must be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net, personal fall arrest, or fall restraint, under the unified fall protection rules in chapter 296-880 WAC.
• Dropped debris: under (12), when debris is dropped without chutes, the area it is dropped onto must be completely enclosed with barricades not less than 42 inches (1.07 m) high and not less than 20 feet (6.1 m) back from the projected edge of the opening above.

Other codes still apply#

Under (3), the employer must observe federal and state codes, safety standards, rules, regulations, and ordinances governing all phases of demolition work. The Washington rule is added to them, not in place of them.

Getting in and out#

The next section, WAC 296-155-780, controls how the crew moves through a building being demolished. Only the stairways, passageways, and ladders designated as means of access may be used. They must be inspected periodically and kept clean and safe, and ladders must be secured in position. In multistory buildings where a stairwell is being used, it must be properly lit, covered at least two floors below where work is being done, and the work floor reached through a properly lighted, protected, and separate passageway. The written plan is the natural place to show which routes are designated.

Washington versus federal#

The federal rule, 29 CFR 1926.850(a), also requires a competent person's engineering survey before demolition starts, with written evidence that it was performed. It does not require a written demolition plan built from the survey, or a copy of the survey kept on site for the duration. For dropped material, 29 CFR 1926.852(a) says no material may be dropped outside the exterior walls unless the area is effectively protected, and 29 CFR 1926.850(h) requires barricades at least 42 inches high and at least 6 feet back when debris is dropped through floor holes without chutes. Washington keeps the 42 inches but pushes the barricade to at least 20 feet back.

Where the duty sits#

WAC 296-155-775 sets the engineering survey and site copy (1); the written demolition plan, implemented and available to the department (2); other codes (3); competent person supervision (4); shoring damaged structures (5); utilities (6)–(7); hazardous substances (8); dust and silica (9); glass (10); wall openings (11); and dropped-debris barricades (12). WAC 296-155-780 sets access routes. For contrast, federal 29 CFR 1926.850(a) and 1926.852(a).

What can go wrong?#

• The survey was done, but it is in the engineer's office and nobody on site has seen it.
• The "plan" is a schedule with no mention of what the survey found.
• A fire-damaged floor is walked on before it is shored.
• A gas line outside the building line is assumed to be off.
• The crew uses a stairwell that was never designated as access.
• Debris is dropped into an area taped off 6 feet back.

How do we manage this properly?#

• Survey first, by a competent person — framing, floors, walls, collapse potential.
• Keep the survey on site — for the whole demolition.
• Write the plan from the survey — and follow it.
• Shore damaged structures — before anyone works inside.
• Utilities off, capped, or controlled — and protect any that must stay live.
• Test and remove hazardous substances — before demolition starts.
• Barricade drop zones — 42 inches high, 20 feet back.

Before you start#

Ask to see the engineering survey and the written demolition plan. Know today's sequence, where you can stand, and who the competent person supervising the work is.

Talk it over#

• What did the survey say about the floors and walls we're working near?
• What part of the plan covers what we're taking down today?
• Where are the drop zones, and are they barricaded 20 feet back?

The bottom line#

Washington requires a competent person's engineering survey before demolition, a copy of it on site for the whole job, and a written demolition plan built from what the survey found, implemented, and available to the department. Demolition runs under a competent person. Damaged structures are shored, utilities are controlled, hazardous substances are removed first, glass is taken out, openings are protected, and debris drop zones are barricaded at least 42 inches high and 20 feet back.

Frequently asked questions about Washington demolition rules#

Does Washington require a written demolition plan?

Yes. Under WAC 296-155-775(2), the employer must develop and implement a written demolition plan tailored to the operation and its hazards, incorporating the conditions of the framing, floors, and walls and the potential for unplanned collapse identified in the engineering survey. The plan must be available on the job site for inspection by the department.

Download the Washington demolition plan toolbox talk PDF#

Download this Washington Demolition Plan Toolbox Talk as a printable PDF in English and Spanish, and review it with the crew with the survey and plan in hand.

Related toolbox talks#

• Demolition Safety
• Asbestos Awareness
• Dust and Silica
• Struck-By Hazards

Sources#

• Washington State Legislature, WAC 296-155-775 — Preparatory operations ((1) competent person engineering survey, copy on site for the duration; (2) written demolition plan incorporating the survey, implemented, available to the department; (3) other codes; (4) competent person supervision; (5) shore or brace damaged structures; (6)–(7) utilities; (8) hazardous substances tested and removed first; (9) chapters 296-841 and 296-840 WAC; (10) glass; (11) wall openings under chapter 296-880 WAC; (12) barricades at least 42 in high and 20 ft back; WSR 21-09-067, effective 6/1/21): https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=296-155-775
• Washington State Legislature, WAC 296-155-780 — Stairs, passageways, and ladders (designated access only; periodic inspection; ladders secured; stairwell lighting, cover two floors below, separate passageway): https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=296-155-780
• OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.850(a) and (h) (engineering survey by a competent person, written evidence; barricades at least 42 inches high and 6 feet back for debris dropped through floor holes): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.850
• OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.852(a) (no material dropped outside exterior walls unless the area is effectively protected): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.852

Written by FieldSafetyTalk's safety professional — a CSP, ASP, CHST and OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer with 14+ years of international construction safety experience across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects.

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