In the past week we've all heard the term "Recertification", and I was curious to learn what event was the impetus for creating the law requiring the inspection, and what it entails.
The event was the collapse of the DEA Building in Downtown Miami on August 5,1974. At the time Dade County Engineer John Pistorino created the 40 year Recertification Program with the goal of preventing another deadly collapse. Officials speculated that too many cars had overloaded the rooftop garage and caused it to collapse part of the building. Mr. Pistorino concluded that concrete buildings in South Florida can face particular risks. The aggregate rock used in concrete can contain salt which, combined with the humidity and salty ocean air, can corrode reinforcing steel. “When the reinforcing steel corrodes, it expands and cracks the concrete. It loses all of its structural capacity,” Postorino said.
In 1975, Miami-Dade County Commission approved new rules to require a recertification of buildings that are 40 years or older, with inspections every 10 years thereafter. The inspection program requires a licensed engineer or architect to recertify the building for occupancy. This means combing through old maintenance records, looking at original plans and doing both structural and electrical on-site inspections.
To review the inspection manuel, and the form they use as a guide for the recertification...
Please use the Links below provided by Miami-Dade Property Appraiser:
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