Keeping our buildings safe

As everybody in Singapore lives and works in buildings of different types, it is a critical responsibility of building managers to ensure that their buildings are structurally sound, and that they always be on the lookout for signs of structural damage.

Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority mandates a schedule of structural inspections for buildings in Singapore.

While residential buildings are to be inspected every 10 years, buildings of other types (for example, commercial and industrial buildings) are to be inspected every 5 years.

Of course, building managers cannot afford to be complacent. If signs of damage are seen or are reported by those living or working in the building, the building manager should hire a structural engineer as soon as possible to investigate the problem.