Verify Utility Disconnects Before Starting Structural Demolition
domain: osha.gov · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Contact each utility (electric, gas, water, steam, sewer, telecom) in advance and request formal shutoff, capping, or control of service lines outside the building line, per OSHA 1926.850(c).
Obtain and retain written confirmation from each utility (work order, disconnect notice, field tag) as documented evidence of the shutoff.
Physically verify each utility is de-energized/off at the site — lock-out/tag-out on electrical, physical gas cap, visual confirmation on water/sewer — before demolition starts.
If any utility must stay active during demolition, ensure it is temporarily relocated and physically protected per 1926.850(d).
Test for and purge any hazardous chemicals, gases, or flammable residues that may remain in pipes or tanks per 1926.850(e), documenting the results before proceeding.
Known gotchas
A utility company's confirmation that a disconnect was 'requested' or 'scheduled' is not the same as a verified physical disconnect at the site — confirm in person.
Old or abandoned lines not on current utility maps (legacy gas, oil, or electric feeds) are a frequent incident cause; treat unmapped lines as live until proven otherwise.
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