Accreditation of demolition companies in Germany
20/04/2015
The accreditation of demolition companies in Germany is given by RAL Gütezeichen Abbrucharbeiten E.V., an independent association set up in 2004 to enable a neutral evaluation of quality services in the demolition industry.
The association assures the quality of demolition services and awards the RAL Quality Mark for Demolition Work (RAL-GZ 509) to tested and recognised companies.
The requirements for obtaining the RAL Quality Mark for Demolition Work are laid down in the quality and test regulations which can be viewed by anybody.
In addition to regular self-monitoring, compliance with the criteria is also checked by qualified and experienced external monitors who are exclusively instructed by the Quality Association to check the commercial and technical processes in the member companies.
The external monitors are also trained and provided with further skills at regular intervals by the RAL Quality Mark for Demolition Work.
A dedicated Quality Committee, which is made up of RAL certified demolition companies, decides on the basis of the external monitors’ test results whether a Quality Mark for Demolition Work is awarded.
There are seven different levels of accreditation:
- HA 1 (High-rise demolition 1): Demolition of buildings with a height of up to 10 m (32 ft)
- HA 2 (High-rise demolition 2): Demolition of buildings with a height of up to 20 m (65 ft)
- HA 3 (High-rise demolition 3): Demolition of building with a height of more than 20 m (65 ft) or where the distance to the adjoining properties is less than ½ the height of the building to be demolished.
- AB (Demolition of parts of buildings): Demolition of individual parts of buildings (walls, ceilings, etc.)
- AK (Demolition in contaminated areas): Demolition work in areas which have been contaminated by hazardous substances and with increased requirements with regard to safety.
- AB (Demolition of parts of buildings): Concrete drilling, sawing, to sum up, as AB but including creating breakthroughs and cuts in buildings and parts of buildings.
- HA 3 (Demolition blasting): As HA 3, but by blasting.
The German Demolition Association (Deutscher Abbruchverband, DA), member of EDA, is actively involved on the development of this standard, as partner of the accreditation scheme.
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