Inspection Areas
Know where to look. Buildings can change hands and it can be difficult to secure all the necessary and important inspection information.
Look for signs of wear and tear to avoid potential hazards.
Check existing documentation. Look for basic construction details including:
- Existing building condition surveys that may have been completed previously to determine funding needs of the building or even as part of refurbishment efforts in the past.
- Other documentation, such as local authority records, education authority records, and alteration documents over the building's lifetime may also be helpful.
Look at the fabric of the building. Consider the building both as a whole and its individual components.
- Are window frames properly secured to the building or are window openings showing any signs of cracking?
- Look for signs of wear and tear in general, such as cracking, movement or leaning of ceiling tiles. These can cause potential instability issues.
- Make sure to review the accident log to figure out accident or injury patterns.
Secure any potential hazards. Building maintenance should include both the overall actions required to complete maintenance work and provide temporary arrangements.
- It may be necessary to cordon off an area of the building to mitigate accident or injury.
- Make sure to take into account all necessary measures, such as adequate signposting indicating the area is off-limits.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-3. When inspecting school buildings, make sure to review the accident log to figure out _____.
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