Some Basic Safety Tips Before Using Your Colo. Balcony, Porch, or Deck | DENENA | POINTS
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Some Basic Safety Tips Before Using Your Colo. Balcony, Porch, or Deck

Our Balcony Collapse Lawyers Want You to Know these Basic Safety Tips to Keep in Mind Before You Use Your Balcony, Porch, or Deck

Deck, porch, and balcony collapses can result in multiple, serious, permanent injuries and in fatal injuries. News reports seen by our balcony collapse lawyers often contain accounts of mass casualties from a deck, porch, or balcony collapse that occurred during a large gathering. Birthday parties and holiday bar-be-ques seem to suffer the worst of these accidents.

But there are some basic safety tips you could use to help keep your outdoor gatherings on these structures free from injury. Our balcony collapse lawyers pass along the following safety tips based in part upon those issued by the City of Boston to guide Boston area residents in the wake of some fatal deck and porch collapses in the Boston metro area.

  • Always keep in mind the intended purpose and intended capacity of the structure on which you intend to gather. Some structures were not designed to hold visitors, and might lack the capacity to safely support your weight.
  • Do not use flat roofs that lack permits for assembly and recreational use. These flat roofs present dangers of injury and death from lack of railings, egress points, and structural integrity.
  • Using portable gas, propane, charcoal and other fire-producing devices on outdoor wooden structures is always dangerous and should be avoided.
  • Consider the load you intend to place on the balcony, deck, or porch. The load includes the weight of outdoor furniture, coolers full of drinks, people, and anything else you’ll have on the structure. Most balconies, decks, and porches, if built correctly to recent versions of Building Codes, should support a live load of 40 pounds per square foot. You could do the math based on the size of your structure to see the maximum allowable load. But aging structures, incorrectly built structures (which actually includes most such outdoor structures), and poorly maintained structures might not support that weight.
  • Examine your balcony, deck, or porch for wear, repair needs, and maintenance issues. Better yet, have an experienced and knowledgeable, qualified inspector come look at it for you. If the structure needs repair or maintenance, use a licensed, qualified builder. This is one job that you don’t want to try and do yourself. Get the required permits, and obtain the required inspection upon completion. Your safety and the safety of your guests depend upon the structural integrity of your deck, porch, or balcony. Don’t take chances with your life just to save a few dollars.
  • Consider the age of your balcony, deck, or porch. Most outdoor structures of these types, if well built, have an expected useful life of 20 to 25 years. But older structures were built to older versions of the building code and are not compliant with modern safety standards.