CUR Recommendation 117 offers clients and contractors a useful framework to systematically approach the inspection, investigation, and management of civil engineering structures. This results in cost savings and guaranteed quality and safety. The current national guideline for inspection and advice on engineering structures is five years old. Similar to good process control and asset management , there is the well-known PDCA cycle, or plan-do-check-act. Many lessons learned have emerged over the past five years. Our colleague Maurice , as author, is closely involved in the revision of CROW-CUR Recommendation 117 and has incorporated these lessons learned into the latest version. One of these lessons learned, for example, is the recommendation for risk-driven inspection. The tightening of the experience requirements for personnel deployed during inspections has also been incorporated into the new version.
Maurice's house
It's certainly nice to receive the proof in your inbox after your vacation, complete with compliments from fellow committee members, says Maurice. "A nice piece of home-made work" is very appropriate during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2012/2013, the committee members, consisting of various government bodies and inspection agencies, found the inspection requests unclear. Because clarification in requests is important, the committee decided to develop a CUR Recommendation. But how do you even begin? In 2013, when the first discussions arose among the committee members, Maurice arrived late at a meeting. Upon entering, he heard the attendees talking past each other about developing a new, national guideline for the Inspection of Works of Art. At that point, Maurice made a quick sketch on paper to connect knowledge with advisory activities. From that moment on, this sketch became the committee's "house of Maurice." Visualization makes it easier to explain a complex story, says Maurice.
Reliable inspection reports
The CUR Recommendation is designed to accommodate all kinds of requests for management activities, such as those for artworks and other structures in public spaces. This ensures that government bodies can rely on well-substantiated inspection reports to fulfill their duty of care as managers. It also ensures that the entire sector, from client to contractor, will reach the next level of professionalism. For example, by being able to provide demonstrably high-quality inspections and advice. Maurice, along with the committee members, hopes that this guideline will improve the requests for inspections of artworks and advice. The CROW knowledge institute will publish the new CUR Recommendation 117 in the fall of 2020.
Would you like to discuss how the CUR Recommendation could be applied to your situation? Or how a risk-driven approach can be implemented?
