Seven checks that prevent building collapse in Ghana

Most structural failures are traceable to decisions made in the first three weeks of a project: skipped soil investigation, undersized reinforcement, and unsupervised concrete work.

Insist on a geotechnical report before foundation design. It costs a fraction of the remedial work that follows a differential settlement.

Reinforcement schedules should be checked on site against the structural drawings before every pour, and cube tests kept on file for the life of the building.

Finally, engage a supervising engineer who is independent of the mason. Supervision is not an overhead; it is the cheapest insurance on the project.