ABSTRACT
Inspection is the basic means by which the Maintenance Engineer is kept aware of the condition of the assets entrusted to his care. Without a system of regular periodic examination of those assets he is effectively blindfold in the discharge of his responsibilities. Such a system is an integral part of the consideration of safety and serviceability in that it provides the link between the conditions to which a structure is subjected and the manner in which it performs (OECD 1976). Furthermore, its disciplined application is a pre-requisite to the economic timing, planning and implementation of remedial works and fully justifies its cost on those grounds. Rather than add to the overall expenditure on maintenance, it may well effect economies by demonstrating that defects are in fact stable or that their rate of development is such that repairs can be deferred; it is likely to aid the diagnosis of the cause of any trouble, so making possible more cost-effective repairs. Relatively inexpensive inspections carried out on a regular basis may, in the long term, lead to substantial cost savings, since, in certain circumstances, they may eliminate the need for other costly investigations. Ad hoc or crisis inspection is no substitute for a well managed inspection procedure.
