It’s been a very strange couple of years in all aspects of life, not just in the demolition industry, and its effects are likely to continue into 2022. The construction industry has recently seen great fluctuation, with a stark increase of activity in November that followed a summer of long deliveries. This then begs the question as to whether the demolition industry has seen the same pattern? Well, the demolition industry has been extremely busy for large parts of the year; however, contractors saw a lot of hesitancy within the two middle quarters of 2021. From demolition in Sussex to Queensland, below is an outlook of the demolition industry in 2022.
Supply Chain Issues
The pandemic, the friction between Russia and the West, and even Brexit have all had an impact on the demolition industry. These issues have led to labour shortages, with EU nationals returning to their home countries. On top of this, there has been a significant reduction in the number of job searches from EU nationals for jobs abroad. As a result, there is a new need to recruit demolition staff that the industry never experienced before. Similarly, the next generation of demolition professionals need to be trained, taking up further time and resource. Consequently, there is still uncertainty that will prevail in the coming year.
The Impact of the Pandemic
Due to the resilience and adaptability of the demolition industry, it was able to continue throughout the pandemic. Demolition mostly takes place outside with individuals operating the machinery on a solo basis, meaning that it was easy to implement measures that allow for safety. Despite this, these didn’t come without a cost.
Since demolition is and always has been a safety-driven industry, it’s well-equipped to quickly respond to new risks and combat these risks before they present themselves as an issue. If it wasn’t for this adaptability, the demolition industry would have certainly suffered more at the hands of the pandemic.
Health and Safety Challenges
Quite simply, in the absence of controlled measures, the demolition industry would be extremely dangerous. In the wider industry, severe injury and, in extreme cases, death will occur, meaning that the best practices need to be executed at all times to avoid these fatalities.
Guidance regarding the industry is under constant review and revision to implement new measures that limit incidents and optimise safe practice. At the same time, demolition staff undergo regular training in order to keep certification updated. This is to ensure that accidents don’t occur as a result of misunderstanding or ignorance. During the pandemic, the focus on safety was taken one step further through the instalment of warning signals, mechanical safety and cut out systems, exclusion zones, and signage, as well as the wearing of PPE.
Foreseen Challenges
The issues with the supply chain will likely continue in the coming months, as well as the economic struggles. Despite this, we must also consider the environmental factors as we assess the upcoming year. Many industries, including the industry, are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. For instance, the industry is looking to remove the use of red diesel, as this is a pollutant that has a detrimental effect on the environment. This pressure not only stems from official legislation, but clients and developers are also becoming more environmentally conscious. Consequently, the industry must grow to fit the values of their clientele.
The demolition industry is one of many that has been affected by an array of external factors. What do you think is to come for the demolition industry?