March 4, 2005

Report deals with temporary masonry wall bracing

The loss prevention and claims committee of the New York-based Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA) has issued a 10-page report dealing with temporary masonry wall bracing.

The builder’s risk guide presents underwriters, loss-control specialists and other interested parties with “an organized approach” to evaluating risk based on construction materials and procedures.

One focus is on the effect of wind on masonry walls during construction.

“Masonry wall construction involves dynamic job-site activities requiring proper planning in which on-site processes are crucial to reduce the possibility of a wall collapsing during construction,” the IMUA said in a statement.

Intended to help underwriters assess risks of such temporary wall bracings, the report poses 19 questions an underwriter or loss-control specialist may wish to consider when evaluating a submission. For each question, the report provides a discussion.

Also included in the report are 13 points to consider when dealing with temporary bracing of tilt-up concrete or precast wall panels.

Extracted from a report initially released by the former Kemper Insurance Group, the document is not intended as an engineering guide or standard, IMUA said.

— DCN staff

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