Structural Inspection Checklist Template

It’s important because it ensures the building is still safe, has maintained its integrity, safeguards the occupants, and complies with local building regulations and international mandates. Every aspect of the inspection carries its own set of risks if not monitored, which is why regular inspections are conducted to ensure the quality and integrity of the structure.

To understand this, let’s go through the following check items of a structural safety inspection template:

Location and soil – this confirms the characteristics of the soil where the building is located. If the building is situated on marshy soil, this is considered non-compliant. Although this should be addressed during construction, it should still be checked in subsequent years in case new developments arise in neighboring locations, such as the construction of a nearby high-rise or excavation for a new subway line, which can affect soil stability or groundwater levels.

Age of building and Building Codes – this is regularly assessed as the building ages due to the natural degradation of materials, exposure to different weather conditions, and other environmental factors. It is conducted to confirm if there are any potential structural issues as the building grows older such as: if there are any old or poorly done material installations in the building as stated in the recent changes of the building code.
In consideration to building codes most countries provide provisions for when a building has undergone renovation or alteration.

Load Carrying System – this confirms if the structural system is still able to carry the load. It verifies if the concrete has not weakened, the galvanized steel roof is not rusting or there are no minor or major cracks on walls and beams.

Building Height – increased height significantly impacts the forces a building experiences, particularly gravity, seismic, and wind loads, which affect both low- and high-rise buildings. Low-rise buildings are greatly affected by extreme wind events, and the risk of wind-induced failure is particularly increased on roofs, canopies and roof overhangs-according to 2023 study by Mostafa, Zisis, and Stathopoulos. It’s a structural concern if there are two or more stories with cracked walls and beams because these may indicate compromised load-bearing capacity or potential instability. This is especially critical if the building is a tall structure and susceptible to earthquakes, which means seismic design must be considered.

Design – the building’s safety and stability are largely dependent on factors related to design such as if the structure has fire-resisting features such as fire and exit doors, escape routes, staircase depending on the local building code.

Water Damage – during structural safety inspection rainwater leaks from the roof are considered as it can cause damage inside the building leading to relevant safety concerns such as mold growth, electrical hazards or steel corrosion.

Going through each of these check items or categories enables the structural safety inspection to go beyond a visual or physical inspection and answering a yes/no assessment question. It becomes a quality-driven procedure that ensures the protection of occupants and assets inside the building and promotes continuous improvement and development of the structure.