Building Component Safety Information (BCSI)

Gable End Bracing

Question: 

Some building designers believe that gable end webs need to be L-braced to 90% of the web length, which sounds fine. However, they spec that scissors gable end webs need to be braced to 100% of the web length. That means that in the field they are notching the braces to fit around top and bottom chords – you can imagine how difficult that can be. Is that necessary or even the intent of the web L-bracing?

Responsibilities With Lumberyards

Question: 

When you’re selling trusses through a lumberyard and the contractor calls to say that the “trusses don't fit correctly,” who has the ultimate responsibility for the trusses? I argue that the lumberyard is responsible since we have provided them with all the information on how the job was designed, even though they may or may not have passed this information on to the contractor.

T-bracing

Question: 

The truss industry maintains that the design of truss roof and floor system permanent bracing is the responsibility of the building designer. System permanent bracing covers the entire structure and all bracing element interactions.

Truss Storage Responsibilities

Question: 

We have a customer that bought trusses in June. The trusses were shipped [ and one month later are] being set. The chords have weathered and bowed. What is the industry standard for dealing with this problem? What is our liability in this situation? We were not aware of any delays on the customer’s part and shipped as requested. Note: These trusses are 62 ft. scissor trusses.

Owner Assurance

Question: 

As the owner for a building designed to have metal plate wood trusses, what documentation should I receive to be assured that the manufactured wood trusses delivered to the site have indeed been manufactured at a licensed and registered wood truss manufacturer under the required written quality control procedures?

Design Responsibilities

Question: 

My company supplied roof trusses for a hotel project. The building inspector shut the project down because the trusses were not designed to account for additional snowdrift loading. The construction plans did not contain any snowdrift loading information. The architect is claiming it is our responsibility to determine drift loading, therefore we must fix the problem. Do you have any documentation to help us dispute the architect’s claim?

Fall Protection

Question: 

Are wood trusses designed to be fall protection anchors that would support a worker should he fall?

Installing Valley Sets

Question: 

What are the requirements for installing “valley set” overlay roof trusses? I am interested in nailing and support conditions. Some engineers ask for the bottom chord of the valley truss to be ripped to match the roof pitch of the underlying trusses. Is this necessary?

Submittal Packages and Jobsite Packages: What Should Be Included?

In order to promote the safe installation of building components including trusses, manufacturers send out a Jobsite Package to the construction site with the truss delivery. These Jobsite Packages include the Truss Submittal Package. The Truss Submittal Package includes the information that if required will be submitted to the Contractor/Building Designer, who if required will submit it to the local building official.

Planning Ahead: What Issues Should SBCRI Explore?

The Industry Testing Subcommittee is making plans to keep SBCRI busy in the coming year.