CROSS-UK Newsletter 70

A reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) assessment was carried out by persons who did not appear to have appropriate experience, potentially putting building users at risk of harm.

Damage to combustible insulation on the external walls of a high rise residential premises was noticed from apparent combustion within the EPS element.

A reporter was called upon to review a design for the removal of a loadbearing wall during the refurbishment of a residence. A builder was already on site but had stopped work since they considered the engineering design to be unsatisfactory and the structural designer was not responding to their queries. The reporter found that the structural design being followed was far from competent.

A reporter observed inadequate fire stopping due to both ineffective installation or damage caused by follow on trades.

A reporter designing a single storey portal frame used a standard roof service loading of 0.25kN/m2. After the project was completed, a tenant for the unit took over fit out and added a considerable amount of sprinkler pipework into the roof. This created local overloading.

When visiting a client during a period of unusually hot weather, it was noted that the vast majority of the building’s fire resisting door sets were wedged open in an attempt to increase ventilation and reduce internal temperatures.

Apparently simple home improvement work, consisting of reroofing and a loft conversion, resulted in a 'near miss' with potentially dangerous conditions for neighbours.

A fire involving a fluorescent light fitting occurred in a corridor in a sheltered housing complex.

As part of their final design submission, a cladding subcontractor changed the connection strategy for their cladding system. The project structural engineer did not identify the design change and the cladding loading resulted in excessive deflection and some twisting of the primary perimeter steel.

A reporter shares multiple and various concerns about the maintenance of existing fire safety measures during a period of building work, as well as the approach taken to manage building evacuation for persons with reduced mobility (PRM).