Perhaps the most expensive projects that people take on are construction projects. Sometimes, these are very high in cost, and also very important in how they affect their local communities. They may also take a long time to finish, even up to two years. As built structures, they are regarded as permanent. This is why problems arising in the building or use of the completed structure should always be properly investigated through construction deficiency investigations in order to understand how they came about.
Despite the massive costs involved in large construction projects, and despite their important nature, sometimes disasters do happen. Buildings collapse or structures partially fail. This is, of course, hazardous to their users and residents. Other issues, such as inoperative electric installations, are also sometimes encountered. At such times, the investigation into what went wrong needs to take into account some critical items.
As a preliminary step, it is necessary to determine whether the project passed through the required stages of planning and commencement. Firstly, was municipal approval supplied? Did the plans get sent to the local authority for assessment and approval? If so, did the builder stay with what was approved? The absence of approval is serious because in some instances the authorities may actually propose demolition of unapproved structures or additions.
There is also the reality that the use of unapproved drafts or plans is illegal and constitutes an offense. The criminal contractor can be taken to court and sentenced there. This usually amounts to a fine, but if the structure then goes on to exhibit weaknesses, faults or even collapse, the penalty may be far harsher, since there was legally no permission to erect it.
Building regulations are non-negotiable and should not be deviated from. Any contractor who does this is guilty of an offense. It is not accurate to assume that the regulations are merely concerned with aesthetic taste or historical guidelines. They are more usually an attempt to ensure safety and ignoring them can potentially jeopardize the entire structure.
Then there are the materials used. This is more technical issue, and not one which the layperson can properly assess. Untrained workers do not know how to choose the right materials for the job. As an example, concrete presents technical questions to the contractor. Are they using enough concrete? Are the foundations deep enough? Does the concrete need to have steel reinforcing bars? All of these factors affect the strength of the structure. Yet they are basic engineering questions that the contractor should be able to answer.
Another issue concerning the workers is their level of qualification. Were they qualified to perform the tasks that they had in the project? Experience is not enough. The authorities may require that all workers are adequately qualified to work on the project, and may then take a dim view of the project if unqualified workers were employed there.
All of these issues need to be resolved by the investigator(s), in addition to the technical questions about the disaster. Sometimes, it is obvious to all parties involved how the structure failed, but the reason behind the incorrect building work or deficient materials is what the authorities, and society at large, are more interested in.
Despite the massive costs involved in large construction projects, and despite their important nature, sometimes disasters do happen. Buildings collapse or structures partially fail. This is, of course, hazardous to their users and residents. Other issues, such as inoperative electric installations, are also sometimes encountered. At such times, the investigation into what went wrong needs to take into account some critical items.
As a preliminary step, it is necessary to determine whether the project passed through the required stages of planning and commencement. Firstly, was municipal approval supplied? Did the plans get sent to the local authority for assessment and approval? If so, did the builder stay with what was approved? The absence of approval is serious because in some instances the authorities may actually propose demolition of unapproved structures or additions.
There is also the reality that the use of unapproved drafts or plans is illegal and constitutes an offense. The criminal contractor can be taken to court and sentenced there. This usually amounts to a fine, but if the structure then goes on to exhibit weaknesses, faults or even collapse, the penalty may be far harsher, since there was legally no permission to erect it.
Building regulations are non-negotiable and should not be deviated from. Any contractor who does this is guilty of an offense. It is not accurate to assume that the regulations are merely concerned with aesthetic taste or historical guidelines. They are more usually an attempt to ensure safety and ignoring them can potentially jeopardize the entire structure.
Then there are the materials used. This is more technical issue, and not one which the layperson can properly assess. Untrained workers do not know how to choose the right materials for the job. As an example, concrete presents technical questions to the contractor. Are they using enough concrete? Are the foundations deep enough? Does the concrete need to have steel reinforcing bars? All of these factors affect the strength of the structure. Yet they are basic engineering questions that the contractor should be able to answer.
Another issue concerning the workers is their level of qualification. Were they qualified to perform the tasks that they had in the project? Experience is not enough. The authorities may require that all workers are adequately qualified to work on the project, and may then take a dim view of the project if unqualified workers were employed there.
All of these issues need to be resolved by the investigator(s), in addition to the technical questions about the disaster. Sometimes, it is obvious to all parties involved how the structure failed, but the reason behind the incorrect building work or deficient materials is what the authorities, and society at large, are more interested in.
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