UK’s Health and Safety Executive forced to take ‘misleading’ asbestos radio ad off air.

UK trade magazine Construction News reports that the Health and Safety Executive’s radio advertising about the number of people killed by asbestos has been ruled as misleading and will be taken off the air following an objection to the fatality statistics used.

The advertising regulator said it had received the criticism from the Asbestos Watchdog about five adverts run by the HSE warning of the dangers of asbestos exposure to tradesmen.

Read the full story here.

Campaigners have failed in their bid to save Leicester’s derelict Bowstring Bridge.

Dismantling of the derelict Bowstring Bridge in the West End of Leicester was due to start on 21 September but was put back because of engineering works. Campaigners fought to save the bridge and applied for it to have listed status but English Heritage said the structure did not meet the criteria.

Work to dismantle the bridge will start on 5 October, the city council said.

Read more here.

Chicago demolition worker escapes with minor injury after building collapse.

A Chicago demolition worker escaped with only minor injuries after being trapped for nearly an hour when a roof collapsed during a scheduled demolition Tuesday afternoon of a Menard’s store in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates.

Crews provided the 45-year-old Chicago man with a radio to communicate with emergency personnel and also cut a hole in the roof to check his air quality. The man was rescued about 4:50 p.m. and was taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, where he was treated and released within an hour, havibg suffered only minor injuries.

Click here for more details.

Houston officials decide today who gets to handle emergency demolition at Savoy Hotel.

With a huge crack opening in its facade and serious questions about its stability and integrity, the North Tower of the Savoy Hotel in Houston, Texas is set for emergency demolition starting at the end of this week. But just days before work is scheduled to begin, city officials have yet to name the contractor that will handle what promises to be a delicate and high profile contract.

Click here to view the ABC13 news video.

EDS will have to take down the Norsk Hydro plant using high reach excavators.

“Regrets? I have a few….” The biggest of which was my decision to not pay attention in my French lessons. Not only does this mean that I can order only beer and steak when I am in Paris (problematic if, like me, you’re a largely teetotal vegetarian) but it also means that I am missing some of the nuances of this article on the failed implosion of the Norsk Hydro plant in Becancour, Canada.

However, using a mixture of schoolboy French and an online translation system, it appears that the failed implosion has resulted in a call for high reach excavators to complete what the original “2,000 pounds of explosives” failed to accomplish.

French-speaking readers can see the full story here (and perhaps they’d also be kind enough to send me the French phrase for “please, I require neither meat nor wine. A fish, lightly grilled, and a Diet Coke will suffice, my good man.”)

Work to demolish a 30 metre New Jersey smokestack could begin as soon as Monday.

Plans for the demolition of Red Bank’s idle incinerator stack are moving ahead, with work expected to begin as early as Monday, borough engineer Christine Ballard tells redbankgreen.

In a press release issued today, Ballard says the 30 metre tall brick smokestack at the western end of Sunset Avenue is part of a hazardous discharge site remediation leading, possibly, to the creation of a park on the 8.5-acre property.

In addition, the receipt of some $511,000 in grants for the takedown and ground testing afterward means that the project can move ahead “without overly burdening taxpayers.”

Read the full story here.

C&D Consultancy’s John Woodward is in for a busy and LOUD week.

Explosive demolition contracts are something of a rarity these days. In fact, it’s not unusual for the UK to go months without a single blast. But by some strange quirk of timing, C&D Consultancy’s John Woodward will be involved in two in the space of just 72 hours.

On Thursday, Woodward will be on site as Lee Demolition and PDC explosives engineers carry out the demolition of two structures at the St. Regis Paper Mill, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, NP26 5XT. The blasts can be viewed from a public viewing area within the site and the blast is scheduled for noon.

On Sunday, Woodward will be breaking out the ear defenders again as AR Demolition and PDC explosives engineers demolish two chimneys at the Former Timken Works, Desford Lane, Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire.
The blasts can be viewed from a public viewing area off Desford Lane and the blast is scheduled for 11.00am. “Anyone intending to view this blast should try to get to site early as it is being filmed by BBC Television and Top Gear’s Richard Hammond will be presenting to camera on the day,” Woodward says. “Refreshments will be available for purchase on the day if you leave home before having breakfast. We hope to see you there!”

EPA releases report explaining how recycling can combat climate change

The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a report that points out steps that people can take to reduce the amount of emissions. The report, titled “Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices,” finds that 42 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions are influenced by materials management policies. This includes the impacts from extracting raw materials, food processing, and manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of products.

Read the full story here.

Dig A Crusher MD completes epic charity cycle ride.

As regular readers will know, Dig A Crusher managing director has just spent the past seven days cycling from the Northernmost to the Southernmost tip of his native Ireland to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. Saddle sore and weary, Sean has just sent us this message:

Congratulations Sean and to all your fellow riders; what a spectacular achievement.