World Demolition Awards shortlist: Safety & Training

Recognising outstanding approaches to protecting and developing the demolition industry’s workforce, the category celebrates companies that have demonstrated a strong commitment to safety, training and continual improvement.

D&Ri congratulates the following companies on making the 2026 shortlist:

ADAMO DEMOLITION (US)

PROJECT: City of Detroit Commercial Blight Removal Project

Adamo Demolition

Covering five former educational and industrial properties across Detroit, the programme comprised a range of ageing and historically significant structures.

This included the 57,250 sq ft Monnier Elementary School, built in the 1920s; Oakman Elementary School, a single-storey reinforced concrete structure dating from 1929; Jamieson Elementary School; the former Burt Elementary School, a 1920s Gothic Revival-style building, and the historic Packard Automotive Plant, the 3.5 million sq ft former car manufacturing complex designed by Albert Kahn and opened in 1903.

Once covering around 40 acres and comprising approximately 80 buildings, the Packard site had become one of Detroit’s largest abandoned industrial properties.

Adamo carried out the works under the City’s ordered demolition programme, recording 11,022 working hours across the five projects without a single health and safety incident.

CARDEM (France)

PROJECT: Damaged Wind Turbine Removal Using TACLES

Cardem

The demolition of a damaged wind turbine in Trancoso, Portugal, required a methodology that minimised personnel exposure to uncertainties surrounding the rotor, nacelle, blades and structural connections.

Cardem applied its patented TACLES methodology, combining controlled traction, remote cutting and engineered collapse procedures.

A 150 m exclusion zone was established, while the traction system was installed using a drone-assisted procedure to reduce work at height.

Critical weakening was carried out using a remotely operated cutting platform equipped with computer-assisted oxy-cutting technology, allowing operators to work outside the hazard zone using live video feeds. Traction forces were continuously monitored throughout the operation, with additional fire-suppression measures in place.

Personnel also received specific training in remote cutting, risk assessment and exclusion-zone management. The demolition was completed without reportable incidents involving employees, subcontractors or members of the public.

DESPE (Italy)

PROJECT: BREATH Project, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Nerviano

The BREATH Project at the operational Chiesi Farmaceutici plant, near Milan, combined decommissioning, strip-out and structural demolition while managing multiple hazardous materials.

At peak activity, up to 400 workers and 50 contractors were involved, with risks including asbestos, man-made glass fibres, lead-based paints and contamination from active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

Despe

The safety management system was structured around three levels of control. A total of 42 project-specific RAMS documents were developed and required approval from the safety coordinator before work proceeded.

These were supported by more than 280 daily Toolbox Talks covering changing site risks and over 500 work permits for routine and specialist activities.

Site access also required completion of a safety induction and written test, while personnel received specific training in the use of Category 3 personal protective equipment.

TINY’S DEMOLITION & RECYCLING (US)

PROJECT: Vanderbilt University, Stevenson Center No 6 Demolition

The demolition of 11-storey Stevenson Center 6 in Nashville involved the top-down removal of a reinforced concrete tower directly beside occupied university and medical facilities. The 8,700 sq ft-per-floor structure was connected to an active neighbouring building at every level, requiring a full steel-framed protective screen around the tower.

Tiny’s Demolition & Recycling

The existing elevator shaft was converted into a controlled debris chute, with a secondary chute and hoist providing access and egress. Remote-controlled demolition equipment removed floors 11 to three, supported by engineered post-shoring two levels below the active work.

Vibration monitoring protected calibration-sensitive equipment in five adjacent buildings, while dust and debris monitoring and restricted working hours limited impacts on campus operations.

Floors 11 to three were removed in 33 working days, with around 400 tons of ferrous metal recovered. Almost 50,000 working hours were completed without a safety incident.

TRIFECTA SERVICES COMPANY (US)

PROJECT: CertainTeed Westrock Asbestos Abatement and Demolition

The project combined demolition and asbestos abatement of coal-fired boilers and precipitators, wood digesters, a former recycling plant and pump house within an active industrial facility.

The two-year programme averaged 12 personnel and recorded more than 21,000 working hours. Key risks included live electrical systems, an adjacent active CSX rail line, asbestos and ongoing plant operations.

Trifecta Services Company

A site-specific safety programme incorporated mandatory orientation, a mobile elevated work platform rescue plan, silica controls, electrical detection training and hot-work procedures.

Railway-specific training was also provided, with demolition taking place only a few feet from the CSX yard. When supports protecting a live cable tray began to shift, work was stopped until they were reinforced.

The project removed 2,115 tons of concrete and brick, 1,713 tons of scrap metal, 227 tons of C&D material and eight 53 ft trailers of asbestos waste, with no lost-time or restricted injuries.

The winner will be announced at the World Demolition Summit in Madrid, Spain.

BOOK now to attend the event which takes place 3–5 November.