Inspection (Level 3)

Question 1

What are the principles of Surveying Safely 2018?

Answer 1

• best practice for surveyors relating to health and safety.
• Introduces the ‘safe person concept’ where each individual assumes responsibility for their own health and safety at work and how their actions impact others safety.
• Guidance to provide a safe working environment and equipment.

Question 2

What is the key legislation relating to Health and Safety?

Answer 2

• The Health and Safety Act 1974
• Places a duty on employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees is not put at risk when at work.
• Non-compliance is a criminal act and can be subject to an unlimited fine.

Question 3

What responsibilities does your firm have in relation to H&S?

Answer 3

• Clear policies and procedures in place
• Risk assessments
• Staff training
• Adequate resources in place
• Accident reporting policy

Question 4

How do you undertake a risk assessment?

Answer 4

• Examine actions in your work could cause harm
• how to prevent these from happening.
• Identify all potential risks and hazards.
• Decide who may be harmed and what the severity might be
• Decide how these risks can be avoided or prevented
• Review and update.

Question 5

What are your responsibilities on health and safety?

Answer 5

• You have a responsibility for yourself but also anyone under your supervision.
• Report H&S breaches
• Carry out risk assessments and report any potential risks
• Wear PPE
• Undertake staff training
• Follow company policies

Question 6

What types of risks do you consider?

Answer 6

• Lone working
• Asbestos
• Working at height
• Hazards associated with derelict properties
• Driving for work

Question 7

How do you ensure your safety when surveying?

Answer 7

• If I am inspecting alone, I ensure my calendar is up to date with the relevant details along with informing a colleague where I am going and when I have left.
• Take a charged mobile phone
• Wear appropriate PPE
• Follow site rules if on a construction site
• Have a safe word system to call back to the office

Question 8

Explain how you undertake an inspection?

Answer 8

• Prior: Due diligence, floor plans, google maps, flood risk, asbestos register, title plans, if necessary undertake a risk assessment.
• Organise the inspection with relevant person
• On site: External - top down, internal inspection
• Inspect the local area

Question 9

What do you take on an inspection?

Answer 9

• Mobile phone
• Disto with spare batteries
• Plans
• PPE (boots, Hi vis, hard hart, goggles)
• Pen and paper

Question 10

What do you consider when inspecting the local area?

Answer 10

• Proximity to transport links such as motorways
• Connection of public transport (train stations)
• Business vibrancy
• Environmental factors, flooding, contaminated uses nearby
• Look for comparable evidence and agents boards

Question 11

What do you consider when inspecting externally?

Answer 11

• Method of construction - brick built, steel portal frame, pre-fabricated
• Condition, repair, defects (maintained?)
• Car Parking, Access, Loading
• Boundary lines
• ## Age Approximate date (Planning, Style, Land Reg, Historical Records).

Question 12

What do you consider when inspecting internally?

Answer 12

• Specification (Dated or Refurb)
• Layout
• Defects
• Services - Age and Condition
• Statutory Compliance - Asbestos, Equality Act 2010, Fire Safety, Building Regs
• Fixtures and fittings (plus improvements)
• Compliance and lease obligations.

Question 13

What are some foundation types?

Answer 13

• Trench - (Resi usually)
• Raft - Slab foundation
• Piled - reinforced concrete cylinders
• Pad - Slab under columns.

Question 14

Brickwork construction methods?

Answer 14

• Solid brick wall - brickwork with headers (brick laid flat with short end exposed)
• Cavity Wall - two layers of brick with space between which can be filled with insulation.. No Headers.

Question 15

Brick defects?

Answer 15

• Efflorescence – salt in bricks coming to the surface
• Spalling – Damaged brickwork from freeze/thaw

Question 16

Institutional specification of offices?

Answer 16

• Steel or concrete frame
• Raised floor with floor boxes
• Ceiling height of 2.6m and 2.8m
• Ceiling Void 350mm and Raised Floor Void 150mm
• Maximised daylight
• Floor Loading - 2.5 to 3 kN/sq m
• Air conditioning and double glazed windows
• Passenger lift
• Cycle spaces
• 8m^2 to 10m^2 general workspace density

Question 17

What are some types of fit out? (offices)

Answer 17

• Shell and core – common parts have been completed but office areas are left as a blank canvas concrete walls and floors.
• Cat A – Services are in place and including lighting, air conditioning, fire detection, raised floors but none of the fixtures and fittings.
• Cat A+ - New fit-out where landlord will put in some of the basic fit-out including kitchen area, portioning for meeting rooms, coms room on a generic design
• Cat B – Full fitted space with furniture to the occupier’s specific requirements including branding etc.

Question 18

Institutional specification for industrial?

Answer 18

• Steel portal frame with insulated profile metal sheeting
• 8m eaves (minimum)
• Minimum 10% roof lights
• 30kn/sqm floor loading
• Electric Roller Shutter Doors
• 3-phase
• 5-10% office content
• 40% site coverage

Question 19

What are building defects?

Answer 19

• Something that is wrong with the building
• Inherent or latent
• Start from roof and work down.

Question 20

What do you do if you spot a defect?

Answer 20

• Photograph
• Try to establish the cause
• Inform client
• Advice from specialist if necessary.

Question 21

Common defects?

Answer 21

• Rot and damp
• Roof damage and leaks
• Cracks
• Damaged Guttering
• Peeling Paint work
• Poor mortar joints

Question 22

Causes of defects?

Answer 22

• movement or subsidence
• Water
• Deterioration of materials
• Poor workmanship

Question 23

How do you identify damp?

Answer 23

• Calcium carbide test
• moisture meter (protimeter)

Question 24

What causes contamination and how can it be assessed?

Answer 24

• Exists due to issues from oils, chemicals, landfills, pollutants and gases.
• Contamination Surveys
• Phase 1 - Desktop (Previous uses, local and planning histories)
• Phase 2 - Investigation. Bore hole samples and testing.
• Phase 3 - Remediation report, to resolve contamination issue.

Question 25

How would you adjust your development appraisal for a contaminated site?

Answer 25

- If a specialist report is provided use the costs of the associated remediation works to deduct - If no report then increase general remediation works.

Question 26

What are deleterious materials?

Answer 26

- Asbestos, High alumia content, calcium chloride, lead painting - Asbestos register. Look at age of building common in corrugated roof sheeting. - tend to fail in practice or can be susceptible to change over the lifetime of the material

Question 27

What is Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 27

- Invasive plant which can damage foundations or tarmac - Not easy to control, requires a specialist - Purple/green hollow stem with large broad green leaves. - Allowing it to spread is a criminal offence (fine or prison).

Question 28

What are the PPE regulations?

Answer 28

PPE at Work Regulations 2022

Question 29

Inherent vs Latent

Answer 29

- Inherent - defect in design or build - Latent - Hidden Defect