Real-Life Communication
Building demolition experts need to develop communication skills.
"They're becoming more important every day," says Mike Taylor, current vice-president
of the National Association of Demolition Contractors (NADC). He says that
communication skills can make the difference when you're having problems with
a client or a feisty contractor.
But there are other times when good
communication skills are essential. For example, suppose there is an emergency
like a fire or flood on the site. "You've got to deal with the media, government
agencies, and the public," Taylor says. "Not to mention your own workers.
What are you going to tell them?"
You are a building demolition expert
who specializes in implosions. Instead of using cranes and a wrecking ball
to demolish a building, you rely on dynamite. The dynamite is strategically
placed in holes in the columns of the building. All the dynamite is wired
to a blasting machine.
When the button on the blasting machine is pushed,
the dynamite ignites and the columns explode. The building crumbles in upon
itself. The entire process takes mere seconds.
Your company has been
hired to demolish a hospital by implosion. This is a more difficult job than
usual, since the hospital is located in the middle of a large community. You
must take extra precautions to ensure that the homes and businesses nearby
aren't damaged by the blast.
The implosion is one week away. Nearly
all the preparation work for the blast is complete. Your team has drilled
holes in the columns where the dynamite sticks will be placed. Several test
blasts have been successfully completed.
Your team has prepared the
plastic sheeting that will be draped over the nearby houses to prevent dust
(which could contain asbestos) from collecting on them. You have also set
up metal containers in the parking lot of the hospital to absorb some of the
shock from the blast and avoid broken windows.
Your final task before
the blast date is to speak with the local residents. Accompanying your blast
team, you visit nearby homes to answer any questions people have about the
implosion.
Several people say that they are worried that the blast
will damage their homes. "What if my plaster cracks or the windows break?"
they ask you. What can you say to reassure them?