An industrial strip out removes everything inside a factory, warehouse or plant that is not the building’s structure: machinery, services, partitions, linings, flooring and fixtures. The work runs in a fixed order: survey and hazardous materials, approvals and notification, service isolation, site set-up, soft strip, plant and fixture removal, waste sorting, final clean and handover. Skip or reorder a stage and you risk regulator delays, asbestos exposure or a site that cannot be signed off. Below is the sequence as it applies in Australia, with what each stage needs from you as owner, manager or developer.
TL;DR
- An industrial strip out takes a building back to its shell or a “make good” condition. It is not structural demolition, though it is often the first stage of one.
- Hazardous materials come first. Asbestos must be identified by a competent person and removed by a licensed removalist before disturbing work begins.
- Essential services must be isolated and proven dead, and notifiable work needs written notice to the WHS regulator at least 5 days beforehand.
- Waste has to be classified, sorted and sent to lawful facilities, and the paperwork becomes part of your handover record.
- Duration depends on floor area, plant size, hazardous materials and access, so the programme is set after a site inspection.
Table of Contents
- What an industrial strip out covers
- The industrial strip out process, stage by stage
- How long does an industrial strip out take?
- Who does what: owner, principal contractor and removalist
- Perspective
- Plan your industrial strip out with Mission Demolition
- FAQ
- Sources
What an industrial strip out covers
A strip out is the removal of non-structural elements so the space can be reused, refitted, sold, leased back to the landlord or prepared for demolition. In an industrial setting that usually means:
- production lines, conveyors, process equipment and racking
- mezzanines, internal offices, partitions and ceilings
- electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and fire services
- floor coatings, slab toppings and fixed fixtures
- insulation, linings and roof sheeting where they are part of the scope
The line between strip out and demolition matters because the regulatory treatment differs. SafeWork NSW defines demolition work as high risk construction work that includes demolishing or dismantling a structure, or a part of it that relates to the structure’s physical integrity. Removing a load-bearing element, or work that affects stability, moves a job from a pure strip out into that category, with the obligations that follow. A competent contractor works out which side of the line each task sits on before pricing it.
Our own strip out demolition guide covers the basics for commercial buildings. This article focuses on the industrial end, where scale, plant and hazardous materials shape the process.
The industrial strip out process, stage by stage
1. Site inspection and scoping
Everything starts with a walk-through. The contractor records what is in the building, what stays, what is salvageable and what is hazardous. Photographs of the pre-start condition protect both sides later. You should leave this stage with a written scope that states the end condition: shell only, slab cleared, services capped, or ready for the next fit-out.
Tell the contractor early about anything unusual: past chemical storage, process tanks, pits, lead paint, old refrigeration, or sealed areas nobody has opened for years. Industrial sites carry surprises that change the programme.
2. Hazardous materials survey and asbestos
This is the stage that most often decides whether a project runs on time. SafeWork NSW’s demolition code of practice requires asbestos at a workplace, or assumed to be present, to be identified by a competent person. The person in charge of the demolition or refurbishment must assume asbestos is present unless it has been identified otherwise, and must have asbestos likely to be disturbed removed before the work starts. High risk work that disturbs asbestos needs a safe work method statement.
In practice:
- Check the asbestos register. If there is none, a competent person inspects the structure. SafeWork NSW lists this as a practical step before beginning.
- Include the usual industrial suspects: roof sheeting, wall cladding, pipe lagging, gaskets, switchboard backing, vinyl floor tiles and the adhesive beneath them.
- Engage a licensed asbestos removalist. Safe Work Australia’s model code states that asbestos removal work must be carried out by a licensed removalist, subject to the exceptions the WHS Regulations specify.
- Expect a clearance inspection and certificate before anyone re-occupies the area. Where air monitoring is used, the same code says results must show asbestos below 0.01 fibres per millilitre before a certificate can be issued. We explain what that figure means in our guide to asbestos clearance levels.
If you want the full sequence for the asbestos side, see removing asbestos before demolition. For NSW rules specifically, our NSW asbestos removal regulations guide and the page on five days’ notice for asbestos removalists go deeper.
Other hazardous materials, such as residual chemicals, oils, refrigerants and lead-based paint, are identified in the same survey. Under NSW rules, waste you cannot classify can default to hazardous, which raises disposal cost. Our piece on NSW’s hazardous by default rule explains how to avoid that.
3. Approvals, notification and the method statement
Requirements differ by state and territory, and planning approval and WHS notification are separate obligations that can both apply. A summary of Australian demolition notification reports that NSW expects a development application or complying development certificate with 5 days’ notice, Victoria requires a building permit, Queensland needs development approval with 5 days’ notice, and Western Australia sets 5, 10 or 15 working days depending on the method. Treat that as a pointer and confirm the current position with the regulator and your local council.
The model baseline is clear. The Model Code of Practice: Demolition Work requires written notice to the WHS regulator at least 5 days before notifiable demolition work starts. Notifiable work includes demolishing a structure or load-bearing part at least 6 metres high, work using load-shifting machinery on a suspended floor, and work involving explosives.
For Sydney sites, our demolition permits guide sets out what councils and certifiers look for. A well-written method statement also prevents back-and-forth with regulators, which is why we publish a demolition method statement template.
In NSW, the demolition management plans lodged with major projects reference the Code of Practice: Demolition Work and AS 2601, the Australian Standard for demolition of structures, together with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Regulation 2017, as the NSW Planning Portal plan shows.
4. Service isolation
Nothing gets cut, lifted or dismantled until the building’s services are dealt with. The model demolition code lists essential services as gas, water, sewerage, telecommunications, electricity, chemicals, fuel and refrigerant in pipes or lines. Lines not needed for the work must be shut off, capped or otherwise controlled at or outside the building line before work starts, and the utility agency notified in advance (Safe Work Australia).
Industrial sites add complexity: three-phase supply, gas mains to process equipment, compressed air, steam, trade waste and fire services that may need to stay live for a while. Get written confirmation of each disconnection. Our guide to proving service disconnection in NSW lists the certificates you should hold before the machines arrive.
5. Site set-up and exclusion zones
Now the site becomes a controlled work area. The NSW demolition management plan sequence begins with receiving handover of the site and signing off services, then site induction, demarcating the site and defining exclusion zones, and installing environmental controls. Expect:
- fencing or hoarding, signage and physical barricades
- site induction for every worker and visitor
- dust, noise and stormwater controls
- designated drop zones, laydown areas and waste bin positions
- traffic and loading arrangements, which matter on busy industrial estates
6. Soft strip
With hazardous materials out and services isolated, the soft strip begins. This is the removal of everything that comes away without cutting into structure: ceiling tiles, linings, internal partitions, floor coverings, light fittings, cabling and ductwork. The same planning-portal sequence places the soft strip after removal of hazardous materials and creation of drop zones, and before any mechanical demolition.
Work top down and outside in where possible, so debris does not fall onto finished areas and exit routes stay clear. Non-load-bearing partitions go before anything that supports them.
7. Plant, racking and equipment removal
This is the part that makes an industrial job different from an office strip out. Heavy machinery has to be disconnected, drained, decontaminated if needed, then cut down or lifted out. Racking is dismantled in a planned order. Mezzanines and gantries come down in sections.
Decide up front who owns the equipment. Some plant has resale or scrap value, some must go back to a lessor, and some carries residual fluids that make it hazardous waste. Settle ownership and salvage rights in writing before work starts. Concrete cutting is often needed here to free bolted-down machinery or remove plinths and pits, and we cover the options in our concrete cutting methods guide.
8. Waste sorting, recycling and disposal
A strip out generates a lot of mixed material. The NSW EPA toolkit says construction and demolition waste must be reused or disposed of lawfully, and recommends a waste management plan covering classification, estimated quantities, reuse options, suitable receival sites and the path from generation to reuse, recycling or disposal.
Sorting at source keeps costs down and keeps you compliant. Typical streams include:
| Stream | Typical handling |
|---|---|
| Scrap metal and steel | Segregated for recycling |
| Concrete and masonry | Crushed and reused where suitable |
| Timber and plasterboard | Separated, since mixing reduces recyclability |
| Electrical and cabling | Stripped and recycled |
| Asbestos-containing waste | Wrapped, labelled and taken to a facility licensed to receive it |
| Liquids and chemicals | Classified, then sent to an appropriate treatment facility |
The NSW EPA’s standards for managing construction waste also expect facilities to sort and inspect waste and keep inspected waste separate from other loads. That is one more reason to arrive with loads already separated.
9. Final clean and handover
The last stage is a final clean and an inspection against the agreed end condition. Our final site clean guide covers what owners and developers should expect. If asbestos was present, no one re-enters the cleared area until the clearance inspection and certificate are in hand.
Ask for a handover pack. A consultancy framework for industrial asset transition describes a complete close-out record as including waste documentation, environmental validation, regulatory compliance evidence, service disconnection certificates, as-built information and a residual risk register. For a typical strip out, a sensible pack contains:
- waste dockets and recycling records
- asbestos register update and clearance certificate, where relevant
- service disconnection confirmations
- photographs from before and after the work
- copies of notifications, permits and the method statement
- any structural or temporary works documentation
The NSW plan’s own sequence closes with removing rubble and rubbish, handover and demobilisation, so that is also the order of events on site.
How long does an industrial strip out take?
There is no honest single number. Duration is driven by floor area and building height, the amount and weight of plant, how much asbestos or other hazardous material must be removed first, whether services can be isolated quickly, access for trucks and cranes, and how many waste streams must be sorted. Approvals and notice periods also sit in front of the physical work, so build them into your programme from the start.
Hazardous materials are the biggest swing factor. Licensed asbestos removal, and the clearance inspection afterwards, must finish before the following trades can enter the affected area. A site with a clean survey moves faster than one where contamination is found halfway through.
The practical answer is to get a site inspection, then a written programme with stage durations. For retail and office examples of programme structure, see our retail strip out process and office strip out process guides.
Who does what: owner, principal contractor and removalist
Responsibility is shared, and unclear roles cause delays. As the person in control of the site, you will usually need to supply existing drawings, the asbestos register, service information and access. The demolition contractor manages the strip out, the safe work method statements, the exclusion zones and the waste. A licensed removalist handles asbestos. A competent person and, for some work, an independent assessor handle identification and clearance.
One point to understand: an approved code of practice is not itself the law, but regulators can cite it in notices. In the ACT, for example, the Safe Demolition Work Code of Practice says an inspector may refer to it in a direction, improvement or prohibition notice, and failure to comply with such a notice is an offence. Following the code is the safe route in every jurisdiction.
Perspective
Most strip out delays we see were decided before anyone picked up a tool. A missing asbestos register, services nobody has proved dead, or a scope that never said what “finished” means: each one stops a crew on day one.
Our view is that the process works best when one team carries it end to end: inspection, approvals, utility disconnections, licensed asbestos work, the strip itself, waste handling and the final clean. When those hand-offs sit with a single contractor, the paperwork lines up with the physical work, and you get a handover pack you can file instead of chase.
That is how we set up our industrial and commercial jobs. We start with the hazardous materials, because everything else depends on them, and we write the end condition into the scope so there is no argument at handover.
Tarek
Plan your industrial strip out with Mission Demolition
We handle industrial and commercial strip outs, site clearance, concrete cutting and licensed asbestos work, including approvals, utility disconnections, hazardous waste handling and the final site clean. If you have a factory, warehouse or plant to clear, start with our industrial demolition and site clearance services.
For internal fit-outs and refurbishments, see our interior strip out services in Sydney. If asbestos is a concern, our asbestos inspection and testing is the place to begin. Tell us about the site and we will tell you what the process looks like for it.
FAQ
Is an industrial strip out the same as demolition?
No. A strip out removes non-structural items and fit-out, while demolition work in the regulatory sense includes dismantling a structure or a part that relates to its physical integrity. Many projects combine both, with the strip out first. Your contractor should state which tasks fall under which obligations.
Do I need to test for asbestos before a strip out?
Yes, in practice. The SafeWork NSW code expects asbestos to be identified by a competent person or assumed present, and removed before demolition or refurbishment work that could disturb it. Check the asbestos register first, and have a competent person inspect if none exists.
Do I need to notify the regulator?
Often. The model code requires written notice at least 5 days before notifiable demolition work, such as work on a structure or load-bearing part at least 6 metres high. State rules differ, so confirm with your WHS regulator and council before you set a start date.
What happens to the waste?
It is classified, sorted and sent to facilities that can lawfully receive it. In NSW the EPA expects waste to be reused or disposed of lawfully, with a waste management plan covering classification, quantities and receival sites. Asbestos waste goes to a facility licensed for it.
What documents should I receive at handover?
Expect waste records, service disconnection confirmations, before and after photographs, permits and notifications, and an asbestos clearance certificate where asbestos was removed. Agree the list in your contract so it is part of the job, not an afterthought.
Sources
- Demolition | SafeWork NSW
- Code of Practice: Demolition work | SafeWork NSW
- Model Code of Practice: How to safely remove asbestos | Safe Work Australia
- Model Code of Practice: Demolition Work | Safe Work Australia
- Demolition Notification in Australia | HSE Direct
- Demolition management plan | NSW Planning Portal
- Construction and demolition waste: A management toolkit | NSW EPA
- Standards for managing construction waste in NSW | NSW EPA
- A Practical Framework for Industrial Asset Transition | Professional Projects
- Safe Demolition Work Code of Practice | ACT Legislation Register
