5 Common Structural Issues your Industrial Building May Have
The manufacturing industry is currently one of the most important industries in the United States. While it’s important to keep the equipment maintained, it’s just as important to maintain the building where the work is done. If the integrity and safety of your industrial building is compromised, it could lead to the building being shut down until a structural engineer can come in for an evaluation. While significant events like this are reduced with preventative maintenance practices, there are still issues that can occur.
5 Common Industrial Building Structural Issues:
1. Insufficient Framing
Many industrial buildings are very old and have been around for quite some time. During the original design, the framing of that building was designed to support a certain amount of stress. When we see an issue with framing, most of the time it’s because too much stress was put on it. Because of this, it’s important for the framing to be inspected. Especially whenever additional equipment is added that could increase the stress on that building.
2. Poor Roof Draining System
We can all agree it rains a lot in South Florida! Most industrial roofs have a flat design, which means they are more likely to leak or pool water at some point. This especially happens if they are not inspected regularly. A structural engineer will inspect the roof to ensure gutters are working properly and the best systems are in place to properly drain the water.
3. Interior and Exterior Wall Damage
With forklifts and other heavy equipment constantly being used, it’s inevitable for some wall damage to occur. The main thing to do is have a structural engineer evaluate the damage and have it repaired right away. Most of the damage ends up being just cosmetic, but it’s always important to be proactive!
4. Damage To Columns
It seems like every column in an industrial building is in the way of a forklift operator, which means they will get dinged up occasionally. A damaged column doesn't seem like a big deal, but it could be very dangerous from a structural standpoint. Hiring a Structural Engineer to inspect the damage will make sure the structural integrity is still in tact.
5. Poor Maintenance Practices
With so many moving parts in an industrial building it is understandable that accidents can happen. However, any structural engineer will tell you, major issues can be prevented by performing routine maintenance practices.
At United Professional Engineering we understand production and safety is crucial for every manufacturing plant. We will help to evaluate every component of your building, identify any potential issues and promptly fix them. This will ensure your industrial building is in good working order to keep manufacturing processes continuing without interruption!
To learn more about how we can help with your industrial building in South Florida, contact us at any time!