Does the picture above resemble conditions you see on the guardrails around your building? Want to enjoy the beautiful Florida scenery, but just can’t get past the sight of those guardrails? An evaluation by a Structural Engineer may be overdue. When there is doubt about a structural system’s general performance under normal service loads, an engineering assessment is required.
Visual signs that your guardrails may be reaching or have already gone beyond their life expectancy may include:
- Corroded fasteners or rust staining around connection points
- Large areas of oxidation
- Loose or disconnected pickets, top rails, or bottom rails
- Noticeable deflection when leaned upon or grasped
- Section loss due to corrosion
The first thing you may ask is, “When am I required to have an inspection performed at my property?” According to Florida Administrative Code Rule 61C-3.001(5)(a), an inspection of the balcony areas, including stairways and railways, is required every three (3) years for a building which is 3 stories or higher and categorized as public lodging. Florida Statute 509.242 classifies a public lodging establishment as the following: hotels, motels, vacation rentals, nontransient apartments (a building or complex of buildings in which more than 25 percent of the units are advertised or held out to the public as available for transient occupancy), bed and breakfast inns, and timeshare properties.
Any building not described above is exempt from this requirement. However, that doesn’t release the duty to have an evaluation performed regularly. Ignoring signs of deterioration in a guardrail system can lead to high maintenance costs, systematic failures, or eventually become a safety issue.
It is important to know when a guardrail needs routine maintenance versus replacement. Many premanufactured guardrail systems have concealed connections, and the current condition of these fasteners can’t always be adequately evaluated visually. When this condition occurs, the Engineer’s assessment may involve performing a structural analysis or an in-situ load test. The Florida Building Code describes testing criteria, and registered professionals MUST supervise in-situ load tests. BillerReinhart has the expertise and experience to provide a professional evaluation of general performance and overall condition, and can offer recommendations to support your future guardrail and balcony restoration projects.
If you have any of the conditions described above and would like to schedule a review, please contact our office. Our Engineers will be happy to help you.
