Level 1 Flashcards
(43 cards)
What is defect diagnosis?
Identifying a defect, understanding its cause and recommending a suitable remedy.
You make reference to the RICS guidance note on surveying safely what does this cover?
Personal responsibilities for RICS members and corporate responsibilities for RICS-regulated firms • Assessing hazards and risks • RICS members’ places of work • Occupational hygiene and health • Visiting premises and sites • Fire safety • Residential property surveying • General procurement and management of contractors
When was Surveying Safely published?
November 2018.
What is the purpose of the Survey Safely Guidance Note?
Sets out basic, good practice principles for the management of health and safety for RICS-regulated firms and RICS members. RICS members also need to consider the legal jurisdiction in the country where they work.
What is the consequences of not following the guidance note?
Not meeting individual and corporate
responsibilities can also have a devastating effect on
the way that an individual is perceived by:
managers, colleagues, family and friends,
the reputation of the RICS as a whole.
What are some of the changes from 1st edition of Surveying Safely?
Safe person concept (each individual assumes individual responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others health and safety whilst at work.)
Updated advice on fire safety
What is a desktop exercise?
Reviewing all available plans, including drawings, lease documents, google and online information. Also speaking to site staff etc to understand any other information required.
What client documents would you request before an inspection?
Plans, existing H&S File, asbestos registers, previous surveys, relevant leases if applicable. Current use and if occupied, access arrangements.
What is included within the asbestos report?
Executive summery, introduction and scope of works, general site and survey information, survey results, conclusions and actions, bulk sample results
What is an asbestos register?
The details of a survey report will form the basis of an asbestos register. It is a living document and should be revised should the dutyholder remove or encapsulate any asbestos, find new areas of asbestos or the current asbestos deteriorates
What is a management plan?
The management plan should include the asbestos register, identify the person responsible for ACM management, timetable for implanting the plan, monitoring arrangements, emergency actions in the event of asbestos fibre release, mechanism for informing employees and visitors the location of the ACMs and the risks
What are access arrangements?
Contacting the client/end user to arrange a date and time to carry out an inspection including any sign in procedures/site contacts.
What is a H&S File?
Description of the works carried out, any residual hazards, key structural principles, any hazards associated with materials used, O&M manuals, access arrangements for maintenance, as-built drawings
What would you expect to find in the H&S File?
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FILE
• Residual hazards and how they have been dealt with
• Hazardous materials used.
• Information regarding the removal or dismantling of installed plant and equipment.
• Health and safety information about equipment provided for cleaning or maintaining the structure;
• The nature, location and markings of significant services.
• Information and as-built drawings of the structure, its plant and equipment.
How can existing drawings assist a survey?
For visual reference to navigate around a site.
What is a construction type?
- Traditional (Brick/Block)
- Timber Frame
- Concrete Frame
- Steel Frame
- Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
How would you age a building?
- Request any building information such as As-Builts
- Archival research (Contact County Archivist for old maps/deeds)
- published/unpublished archival research- local histroy librarians
- Look for typical characteristics from different periods. Above ground archeology- revealing areas such as roof voids/basements.
Outline some common material testing techniques.
Boroscope – flexible tube with a fibre optic camera at one end to assist inspection in tight voids
Disto – laser for measuring distances. Not to be used in sunlight. Should be calibrated
Speedy Carbide Meter – Device to measure moisture in masonry through slow drilling masonry and putting dust into a sealed container with a known measurement of calcium carbide. It releases a gas in proportion to the amount of moisture present
What is a borescope meter?
Flexible tube with a fibre optic camera at one end to assist inspection in tight voids
Victorian Property Defects
Roof
- Slipped roof tiles – failed fixings
- Re-clad of the existing roof with a heaver alternative material leading to
bowing of roof timbers
- Wet or dry rot to timbers if roof covering has failed
- Damaged lead work.
- Chimney defects leaning due to wind or sulphate attack, removal of chimney breast internally and lack of support
Walls
- Snapped headers – bowing to brickwork
- Cracking dues to subsidence or heave
- Removal of loadbearing timber walls internally
- Lack of dpc or fails, rising damp
- Bridged dpc
- Differential movement where extension have been added.
- Timber constructed into solid walls – likely to be damp and can lead to decay.
Floors
- Blocking of air bricks which prevent air flow below timber, timber decay
Services
- Likely to be old and cables are brittle, possibly no earth cables.
Industrial Properties
- Pre-2000 asbestos is likely to be present
- Composite panels which are a fire risk especially where provide structural support
- Cut edge corrosion to metal sheet roofing and cladding
- Corrosion in genreal
- Degredation of the roof sheet covering
- Poor fire compartmentation between units within a terrace.
- Overloading of floor slabs
- Leaks to roof lights – poor mastics
- Inadequate movement/expansions joints to floor slabs and walls
- Poor or no insulation
- Internal down pipes – may not be aware of leaks especially with symphonic drain systems
- Defective dpm’s
- No dpc’s below the coping of parapet walls
- Flat roof defects
What is HAC?
high alumina cement - made up of calcium aluminates
Used as it allows rapid strength gain in precast beams
construction during the 1950’s to 1970’s
Can structural issues when in the presence of moisture and lead to failure. - Sir John Cass school (Swimming Pool- roof collapse- chemical attack of steel)
What is High Alumina Cement / Where was it used.
High Alumina Cement Concrete.
High Alumina Cement was added to concrete to develop high early strength and resistance to chemical attack.
It was used extensively in the UK from the 1950s to early 1970s in the manufacture of pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete beams.
Impact of High Alumina Cement
Impact: When exposed to moisture for long period
Concrete increases in porosity and carries out a process of conversion (crystalline re-arrangement)
which leads to loss of strength, structural integrity and increased vulnerability to chemical attack.
- Excessive deflection,
- Lateral boaring
- Cracking
- Concrete may have a brown tinge
