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OHS Management for Demolition in Dubai | Stone Beam

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Occupational Health and Safety Management System for Demolition and Construction Projects in Dubai: Where Do We Start?

If you operate in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE, you already know one thing: safety is not optional. On a demolition or construction site, especially in dense urban areas like Dubai Marina, Business Bay or Deira, a single mistake can mean:

  • An uncontrolled collapse,
  • Falling debris onto public roads,
  • Service disruptions (power, water, telecom),
  • Serious injuries or even fatalities.

In this environment, you don’t just need a “safety officer” and a few site rules. You need a structured, auditable, and practical occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) that is tailor-made for demolition projects in Dubai and compliant with local law.

This guide walks you through where to start, how to structure your system, and how a specialist demolition contractor in Dubai like Stone Beam Demolition can help you run safer, faster, and more compliant projects — from full building demolition and selective demolition to concrete cutting, core drilling, GPR scanning and hydrodemolition.

1. What is an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS)?

An occupational health and safety management system is a structured framework that an organisation uses to:

  • Identify and assess health & safety risks,
  • Implement controls and safe work procedures,
  • Comply with legal and client requirements,
  • Monitor performance,
  • Improve continuously.

Internationally, the most widely recognised standard is ISO 45001:2018, which sets out the requirements for an occupational health and safety management system for any type of organisation, including construction and demolition companies. PECB+3ISO+3HSE+3

In simple terms:

An OHSMS is the “operating system” of safety: it connects your policies, your people, your procedures and your records into one coherent, repeatable way of managing risk.

For a demolition company in Dubai, that means embedding safety into every activity — from obtaining Dubai Municipality permits to choosing equipment, managing subcontractors, planning traffic diversions, and handling construction and demolition waste.

2. Why an OHSMS is Critical for Demolition Projects in Dubai and the UAE

Demolition is not like a standard new-build concrete frame. It is reverse engineering a structure under uncertainty:

  • Hidden modifications and undocumented structural changes,
  • Unknown conditions of existing utilities,
  • Proximity to live roads, hotels, schools, metro corridors or critical infrastructure,
  • Heavy dust, high noise levels, vibration, falling objects and working at height — all at once.

2.1 Increased Regulatory Expectations in Dubai

Dubai has steadily tightened health and safety expectations on construction sites. The Dubai Municipality Code of Construction Safety Practice, recently updated with effect from 1 January 2024, is now the main reference for contractors’ health and safety obligations. Clyde & Co.+3Dubai Municipality+3Scribd+3

The Code includes a dedicated Demolition Chapter and links to multiple technical guidelines and other standards covering:

  • Demolition methodology and sequence,
  • Site hoarding and public protection,
  • Structural stability and temporary works,
  • Work at height, scaffolding and plant,
  • Hazardous materials, dust and noise control.

This means that if you operate as a demolition contractor in Dubai, your OHSMS must not only generally “protect workers” — it must align with very specific requirements in the local code.

2.2 Clients Expect Safety and Documentation

Developers, consultants and global brands investing in Dubai are increasingly asking:

  • “Is your company ISO 45001 certified?” URS UAE+2TÜV SÜD+2
  • “Show us a project-specific HSE plan for demolition in Dubai.”
  • “Provide your risk assessment and method statements (RAMS).”
  • “Explain how you will manage noise, dust and vibration in an operating hotel or mall.”

Without a robust OHSMS, it is almost impossible to answer these questions convincingly — and you can easily lose tenders to other demolition companies in Dubai that have their systems in place.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety in Demolition and Construction in Dubai

Before designing your OHSMS, you need a clear map of “who expects what from you” in Dubai and the UAE.

3.1 Dubai Municipality: Code of Construction Safety Practice

The Code of Construction Safety Practice issued by Dubai Municipality is the main local safety code for construction and demolition sites. HubSpot+3Dubai Municipality+3Scribd+3

It:

  • Defines responsibilities of contractors, consultants and clients,
  • Sets minimum safety requirements for work at height, lifting, scaffolding, electrical hazards, control of hazardous energy (lock-out/tag-out), confined spaces and more,
  • Contains a Demolition Chapter with specific expectations for surveys, methodology, debris management and public protection.

The Code is explicitly referenced in other local technical guidelines and green building regulations, for example in the Dubai Green Building Regulations and Specifications, where construction and demolition noise limits are tied back to this safety code. Dubai Municipality+1

3.2 Green Building and Environmental Requirements

Construction and demolition works in Dubai must keep noise and dust within certain limits set out in Dubai Municipality’s technical guidelines and environmental regulations. Dubai Municipality+2Dubai Municipality+2

Practically, this means your OHSMS (and project HSE plan) must:

  • Manage construction and demolition noise within specified dB limits and time restrictions,
  • Control dust through water misting, local extraction or other suppression methods,
  • Segregate and dispose of construction and demolition waste properly.

3.3 Free Zones and Other Authorities

Depending on your site location, additional authorities may be involved:

  • DMCC, Trakhees, TECOM, DDA, etc. — with their own HSE guidelines and enforcement mechanisms that still refer back to Dubai Municipality’s building code and safety code. HubSpot+1
  • RTA for traffic diversions and works near public roads,
  • DEWA for NOCs and isolation of services prior to demolition. Dubai Municipality+1

A compliant OHSMS in Dubai must include a legal register mapping all these regulations and tracking updates – especially now that new contracting laws further emphasise contractors’ duties in public health, safety and occupational safety. Clyde & Co.

3.4 ISO 45001 as the Structural Backbone

ISO 45001 provides the backbone structure for an OHSMS:

  • Context of the organisation and interested parties,
  • Leadership and worker participation,
  • Planning (risk assessment, legal compliance, objectives),
  • Support (competence, communication, documentation),
  • Operation (controls and procedures),
  • Performance evaluation (monitoring, audits),
  • Improvement (incidents, non-conformities, corrective actions). PECB+4ISO+4HSE+4

For a demolition contractor in Dubai, this framework is adapted to reflect demolition-specific risks and Dubai-specific regulations.

4. Where Do We Start? Step-by-Step Roadmap to Build an OHS Management System for Demolition Projects in Dubai

Step 1 – Secure Top Management Commitment and Define an HSE Policy

No OHSMS works without visible leadership. ISO 45001 heavily emphasises leadership as a core requirement. ISO+1

Your leadership must formally:

  • Approve a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Policy,
  • Commit to zero harm and continuous improvement,
  • Commit to comply with Dubai Municipality safety code and all relevant UAE laws,
  • Provide resources (HSE team, training budget, equipment, monitoring tools).

The HSE policy must be:

  • Written clearly in simple language,
  • Posted on site in relevant languages,
  • Discussed during site induction, not just printed and forgotten.

Stone Beam Demolition treats the HSE policy as the “constitution” of the project: every risk assessment, method statement and toolbox talk must support it.

Step 2 – Understand the Context of Your Demolition Project

Following ISO 45001, you need to understand the context of both your company and the specific project. BSI+1

For demolition works in Dubai, this means:

  • Type of project
    • Full building demolition? Selective demolition inside a live mall? Bridge or viaduct removal?
  • Location
    • Inner-city plot surrounded by residential towers? Near a school, clinic or hotel? Inside a free zone?
  • Stakeholders
    • Client, consultant, main contractor, neighbouring building owners, tenants, authorities (DM, RTA, DEWA, Civil Defence, Free Zone authority).

This context shapes everything: your methodology, your noise/dust controls, your traffic management, your emergency planning.

Step 3 – Legal and Other Requirements: Build Your HSE Legal Register

You cannot manage what you haven’t clearly identified.

Build a legal and other requirements register that covers:

  • Dubai Municipality Code of Construction Safety Practice and any demolition-specific chapters. Dubai Municipality+2Scribd+2
  • Dubai Municipality technical guidelines for noise, dust and environmental protection. Dubai Municipality+2Dubai Municipality+2
  • Any free zone HSE regulations (DMCC, Trakhees, TECOM, DDA, etc.). HubSpot
  • Contract-specific HSE requirements from the client or consultant.
  • ISO 45001 clauses if you aim for certification. ISO+2TÜV SÜD+2

Each requirement should be linked to:

  • The relevant procedure or control in your OHSMS,
  • The responsible person,
  • How you will verify compliance (inspection, audit, documentation).

Step 4 – Identify and Assess Demolition-Specific Risks

Demolition works bring their own set of high-risk activities:

4.1 Structural and Stability Risks

  • Uncertain load paths in old or modified structures,
  • Risk of progressive collapse if you remove load-bearing elements in the wrong sequence,
  • Temporary instabilities during partial demolition.

This is why the Dubai Construction Safety Code and international good practice require a pre-demolition structural survey and a detailed demolition method statement that includes the demolishing sequence and temporary supports. BSI+3Dubai Municipality+3Scribd+3

4.2 Work at Height and Falling Objects

  • Manual strip-out on high floors,
  • Removal of parapets, façade panels, MEP supports,
  • Risk of falling tools, debris or large components into public areas.

Controls include:

  • Proper scaffolding and edge protection,
  • Exclusion zones and catch fans,
  • Lifting plans and lifting gear certification.

4.3 Heavy Plant, Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling

On modern demolition sites, you will often see:

Typical risks:

  • Plant-people interface (workers struck by moving equipment),
  • Overturning, especially near edges or on weak slabs,
  • Electric shock or cable strikes during core drilling,
  • Silica dust and vibration.

4.4 Underground Services and Hidden Utilities

Hitting a live cable or pipe is one of the most dangerous events on a demolition site.

Best practice (and increasingly expected in Dubai) is to use GPR scanning services in UAE and other non-destructive methods to detect reinforcement, utilities and voids before cutting or coring. Golden Face+1

4.5 Dust, Noise, Vibration and Hazardous Materials

  • High dust levels from mechanical breaking,
  • Noise exceeding local limits, especially near residential areas, Dubai Municipality+2Dubai Municipality+2
  • Vibration affecting adjacent structures,
  • Potential presence of asbestos or other hazardous substances in older buildings. CMGuide+1

Each risk should be formally assessed via project-specific risk assessments (HIRA) and linked directly to controls in your HSE plan for demolition in Dubai.

Step 5 – Plan Controls Using the Hierarchy of Controls

Your OHSMS should demand that every control plan follows the hierarchy of controls:

  1. Elimination
    • Change the method so the hazard no longer exists (e.g., design modification instead of demolishing a risky section).
  2. Substitution
    • Use hydrodemolition instead of high-impact breakers to reduce dust, noise and vibration while preserving rebar. Arasar Group
  3. Engineering controls
    • Temporary shoring, crash decks, debris netting, physical barriers and guardrails.
  4. Administrative controls
    • Method statements, safe work procedures, training, shift planning, traffic management, permit-to-work systems.
  5. PPE
    • Helmets, eye/face protection, hearing protection, safety harnesses, respiratory protection, etc.

A mature demolition company in Dubai doesn’t just jump to PPE; it systematically works through elimination, substitution and engineering controls first.

Step 6 – Develop Project-Specific HSE Documentation

An effective occupational health and safety management system for demolition projects in Dubai must go beyond generic manuals.

For every project, you should prepare:

  • Project HSE Plan – aligned with your corporate OHSMS and local regulations,
  • Demolition Method Statement – including structural survey findings and sequence,
  • Risk Assessments (HIRA) – covering all significant activities,
  • Emergency Response Plan – fire, collapse, medical emergencies, service strikes, etc.,
  • Traffic Management Plan – when working near roads or within tight urban plots,
  • Waste Management Plan – segregation of concrete, steel, mixed debris and hazardous materials.

Stone Beam Demolition integrates all of these into a single, coherent package for each site, ensuring consistency with ISO 45001 structure and Dubai Municipality Code requirements. Lexis Middle East+3ISO+3Dubai Municipality+3

Step 7 – Implement: Roles, Competence, and Controlled Operations

7.1 Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Your OHSMS should include a responsibility matrix covering:

  • Top management and project directors,
  • Project manager and construction manager,
  • HSE manager / HSE engineer,
  • Site supervisors and foremen,
  • Plant operators, riggers and signalers,
  • Workers and subcontractors.

Each role must know:

  • What safety tasks they own,
  • What decisions they can and cannot make,
  • How they report issues or stop unsafe work.

7.2 Competence and Training

Construction sites in the UAE are often multi-lingual and multi-cultural. A strong OHSMS addresses this by:

  • Providing site induction for all personnel (including visitors),
  • Running regular toolbox talks focused on current risks (e.g., working near edges, core drilling controls, GPR scanning limitations, using hydrodemolition safely),
  • Verifying licenses and certifications for operators (cranes, MEWPs, high-reach excavators),
  • Providing task-specific training (e.g., safe setup of scaffolds, lock-out/tag-out procedures).

Stone Beam Demolition uses a combination of classroom sessions, on-site demonstrations and visual aids to ensure that training is understood — not just signed.

7.3 Operational Controls

Key elements of operational control in a demolition OHSMS include:

  • Permit-to-Work (PTW) system for high-risk activities such as:
    • Work at height,
    • Hot works,
    • Confined spaces,
    • Working near live services,
    • Lifting operations.
  • Plant and equipment management
    • Pre-use checks and periodic inspections,
    • Maintenance logs,
    • Third-party certifications where required.
  • Use of advanced techniques for safer operations
    • الهدم الآلي (الروبوتي) for tight or high-risk interiors, reducing worker exposure. Dem-Quip+1
    • Diamond cutting and core drilling for precise openings, reducing the need for heavy breaking. Rukn Shams Al Khan+2Golden Face+2
    • Hydrodemolition to remove concrete around reinforcement in bridges, slabs or piers without damaging rebar or inducing high vibration. Arasar Group
    • GPR scanning to minimise hits on embedded services and rebar. Golden Face+1

These techniques — widely used by leading demolition specialists in Dubai and the UAE — are central to Stone Beam’s approach to engineered demolition.

Step 8 – Monitor, Measure and Audit Safety Performance

An OHSMS without monitoring is just paperwork.

You should define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as:

  • Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR),
  • Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR),
  • Number of near-miss reports submitted and closed,
  • Percentage of planned inspections completed,
  • PPE compliance rates,
  • Non-conformities from internal and external audits.

Data can be collected from:

  • Daily/weekly HSE inspections,
  • Formal audits (internal and external),
  • Incident and near-miss reports,
  • Behavioural safety observations.

In Dubai, your monitoring programme should also track compliance with noise limits, dust control measures and waste segregation standards, as referenced in Dubai’s technical guidelines and green building regulations. Dubai Municipality+2Dubai Municipality+2

Step 9 – Incident Management and Continuous Improvement

Your OHSMS must include:

  • A clear process for reporting incidents and near-misses,
  • Investigation procedures to identify root causes,
  • Corrective and preventive actions,
  • Lessons learned and communication back to the workforce.

ISO 45001 puts strong emphasis on continual improvement: top management must review OHS performance, evaluate the effectiveness of controls and drive enhancements across all projects. ISO+2Cares Certification+2

For a demolition contractor in Dubai, this might translate into:

  • Rolling out an improved lifting permit after a near-miss with a suspended load,
  • Revising the demolition sequence methodology after observing unplanned structural behaviour,
  • Introducing additional training or supervision for high-risk activities like core drilling near live cables.

5. How Stone Beam Demolition Applies OHSMS Principles on Real Projects

Below are simplified case-style examples that show how a structured occupational health and safety management system for demolition projects in Dubai works in practice.

Example 1 – Full Building Demolition in a Dense Residential Area

Scenario:
A mid-rise building scheduled for complete demolition in an inner Dubai district, surrounded on three sides by occupied residential buildings and narrow streets.

OHSMS in action:

  1. Context and stakeholder analysis
    • Identify residents, local shops, building management, municipality and utility companies as key stakeholders.
  2. Structural survey and engineered method statement
    • Commission a structural engineer to survey the building, identify load-bearing elements and propose a safe top-down demolition sequence. Dubai Municipality+2Scribd+2
  3. Risk assessments & control strategy
    • Combine high-reach excavators with manual strip-out, use exclusion zones and debris netting, and sequence the works to always maintain stability.
  4. Noise & dust management
  5. Communication plan
    • Inform neighbours about the programme, complaint channels and mitigation measures.

Stone Beam’s OHSMS ensures each of these actions is documented, assigned and verified, and that the HSE plan for demolition in Dubai is consistent with the Dubai Municipality safety code.

Example 2 – Hydrodemolition of a Bridge Deck While Traffic Remains Open

Scenario:
Partial removal of a bridge deck to allow strengthening and re-profiling, with traffic still running underneath or on adjacent lanes.

OHSMS in action:

  • Risk assessment identifies high risk of falling debris, vibration damage and traffic interface issues.
  • Hydrodemolition is selected to remove concrete around rebar with minimal vibration and no heavy percussive impact, protecting the remaining structure. Arasar Group
  • Engineering controls include scaffolds, crash decks and containment screens to capture water and debris.
  • Traffic management is coordinated with authorities, with clear signage, barriers and emergency response plans.

The OHSMS links each risk to specific controls, checklists and inspection routines.

Example 3 – Selective Demolition, Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling in a Live Mall

Scenario:
Creating new openings and removing slabs inside an operating shopping mall, with tenants and customers still present in neighbouring areas.

OHSMS in action:

  • Detailed GPR scanning to confirm location of reinforcement and services before cutting. Golden Face+1
  • Use of diamond concrete cutting and core drilling instead of breakers, reducing noise and vibration. Golden Face+3Rukn Shams Al Khan+3Concrete Cutting Contractors Dubai+3
  • Work phases scheduled at night or off-peak times as per mall management requirements.
  • Strict permit-to-work system, controlled access zones and temporary partitions to protect the public.

Stone Beam combines its demolition OHSMS with fit-out and MEP coordination so that safety controls and programme constraints are fully integrated.

6. Practical Checklist: Key Elements Your OHSMS Should Cover for Demolition in Dubai

Use this checklist as a quick reference when building or auditing your OHSMS:

  1. Policy & Leadership
    • HSE policy signed by top management
    • Roles, responsibilities and authority defined
  2. Legal Compliance
  3. Planning & Risk Assessment
    • Project-specific HSE plan
    • Demolition risk assessments (HIRA) covering structural stability, plant, work at height, noise, dust, vibration and hazardous materials
  4. Demolition Method Statements (RAMS)
    • Structural survey and engineered sequence
    • Temporary works plan and traffic management plan
  5. Operational Controls
    • Permit-to-work system
    • Equipment inspection and maintenance
    • Use of advanced methods (robots, hydrodemolition, GPR scanning, diamond cutting) where they improve safety
  6. Competence & Training
    • Induction and toolbox talks
    • Verified competence for plant operators and supervisors
  7. Monitoring & Measurement
    • KPIs, inspections, audits and corrective actions
    • Noise, dust, waste and environmental monitoring where required
  8. Incident Management & Improvement
    • Reporting, investigation and root cause analysis
    • Management reviews and continuous improvement loops

7. FAQ – Common Questions About OHS Management in Demolition Projects in Dubai

1. What is an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) for demolition?

It’s a structured framework — often based on ISO 45001 — that helps a demolition contractor identify risks, comply with the Dubai Municipality safety code, control hazards and improve safety performance on every project. ISO+2Dubai Municipality+2

2. Is an OHSMS mandatory for demolition projects in Dubai?

Dubai law does not always name ISO 45001 specifically, but it does require contractors to comply with public health, safety and occupational safety legislation, with the Code of Construction Safety Practice as the main reference. Having an OHSMS is the most practical way to demonstrate compliance and maintain control. Scribd+2Lexis Middle East+2

3. What’s the difference between a corporate OHSMS and a project HSE plan?

  • The corporate OHSMS is your company-wide system – policies, procedures, templates, training framework.
  • The project HSE plan applies that system to one specific site, with its own risks, stakeholders, schedules and logistics.

A strong demolition company in Dubai uses both: the corporate system for consistency, and the project plan for local detail.

4. Do I need ISO 45001 certification for demolition services in Dubai?

Strictly speaking, not always. But many clients and consultants in the UAE now prefer or require contractors to be ISO 45001 certified, because it shows your OHSMS has been independently audited and structured according to international best practice. URS UAE+2TÜV SÜD+2

5. How does an OHSMS help with Dubai Municipality demolition permits?

A good OHSMS ensures you already have:

  • Clear method statements for demolition,
  • Risk assessments,
  • Waste management plans,
  • Traffic and public protection plans.

These documents make it faster and smoother to secure approvals and respond to queries from Dubai Municipality and other authorities. Dubai Municipality+2Scribd+2

6. Why are advanced techniques like hydrodemolition and robotic demolition important for safety?

  • Hydrodemolition drastically reduces vibration and dust, protecting nearby structures and workers. Arasar Group
  • الهدم الآلي (الروبوتي) allows remote-controlled breaking in confined or structurally sensitive areas, reducing the need for workers to stand in high-risk zones. Dem-Quip+1

An OHSMS helps you evaluate when these methods are justified and how to deploy them safely.

7. When should we use GPR scanning on a demolition or cutting job?

You should always consider GPR scanning services in UAE when:

  • Cutting slabs or walls that may contain critical utilities,
  • Coring near electrical risers, chilled water mains or data cables,
  • Working in older buildings with poor records.

Scanning reduces the chance of hitting live services and is increasingly considered best practice in Dubai. Golden Face+1

8. How can we manage demolition noise and dust in residential areas?

Use a combination of:

  • Scheduling noisy works within permitted hours under DM guidelines,
  • Using low-noise methods (diamond cutting, hydrodemolition, robotic demolition) where feasible, Arasar Group+3Dubai Municipality+3Dubai Municipality+3
  • Water misting, screening and air filtration units for dust,
  • Proactive communication with neighbours.

9. What happens if a demolition contractor in Dubai ignores safety requirements?

Consequences can include:

  • Site shutdowns from authorities or consultants,
  • Fines and legal liabilities,
  • Delays and increased cost,
  • Long-term reputational damage that affects future tenders. Clyde & Co.+2HubSpot+2

10. Why choose Stone Beam Demolition for OHS-driven demolition projects in Dubai?

Stone Beam combines:

  • A robust occupational health and safety management system for demolition projects in Dubai, aligned with ISO 45001,
  • Deep local experience with Dubai Municipality permits and safety codes,
  • Advanced methods like robotic demolition, diamond concrete cutting, core drilling, GPR scanning and hydrodemolition,
  • A culture where safety, engineering quality and programme certainty are treated as equally important KPIs.

This combination makes Stone Beam a strategic partner, not just a supplier of demolition services.

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If you’re planning a demolition project in Dubai , don’t settle for outdated methods or inflated prices. Stone Beam Demolition Company delivers

professional, compliant, and competitively priced services that align with the highest standards of the UAE capital.

Contact Stone Beam today for a fast, accurate quotation—and discover how smart demolition can support your next development, renovation, or land-clearing initiative in Dubai .

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Related Topic

  1. Demolition Company in Dubai (Service Page)
  2. Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling in Dubai
  3. GPR and Concrete Scanning Services in UAE
  4. Hydrodemolition and Low-Vibration Demolition Services
  5. Stone Beam HSE & Quality Policy Page

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