… Trains 100 CEOs of Consulting Companies on Revamped Processes
In a bid to effectively scrutinise materials used for construction projects to avert disasters, the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL) has trained the operating Chief Executive Officers of its Consulting Companies on newer articulated service delivery.
Speaking in her office to a team of Consulting Group who are in partnership with the Agency on Wednesday, the General Manager of LSMTL, Engr. Olayinka Abdul called for conscientious service delivery devoid of mediocrity in serving notices across construction sites. She harped on the need to get acquainted with the Electronically Generated Information System to be adopted since it is a medium which the Agency will henceforth display on all its services and liaisons.
She said, “All operations and liaisons of the Agency will become visible to the Public through an Electrically Generated Information System, which is being managed by an Independent Company.
Hence, I urge you to execute your partnership task with the Agency meticulously, considering this move as a trust based on integrity which must be handled right. As ambassadors of LSMTL, you can be vilified or vindicated through the display of your company’s name on the website.
“Thus, in applying the State Government policies of issuing notices across all construction sites for materials testing, you have to do it with integrity and must be well guided by the use of architectural designs on 450 sq meters of piece of Land, such that each stage of the construction will be conducted. This will enhance scrutiny to deliberately avert buildings’ collapse and also help to verify the quality of materials used for durable long-standing structures”, she added.
While calling for a clear understanding of the tests and opportunity for relicensing, the General Manager reiterated that the team having veered into the noble Civil Engineering profession, has to understand the intricacies of their assigned tasks that will be classified by individual codes and digitalization for audit processes in curbing ineptness.
Also speaking, the Director, Consultant Relations Unit of the Agency, Geologist Lara Awosanya, harped on ensuring a safer Lagos through quality control and quality assurance mechanisms in implementing the mandate of the Agency against buildings’ collapse.
She averred that the strength of every edifice relies solely on the strength of materials used, hence, need to ensure qualitative materials are being used by all professionals in the built environment, particularly through the issuance of notices served by consultants to even up Destructive and Non – Destructive tests on all projects.
Awosanya underscored the relevance of continuous tests at all levels of construction from erecting high-rise buildings, conducting reassessments on burnt buildings and retesting on renovation works, as being part of checks in averting danger to lives and assets across the State.
According to the Head, Soil and Geotechnical Unit of the Agency, Engr. Abimbola Adebayo, the materials test on every site comprises of Soil Test, Geotechnical/Cement and Granite Test, Sandcrete/Paving Stone test, Water test, Steel test, Foundation Probing test, Cube Compressive Test, Stanchions/Truss test, Pile Integrity Test, Pile Load Test and Non-Destructive Tests – which all must be carried out at every stage of construction, to ensure durable structures are erected across Lagos State.
He informed that “Architectural/ structures drawings are aids to scrutinise the edifice to maintain establishment decorum and ensure proper inspection for samples used in construction. For instance, if granites are being used they must be of value because granites have various formations that induce collapse if other elements of construction like salty water or salty sand are used. Another scenario is if there are white coral shells in the sand with clay, these are indications for future collapse, so technically all stages of construction must be checked using all forms of materials testing procedures.
“There are chemical constituents in cement and granites which whenever they are used with the wrong water, get the wrong reaction. At all stages, all water contents used in construction processes must be drinkable and potable, otherwise if polluted water is added to building components, it will induce collapse”, Adebayo disclosed.
