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CROSS Topic Paper

Assessment and inspection of buildings

Region: CROSS-UK Published: 1 September 2010


Overview

SCOSS has been concerned for some time (2003) at the potential for deterioration of buildings and other facilities during their working lives such that there results an inadequate reserve of strength against collapse of the whole or part of the structure.

Designers have a professional duty of care to consider, at the time of their design, the implications of their decisions over the lifespan of the facility. This duty is supplemented by the parallel statutory responsibility emanating from Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and further supplemented in the Workplace Regulations in respect of ‘solidity and stability’.

There are a number of recommendations for designers to consider including consideration of the legislative position.

Note: this Topic Paper was published by SCOSS (Standing Committee on Structural Safety). Since March 2021, SCOSS is integrated under the name Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS).

Who should read this?

Principal Designers, civil and structural engineers.

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