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<br />3.2 PERMITTING, PLAN REVIEW, AND INSPECTION <br /> <br />From the nature and extent of damage observed during its inspections, the BPAT has <br />concluded that the quality of new construction can and should be improved. The specific <br />recommendations of the Hurricane Opal BPAT regarding this issue, listed below, are similar to <br />recommendations made by the BPAT that assessed damage resulting from Hurricane Andrew <br />(FEMA 1992). <br /> <br />. Designers, building officials, and contractors must ensure that all anticipated storm forces are <br />taken into consideration and must avoid practices that have led to common building failures. <br />Most building failures are predictable from the actual performance of similar structures <br />during previous storms. Communities may want to consider requiring designers and <br />contractors, through certification. registration, or continuing education, to demonstrate <br />knowledge of all anticipated storm loads (e.g., wind, flood, debris, erosion) and proper <br />design and construction methods that enable structures to withstand those forces. <br /> <br />. Quality of construction workmanship should be improved. Contractors and subcontractors <br />should construct strictly according to design plans, and they should not attempt to <br />compensate for changed site conditions or construction flaws and errors with non- <br />engineered adjustments and repairs. Attempts to devise and implement rapid fixes to <br />construction problems may render a structure vulnerable to storm forces and may lead to <br />structural damage or destruction. Field representatives of building departments should <br />require that plans be resubmitted when such concerns are identified in the field. <br /> <br />. Permitting, plan review, and construction inspection procedures should be improved. The <br />knowledge and training of reviewers and inspectors should be enhanced through <br />certification or continuing education. Building deparunents would need sufficient <br />financial and human resources to ensure that frequent and comprehensive inspections <br />occur during construction. Plan review and construction inspection tasks should make <br />greater use of licensed design professionals. This could be accomplished through various <br />combinations of public and private sector responsibilities. For example, a community "ith <br />adequate resources could employ design professionals to support both plan review and <br />construction inspection. Alternatively, a community could require that engineers and <br />architects of record assume greater responsibility for monitoring and inspecting <br />construction. The latter approach was taken in Dade County, Florida, after the Hurricane <br />Andrew disaster. <br /> <br />3.3 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS <br /> <br />All materials should meet or exceed the minimum requirements for building materials in <br />the Standard Building Code. All materials subject to flooding should resist damage, deterioration, <br />corrosion, and decay due to inundation, precipitation, wind-driven water, salt spray, or other <br />corrosive agents. Guidance concerning flood- and corrosion-resistant materials can be found in <br />FEMA's Technical Bulletin 2-93, Flood-Resistant Materials Requirements for Buildings Located in <br />Special Flood Hazard Areas (FEMA 1993b) and Technical Bulletin 8-96, Carrosion Protection for <br />Metal Connectors in CoastalAreas (FEMA 1996). For example: <br /> <br />. Special consideration should be given to structural connectors such as hurricane straps and <br />hangers to ensure they are specified properly and that precautions are taken with metal <br />structural components to ensure that structural integrity is not compromised by corrosion <br />(FEMA 1996). <br /> <br />HURRICANE OPAL IN FLORIDA <br /> <br />3-3 <br />