Inspection Flashcards
Walk me through RICS Surveying Safely - contents, key principles and concepts.
The following key principles and concepts:
- Personal responsibilities – ensure to stick to corporate policies/ up to date training, respond appropriately. Safe person concept – each individual has responsibility of their own, their colleagues and others health and safety at work.
- corporate responsibilities – raining in place, safe work place and equipment, competent staff, safe systems of work, staff responsible for policies and procedures in place, firm has a health and safety policy statement setting down objectives and arrangements.
- Assessing risks and hazards/ hierarchy of risk control
Identify
Who may be harmed
Evaluate risk
Record and implement
Review
Advise all those who could be at risk of what they are and the measurements
Risks could be: vibration, noise, working at height, lone working, toxic/ hazardous materials … - Hierarchy of risk control - Dynamic risk assessment - Risk assessment matrix - Place of work – could be the car, office, public transport and on site inspections. Depending on how long an individual is here for they may require: o Access to toilet facilities o Drinking water o Space for storage o Area free from hazards
- Occupational hygiene and health o Stress o Violence, bullying, harassment o RSI’s o Asbestos o Noise induced hearing loss o Diseases o Expectant mothers o Sun protection
- Visiting premises o Pre-assessment of the likely hazards to be encountered o Collect as much info as possible from the client or manager o Checklist in place Travel Lone working Condition of prop Occupation of site Activity of sire Site rules Roofs Heights Dangerous substances Diseases Equipment - Fire safety o Extensive guidance of local law and regulations on fire safety o Three main things if separate cannot occur: Ignition Source of fuel Oxygen
o Describe the desk-based risk assessment you would undertake prior to embarking on an inspection? What are some features of a pre-inspection risk assessment?
Pre-assessment of the likely hazards to be encountered, this can follow a generic inspection checklist guide for the firm whereby as much information as possible is collected from the client or management of the site.
o Checklist in place Travel Lone working Condition of prop Occupation of site Activity on site Site rules Roofs Heights Dangerous substances Diseases Equipment
o Other than pre-assessment checks, what else does Surveying Safely suggest you should do to keep safe on site?
o Be aware of what to look for regarding structural instabilities
• look out for glass, timbers and sharp objects
• avoid going on roofs unless safe to do so
• vigilant of unsecured services such as cables, gas, water
• falls from height
• slip and trip
• condoms, needles and crack
• contamination – asbestos, leads, chemicals leaking
• weather
• vermin
o What is/are: ‘safe person’ concept; hierarchy of risk control; dynamic risk assessment?
o Yourself, colleagues and others – safe person concept
o Always revaluating the environment, still safe to carry out inspection, can everyone get out If there is an emergency – dynamic risk assessment
o Hierarchy of risk control
o Elimination – redesign activity
o Substitution – replace work process with a less hazardous one
o How do inspections of retail/commercial/industrial differ?
They are all occupied differently, commercial such as offices may pose very few risks comparatively to a warehouse or factory with equipment and machinery, retail is occupied by the public.
o What is PPE and when might you need each item?
Personal protective equipment, it should be used when other measures to control risks aren’t suitable.
o Gloves, respirator, helmet, footwear, hi vis, ear defenders, eye protection, lighting
o Other than PPE, what else do you take on inspection?
o Mobile o Camera o Laser o Pen, paper o Supporting documents or plans
o What scale is a Registered Title Plan?
1:1250
o Building construction, pathology and common defects
o Solid wall construction – Flemish bond to tie together
o Cavity wall construction – two layers of brick tied together with metal ties if wall is 270mm chances are you have a cavity wall, if slowing brickwork are all stretchers then likely to be cavity. Problems of cavity walls is that the metal ties rust from damp. Signs of this is horizontal cracks, bulging walls and collapse
o Why is it necessary or important to note the age of a building?
o May indicate if any deleterious or hazardous materials are at the property
o What common defects are you aware of?
o Movement
o Water
o Defective/ deterioration of building materials
How would you differentiate types of cracks? What would subsidence cracks look like? What would cavity wall-tie failure cracks look like?
o Problems of cavity walls is that the metal ties rust from damp. Signs of this is horizontal cracks, bulging walls and collapse
o Subsidence when vertical downward movement cause by loss of support from foundations from underlying changes in ground conditions. Indicated by vertical cracks, cracks radiating from doors and windows, windows and doors jamming, and cracks in solid floors
o How can you tell whether an outer wall is solid or cavity?
Flemish bond would indicate a solid wall as well as a property before the 1920’s when cavity walls became widespread. If the wall is over 270mm it is likely to be cavity.
o What is hazardous material?
o Material harmful to human health:
Asbestos – only fully banned in 1999
Jappy not weed – allowing it to spread is a criminal offence under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 plus you can get an ASBO
• Willimas v Network Rail 2018 court of appeal held that Network rail was liable to the reduced enjoyment of the neighbouring property and the cost of removing it however not the loss in value of the property.
Lead piping/ paint
Radon gas
Always check content of asbestos report.
What are the signs of damp?
o Rising damp – stops around 1.5 meters, wet walls flaking paint and plaster
o Wet rot – damp and wet timber decay from continual leaking
o Dry rot
o Condensation
