The importance of sturdy trusses to prevent Leesburg roof collapses | DENENA | POINTS

The importance of sturdy trusses to prevent Leesburg roof collapses

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Two construction workers received injuries today when the roof of a church being constructed in Leesburg collapsed suddenly. The two workers rode the trusses down 30 or 40 feet to the ground when the structural supports gave way beneath them as they worked on the roof. One worker was pinned under the collapsed trusses and received an airlift to the hospital. The other injured worker did not become pinned under the debris. (Source: Caitlin Gibson, The Washington Post, 8/13/2012)

Our roof collapse injury lawyers note that this unfortunate roof collapse accident demonstrates the importance of properly calculating loads that the trusses must support, as well as of proper bracing, installation, and connection to other supporting timbers. In addition, building experts warn against loading the trusses and roof under construction with building materials and equipment during the construction. Loading stacks of building materials atop partially completed roofs for construction worker convenience is a common practice in the industry, but can drastically overload the supporting structures past their intended live and dead loads.

Truss placement in a building under construction also requires trained and skilled crewmembers that can build a sound and sturdy roof system. Trusses are essentially triangular elements. The triangle is a very strong building component. When loaded, a triangle will transfer the force of the load around the three sides of the triangle while allowing only limited movement or change of shape in the structural element.

Our roof collapse injury lawyers clarify that a pitch chord truss is the top of the truss typically seen in a sloped, or “pitched” roof. The bottom, or horizontal, chord supports the ceiling. “Webs” of additional support elements connect the bottom and top chords and provide for additional structural redundancy, load transfer, and stress distribution. And a parallel chord truss system might provide the underlying support for the floor of a building.

Cutting a single member of a truss will compromise the structural integrity of the support, but won’t usually lead to collapse by itself. Improper temporary and permanent bracing against walls and girders is a more common contributor to sudden structural collapses.

Our roof collapse injury lawyers emphasize that it is critical to construct and install roof trusses in accordance with the design documents. It is equally critical that designers and engineers accurately calculate weight loads, spans, and spacing of trusses.

The “dead” load on a truss is the weight of the structure itself. The “live” load can be anything from workers on the roof to heavy winter snowfalls. Other forces, like high winds and earthquakes, can reverse the forces usually applied to a truss. Good designers and engineers account for the performance of their truss structures under even these rare occurrences.

Installation errors, damage to a truss, or field modifications by builders to accommodate such things as extra roof openings for chimneys, skylights, and ducts can drastically affect the load that a truss support can carry. Repairs to these truss modifications must be addressed on an individual basis.

Thorough inspections of the truss system during the building process as well as afterward can help catch dangerous weaknesses in a truss support. But the pace of construction often hides and covers truss elements relatively quickly, so inspections won’t always be able to fully determine the soundness of the roof trusses.

In a sudden roof collapse like that of the church under construction in Leesburg, serious and fatal injuries can easily result from roof truss failure. Learn about your options for winning fair financial compensation after you’ve been injured in a roof collapse. Contact our experienced roof collapse injury lawyers toll free at 87-307-9500 or online for a free consultation.

Our skilled roof collapse injury lawyers know building codes and inspection requirements as well as how to spot weaknesses where poor building techniques or materials led to structural failure. Our knowledgeable investigation after a structural collapse injury could help you pinpoint the precise causes of the collapse as well as the proper parties to hold liable for your needless injuries. Contact us today; we’re here to help. And our roof collapse injury lawyers have a 14-year track record of helping clients succeed in their injury claims against builders, manufacturers, and other negligent parties.