A. 
Before starting demolition, all glass in exterior openings shall be removed. All gas, electric, water, steam and other supply lines shall be shut off and capped. In each case the service company involved shall be notified in advance. All sewer connections shall be sealed off in a manner satisfactory to the authority responsible for sewers.
B. 
Where it is necessary to maintain any power, water, gas or electric lines during demolition, such lines shall be so relocated or protected with substantial coverings as to protect them from injury and to afford safety to the workmen and the public.
C. 
Before demolition is started, the cellar shall be thoroughly cleaned of combustible material and all fixtures and equipment which would cause voids in the fill removed. If the cellar is to be filled to grade, the existing cellar floor shall be broken up to provide ground drainage and prevent accumulation of water. If the cellar is not to be filled, adequate drainage shall be provided.
A. 
Before doing any demolition work which may affect the safety or stability of any adjacent structure, the demolition contractor shall make a through examination of all such structures and shall note all existing conditions. During the demolition, frequent reexaminations shall be made by the demolition contractor, and every precaution shall be taken to prevent any movement, settlement or weakening of any adjacent structure.
B. 
Where there is reason to believe that an adjacent structure is unsafe or will become unsafe because of demolition operations, no demolition shall be performed until adequate precautions have been taken to ensure the stability of the adjacent structure.
C. 
All beams in party walls shall be cut off close to the walls and stub ends removed without weakening masonry and beam pockets cleaned of loose mortar and bricked up and bonded into the wall with sound brick and cement mortar. Roofing material of adjoining buildings at party walls shall be bent over and flashed. All door or other openings in party walls shall be adequately sealed. Cornices, where cut, shall be properly sealed. Parapet and front and rear walls, where disturbed, shall be pointed up and made weathertight. All exposed furring, lath and plaster on party walls shall be removed. Roofs, skylights and flues of adjoining buildings shall be protected from damage from demolition by the demolition contractor, provided that he is granted the necessary license to enter the adjoining premises for that purpose.
D. 
The cost of refinishing a common wall or party wall shall be taken into account by the owner of a building which is to be demolished, and after demolition of a building with a common wall, whether brick or frame, the remaining wall shall be finished off in a workmanlike manner and shall be subject to the approval of the Code Compliance Supervisor. Specifically, but in no way limiting the generality of the above with respect to approval which must be received by the Code Compliance Supervisor, brick walls shall be finished as called for in Subsection C above, and, in addition thereto, said remaining portion of the common wall shall be finished off with one-half-inch stucco or any other sealer acceptable to the Code Compliance Supervisor and painted as close as possible to the wood trim. Also, without limiting the generality above, in the event that the common wall is frame, the remaining portion of said frame wall shall be re-sided as close as possible to the rest of the building and, if required, painted to match the rest of the wood trim. Flashing shall also be installed on the roof and wherever else required by the Code Compliance Supervisor.
[Added 9-27-1971]
A. 
Demolition of walls and partitions shall proceed in a systematic manner, and all work above each tier of floor beams shall be completed before the safety of its supports is impaired. Masonry shall neither be loosened nor permitted to fall in such masses as to endanger the structural stability of any floor or structural support. No wall, chimney or other structure or part of a structure shall be left unguarded in such condition that it may fall, collapse or weaken due to wind pressure, rain, snow or vibration.
B. 
No employer shall suffer or permit any employee to work on top of a wall. In the demolition by hand of exterior walls, safe footing for the workman shall be provided in the form of sound flooring or scaffolds. Walls or portions which are to be demolished by hand shall not be left standing more than one story high above the uppermost floor on which men are working. Such walls or portions shall be removed before the aggregate area of openings in such floor exceeds 25% of the total area.
Windows and other exterior wall openings in buildings more than 25 feet in height which are within 20 feet of any floor opening used to remove debris from floors above shall be solidly boarded up during demolition operations.
Debris, bricks and other material shall be removed by means of chutes, by means of buckets or hoists or through openings in the floors of the building.
There shall be provided at all times safe access to and egress from every building in the course of demolition by means of entrances, hallways, stairways or ladder runs so protected as to safeguard the persons using them from falling material.
Every floor area within the building that is subject to the hazard of material falling from above shall be boarded up to prevent passage or shall be fenced off by a substantial rail placed not less than 20 feet from the floor opening or shall be provided with overhead protection in the form of tight planking to eliminate such hazard.
All steel construction shall be demolished column length by column length and tier by tier. Every structural member which is being removed shall be chained or lashed in place to prevent any uncontrolled swinging or dropping. Large structural members shall not be thrown or dropped from the building but shall be carefully lowered. Where a derrick is used in the demolition of buildings of skeleton steel construction, the floor on which the derrick rests shall be completely planked over. Where other methods are used, the workmen engaged in the dismantling of steel shall be protected by solidly planked flooring or sound floor arches not more than two stories below and directly under that portion of any tier of beams where such men are at work.
Before demolishing any floor arch, debris and other material shall be removed from such arch and other adjacent floor area. Planks not less than two inches by nine inches in cross section, full size undressed, shall be provided for and shall be used by the workmen to stand on while breaking down floor arches between beams. Such planks shall be so located as to provide a safe support for the workmen should the arch between the beams collapse. The open space between planks shall not exceed 16 inches.
A. 
The aggregate area of openings in the floor immediately beneath the floor being demolished shall not exceed 25% of the total area of such floor.
B. 
Every opening used for the removal of debris on every floor which is not closed to access, except the top or working floor, shall be provided with an enclosure from floor to ceiling equivalent to that afforded by planking not less than two inches in thickness, full size undressed. The enclosure shall be solid except for portions operable for loosening blocked debris. Alternatively, the opening shall be so barricaded that no person shall have access to within a horizontal distance of 20 feet from any opening above through which debris is being dropped. Every opening not used for the removal of debris in any floor to which access is permitted shall be protected by a solid enclosure or by a safety railing and toeboard or shall be solidly planked over.
C. 
Openings in the top or working floor more than 16 inches in least dimension shall be protected on all sides, except the side at which debris is deposited, by a safety railing and toeboard, or the sides of the opening shall be roped off at a distance of not less than two feet from the edge of the opening by not less than one-half-inch-diameter rope securely tied to provide a guard of a height equivalent to that provided by the safety railing. That portion of any floor opening adjacent to and immediately below a point where men are employed in any work on a wall shall be provided with a solid flooring not less than five feet wide measured from the inside face of the wall.
A. 
Material shall not be stored on working platforms, floors or stairways of the building being demolished, except that the floor of a building may be used for the temporary storage of material when such floor is of such strength as to support safely the load to be superimposed.
B. 
Storage spaces shall not interfere with access to any stairway or passageway, and suitable barricades shall be provided so as to prevent material from sliding or rebounding into any space used by the workmen or the public.
C. 
All material shall be safely piled in such locations as will not interfere with any operations nor present a hazard to those at or frequenting the demolition site. When debris is piled in the cellar, it shall not be piled above the top of the foundation wall.
D. 
The person in charge of demolition operations shall provide such means as may be necessary to ensure the stability of the foundation walls and to prevent any wall from collapsing due to the pressure of the accumulated material.
No employer shall suffer or permit an employee working above the first floor level to use accumulated debris or piled material as a footing for the performance of his work. Every employee shall be provided with safe footing in the form of sound planking or flooring.
A. 
Along every sidewalk or thoroughfare bordering demolition operations, there shall be erected a substantial barricade to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the site of such operations.
B. 
Such barricade shall be a fence not less than six feet in height. It shall be built solid for its entire height and length, except for such openings provided with solid doors as may be necessary for the proper prosecution of the work. Where the distance from the face of the building to be demolished to the inside edge of a sidewalk or thoroughfare is more than 1/2 the height of the building and the height of the building is not more than 25 feet, a substantial railing not less than 36 inches high and provided with an intermediate rail may be constructed at the inside edge of such sidewalk or thoroughfare in lieu of a solid barricade or sidewalk, shed.
A. 
When the structure to be demolished is more than 25 feet above adjacent grade and where the horizontal distance from the structure to the inside edge of a sidewalk or other public way is barred or closed to the public or is more than 40 feet from the building or structure which is to be demolished, regardless of the height of the building, whenever any material or debris is moved or swung by means of a derrick, hoist, chute or similar device over any sidewalk or public way which is not barred or closed to the public, a sidewalk shed shall be erected over such sidewalk or public way.
B. 
The deck of every sidewalk shed shall be constructed to sustain a live load of at least 150 pounds per square foot, and if materials are to be stored thereon, it shall be constructed to sustain a load of not less than 300 pounds per square foot.
C. 
The sidewalk shed shall be so erected as to provide a clear ceiling height of not less than eight feet above the walkway surface, and the clear width of the passageway through the shed shall be not less than 10 feet. The outside edge and the ends of the deck of every sidewalk shed shall be provided with a substantial enclosure at least 42 inches in height, consisting of boards laid close or of screen formed of not less than No. 16 gauge steel wire with one-and-one-half-inch mesh or of corrugated metal or plywood.
D. 
The deck of the sidewalk shed shall be watertight and of plank not less than two inches thick. The side of the shed toward the structure to be demolished shall be solidly fenced for the full height of the sidewalk shed. Solid sliding or swinging gates may be provided for the movement of men and materials. Steel or other materials of equivalent strength and suitability may be used in lieu of wood in the construction of a sidewalk shed.
E. 
Sidewalk sheds shall be provided with light equivalent to a one-hundred-watt electric light bulb every 40 feet along the passageway.
A. 
Wooden or metal chutes provided for the removal of material and which are at an angle of more than 45° with the horizontal shall be entirely enclosed on all sides, including the upper side, except openings used for receiving or discharging of material. Such openings shall not exceed 48 inches in height, measured along the wall of the chute, and all openings, except the top opening, shall be closed when not in use. Chutes at an angle of 45° or less with the horizontal may be open on the upper side.
B. 
Every chute more than 24 inches in maximum inside dimension shall be constructed of not less than two-inch planking or of not less than three-sixteenths-inch sheet metal. It shall have a metal bottom where the material strikes the chute and shall be rigidly supported throughout its height. A strong gate shall be constructed at the lower end of every loading chute to control the loading of material into trucks and to close the chute at all other times. Splashboards or baffles shall be erected to prevent materials from rebounding into the street or under the sidewalk shed. A bumper or curb not less than four inches by four inches in section shall be provided at each chute opening where such opening is level with or below the floor or platform. Every space between the chute and the edge of the opening in the floor or platform shall be solidly planked.
C. 
"Danger" signs shall be placed in a conspicuous position at the discharge end of every chute to warn the workmen and public.
A. 
All runways and ramps shall be substantially constructed and securely braced and supported. Runways and ramps for the use of motortrucks or heavier vehicles shall have a width of not less than eight inches by eight inches placed parallel to and secured to the sides of the runway or ramp.
B. 
The flooring shall be of not less than three-inch planking, full size undressed.
C. 
Runways and ramps for the use of workmen shall be not less than 18 inches in width and shall be constructed of not less than two-inch full size undressed planking, substantially supported and braced to prevent excessive spring or deflecting.
D. 
Planking shall be laid close and shall be butt-jointed and securely nailed. Horizontal runways for the use of workmen and located more than 10 feet above the floor or ground shall be provided on the open sides with a safety railing. Runways used for wheelbarrows, handcarts or hand trucks shall be not less than 36 inches in width. Ramps shall have a slope not exceeding one in four, and the total rise of a continuous ramp used by men carrying material or using wheelbarrows shall not exceed 12 feet, unless broken by horizontal landings at least four feet in length.
E. 
If the slope is steeper than one in eight, the ramp shall be provided with cleats spaced not more than 14 inches apart and securely fastened to the planking to afford a foothold. Spaces in the cleats may be provided for the passages of the wheels of the vehicles.
F. 
Ramps which are located at or extend to a height of more than four feet above the adjacent ground or floor level shall be provided with a safety railing on their open sides.
A. 
Platforms used as working areas or for the unloading of wheelbarrows, hand trucks or carts shall have a floor of not less than two-inch planking. Platforms used for motortrucks shall have a floor of not less than three-inch planking.
B. 
Every platform more than 10 feet above the ground or above a floor shall be provided with a safety railing, except that the sides of a platform used for the loading or unloading of vehicles may be protected only by a timber curb not less than eight inches by eight inches for motortrucks or heavier vehicles or four inches by four inches for wheelbarrows and hand trucks.
A safety railing shall consist of a two-inch-by-four-inch wooden handrail not less than 36 inches nor more than 42 inches above the walking level, securely supported by two-by-four-inch posts at intervals of not more than eight feet and shall include a one-by-four-inch midrail and a toeboard at least four inches high. The handrail shall be smooth and free from splinters or protruding nails. Other material or construction may be used, provided that the assembly assures equivalent safety.
No debris shall be burned at the site unless permits therefor are obtained from the Fire Department. A one-and-one-half-inch fire hose, equipped with a control nozzle, shall be connected to a reliable water supply, and the water pressure shall be on the hose line and the hose laid to reach the location of the fire, wherever a fire is burning.
A. 
Compressed gas cylinders shall be stored in an upright position, away from open flames and other sources of heat and so arranged or placed that they will not be knocked over or damaged by passing or falling objects.
B. 
During use, cylinders shall be securely lashed to a stationary object unless other suitable provision has been made to prevent their upsetting. During use, every cylinder shall have the valve key or wrench set in place on the valve spindle. All cylinders shall be used in an upright position.
C. 
Cylinders containing oxygen shall not be stored so near to cylinders containing combustible gas or to combustible material, oil or grease as to create a spontaneous combustion hazard.
D. 
Cylinder valves shall be closed at all times when not in use. Regulators or reducing valves shall be tightly connected with a gastight connection. Gas or oxygen cylinders shall not be used unless equipped with the proper regulator or automatic reducing valve. All valves shall be opened by hand.
E. 
Empty cylinders shall be immediately removed from working areas and stored in a designated location. The valves shall be closed and a tag or sign indicating that the tank is empty shall be attached.
F. 
The use of cylinders as rollers, props or supports is forbidden.
G. 
All gas-carrying hose shall be first quality and of a type manufactured for use on construction jobs. Oxygen hose shall have fittings of a different design and shall be of a different color from the hose used for the fuel-gas connections. Hose connections shall be of either the ferrule or clamp type, and the hose shall be capable of withstanding, without leakage, a pressure equal to at least twice the maximum delivery pressure of the pressure regulators provided on the system, but not less than 300 pounds per square inch.
H. 
Hose shall be protected from damage by trucks or other moving objects and shall be so placed as not to constitute a falling or tripping hazard. All hose or connections shall be immediately repaired or replaced.
I. 
Torches shall be lighted by means of friction lighters only. When torches are changed or when the cutting is stopped longer than five minutes, all cylinder valves shall be closed. Momentary stoppage of the cutting torch may be controlled at the torch valves.
J. 
All persons engaged in cutting operations shall be supplied with proper scaffolds and shall be supplied with and use approved eye-protection equipment having goggles provided with filter lenses of suitable shade. Such lenses and goggles shall protect the eyes of the worker not only from the heat and glare of the work but also from particles of hot metal which may fly during the operation. Operators engaged in continuous operations shall be supplied and shall wear fire-resistant gauntlet gloves and aprons.
K. 
Oily and greasy substances shall be kept from the cylinders, hoses and torches. Cylinder valves and connections shall not be lubricated.
L. 
Where there is a hazard to other workmen from flying particles of metal, there shall be provided proper screening around the cutting area. Whenever cutting operations are performed and there is in the vicinity any combustible, there shall be provided a fire watcher, equipped with a water hose, whose sole duty is to watch for and extinguish any fires that might start.
M. 
Before any flame cutting is done on any tank or container that contained material which may generate flammable vapor upon application of heat, all pipes connected thereto shall be disconnected or blanked off. Residual flammable material shall be removed, and the tank shall be completely purged with a suitable purging agent.
Electrical and pneumatic tools shall be disconnected from the source of power and the pressure in hose lines shall be released before any adjustments or repairs are made, except replacement of bits in electric drills. The air shall be shut off before disconnecting the air hose. Electric lines and hose lines shall be guarded by location or covering to prevent severe abrasion. Electrically operated tools shall be grounded during use. The ground wire shall be connected to the frame of the machine, and the other end shall be properly grounded.
The use of a swinging weight, clamshell bucket, power shovel, bulldozer or other mechanical contrivance for the purpose of demolishing walls shall be in accordance with the following requirements:
A. 
The building or structure or remaining portion thereof shall be not more than 80 feet in height.
B. 
Where a swinging weight is used, a zone of demolition at least 1 1/2 times the height of the structure or portion thereof being so demolished shall be maintained around the points of impact.
C. 
Where a clamshell bucket is used, a zone of demolition shall be maintained within 25 feet of the line of travel of the bucket.
D. 
Where mechanical contrivances other than a swinging weight or clamshell bucket are used to effectuate total or partial collapse, there shall be maintained in the area into which the affected portion may fall a zone of demolition at least 1 1/2 times the height of the structure or remaining portion thereof.
E. 
No person other than workmen essential to the operation of the equipment shall be suffered or permitted to enter a zone of demolition.
F. 
Substantial barricades shall be erected wherever there is likelihood of persons other than essential workmen entering the zone of demolition.
G. 
The controls of mechanical devices used in such method of demolition shall be located and operated at a safe and reasonable distance from the point of demolition.
H. 
Where a swinging weight is used, the supporting cables shall be of such length or shall be so restrained that it is not possible for the weight to swing against any structure other than the structure being demolished.
During demolition, the municipality shall have the right to inspect the work to detect any hazards to workmen or to the public resulting from weakened or deteriorated floors or walls or loosened material. No employee shall be suffered or permitted to work where such hazards exist. They shall be corrected by shoring, bracing or other effective means.
A. 
After a building has been demolished, the entire site of such building shall be cleared of any and all debris or waste materials, and all basements, all cellars and all other holes or openings in or on the site shall be properly filled up to the ground level with earth, stone, masonry or other similar sanitary and incombustible materials. All grading shall be so sloped that all water falling on the site will not flow over any adjoining property.
B. 
However, upon the presentation of definite proof that construction operations for the erection of a new building will be commenced on the site within two months after the demolition has been completed, then the filling of basement, cellars and other holes will not be necessary, provided that a substantial barricade is erected enclosing the entire site.