vdis10011 restoration interiors 2 lecture 2: oh&s for heritage buildings

VDIS10011 Restoration Interiors 2 Lecture 2:

OH&S for Heritage Buildings Ramona Solomon

Workplace Health and Safety for Heritage Buildings

Incorpora(ng the requirements of current Occupa(onal Health and Safety legisla(ve requirements with a heritage building can be challenging to say the least, as such buildings were constructed at a (me when persons were expected to assume their own risk and, as such, were more likely to avoid hazards. Although it is s(ll a requirement for a person to avoid hazards, it is no longer acceptable as the only form of risk control. Current Occupa(onal Health and Safety legisla(on requires people who carry out ac(vi(es involving heritage buildings to ac(vely manage health and safety risks from the design stage throughout the life cycle of the building to the end user.


In general, building codes and regula(ons are for the construc(on of new buildings and structures, they are also applied to exis(ng buildings when they are subject to significant renova(on or a change in use. Building codes and regula(ons mainly focus on safety and health in the areas of fire, structural failure, indoor air quality and hygiene, and not necessarily within the tradi(onal realms of Occupa(onal Health and Safety. Building regula(ons play an important role in protec(ng the community from catastrophic losses with requirements to mi(gate losses resul(ng from fire, structural collapse and natural hazards. They also address issues associated to the protec(on of human rights such as access to buildings for persons with physical disabili(es. The eight-‐storey commercial building that collapsed in Bangladesh on April 24 highlights the importance of Building codes and regula(ons. These, however, do not necessarily aim at mi(ga(ng losses or harm from end user hazards (occupa(onal), but direct the majority of their intent at the mi(ga(on of a major hazard (the one-‐off catastrophic).


Clients, developers, building owners, occupiers, design professionals such as architects, engineers, industrial designers, health and safety professionals, construc(on workers and users all have a role in the iden(fica(on and control of the exis(ng latent hazards. A safe work environment and effec(ve safety outcomes do not happen by chance or by guesswork planning but through the effec(ve coordina(on of all the relevant stakeholders. Each stakeholder must ensure they are aware which of their ac(vi(es are likely to harm people. It is important to understand what could go wrong, what the consequences could be and to inform those that could be impacted.


Risks associated with heritage buildings should be iden(fied and addressed following a systema(c process including: •  Iden(fying hazards – what could cause harm?

•  Assessing risks – how serious the harm could be and the likelihood of it happening?

•  Controlling risks – implement an effec(ve control measure that is reasonably prac(cable

•  Reviewing control measures to ensure they are working as planned.

This process should be documented and shared between the stakeholders as informa(on transfer is key in the effec(ve management of risk.


Areas that pose high risk to all users include: •  Exi(ng base building electrical wiring

•  Walk ways and stair cases

•  Indoor air quality

•  Use of hazardous material (asbestos, PCBs, Lead Paint etc)

•  Manual handling and ergonomics

•  Fire

•  Structural failure The objec(ve is to achieve a maximal level of protec(on for the health and safety of the building occupants while minimising the impact on the heritage significance of any given building.


There will be no one solu(on to a problem. Different buildings will have varying levels and items of heritage significance and exist within different seZngs and environments, and there may well be a range of possible solu(ons. Each case will need to be assessed on its own merits and the most prac(cable set of solu(ons found. Very li\le a\en(on is given to this issue in the literature readily available regarding refurbishment of buildings of heritage significance. A mul(tude of publica(ons and guidelines in preserving heritage buildings, or modifica(ons in this area which address environmental sustainability and access for people with disabili(es, however scant considera(on to Occupa(onal Health and Safety is generally offered.

1 . Retain the original character of the house. This means preserving its original appearance and interior features. It’s best not to remove or rearrange doors and windows unless it is absolutely necessary. Work with what is available. Use design skills to disguise any features that may have proportion or placement problems. Only when the design or requirement of the building’s new use dictates changes should doors, windows and interior features be replaced or removed.

Guidelines for restorers and renovators when dealing with Heritage buildings.

2 . Don't 'over-restore'. Make sure the house still looks like an old building after you've finished the job. Some restored houses look like new buildings.


3 . For major external and internal work stick to materials that were used when your house was built. This rules out modern building materials such as concrete blocks, metal-framed windows and so on. Some unobtrusive use of modern materials, such as laminates in the kitchen, is often necessary.


4 . Details are important. This includes the type of decorative glass, moldings on doors, hardware, light fittings and so forth. To explain the reference to glass, you don't introduce leadlight into a building which has never been fitted with it.


5 . Understand and respect as far as possible the original uses of rooms. Sometimes changes are necessary but try not to alter the interior so completely that all trace of the original interior plan is lost.


6 . Some houses were never meant to have en-suite bathrooms. Introducing an en-suite to a small house or cottage may cause serious damage to the original character of the building.


7 . Old houses really come to life when painted in fashionable colours of the period and in the manner of the period. Stick to colours and colour schemes that are known to have been used on houses of your period.


8 . Floors are best finished in the manner of the period in which your house was built. Avoid too much use of the floor-sander, perhaps limiting it to kitchens and lesser rooms. Modern polyurethane finishes should be avoided. Use finishes such as japan and tung-oil.


9 . Fences are very important in enhancing the overall appearance of your property. Look at genuine old fences; observe the way they are designed and constructed and give your contractor detailed, preferably written and/or drawn, instructions on your requirements.


10 . Garden design and plantings, especially in the front garden, will best complement your work on the building if you keep it in period with the house. Use plants and garden layouts of the time. Look at original gardens to understand the type of surface used on paths and driveways.


11 . Additions and alterations should be in the manner and materials of the period in which your house was built. Extra living space is often best obtained by rear extensions. Hilly terrain often makes it possible to fit new rooms underneath, at the rear of the house, by excavating. Avoid jacking-up timber cottages on level blocks because the result is often most unfortunate.


vdis10011 restoration interiors 2 lecture 2: oh&s for heritage buildings

Design

workplace health

heritage buildings risks

heritage buildings clients

safety professionals

safety legislaon

current occupaonal health

weremorelikelytoavoid

end user hazards occupaonal