Welcome to CROSS

CROSS works to improve structural safety and reduce failures by using confidential reports to highlight lessons that have been learnt, and to generate feedback and influence change. Most projects are designed, constructed, and maintained in a safe and proper manner but there are examples of poor performance and ideas that can be passed on for the benefit of all.

CROSS is part of SCOSS - Standing Committee on Structural Safety, the highly regarded and influential body whose function is to identify in advance trends and developments which might contribute to increasing risks relating to structural safety. It is supported by the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Health & Safety Executive, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and Local Authority Building Control. If you have had an experience that could be passed on please use this facility and make a confidential report to CROSS.

There have been over 100 reports submitted so far and these will be published on this site later in 2008 so that users can view them to see if any of the concerns relate to projects with which they are involved. Future proposals include a searchable data base to be used as a resource for engineers and others involved with structures.

The Spring 2008 Newsletter is now available on this site with reports and expert comments on:

Collapse of a gable wall. There was near miss when brickwork suddenly fell from a new building due to deficiencies in construction.

Collapse of a wall during construction. Whilst a school was being built a long corridor wall collapsed because it was not designed or constructed for temporary wind conditions.

Ceiling collapse in an education building. Days before its opening the heavy ceiling over a teaching hall collapsed due to inadequate fixings.

Cinema ceiling collapse No 1. A mass barrier acoustic ceiling fell due to poor selection of fixings.

Cinema ceiling collapse No 2. A similar ceiling fell in another cinema for similar reasons.

Cinema ceiling collapse No 3. Once again the fixings failed and it was only by good fortune that in none of these four cases were there any injuries. Each had the potential to be very serious.

The findings from CROSS will be presented at the Fourth International Conference on Forensic Engineering which is being held at the Institution of Civil Engineers One Great George Street , Westminster on December 3-5 2008.

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