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The Structural Engineer, Volume 67, Issue 21, 1989
This President was torn between giving a ‘state of the art’ report on the health and development of the profession and of the Institution-our successes and our failures-or a statement on the ‘art we profess’. On the one hand, there is the danger of merely repeating, with some updating, the excellent reports that have been given by Past Presidents, and on the other there is the possible danger of indulging oneself, of ‘fiddling while Rome burns’. Experience would suggest that the art of pursuing one’s own policies while appearing to compromise is essential to the survival of any President. This I hope to achieve. J.H. Armstrong
From the point of view of structural safety, the principal hazard for cladding in its many forms and various materials is that it can and sometimes has fallen off buildings. The extent of the risk depends on the number of people below at any time and also on the characteristics of the cladding itself. Fortunately, the incidence of death or serious injury from this cause has been small to date, but whenever failures do occur and public safety is threatened, there is serious recrimination against those involved in design, construction or maintenance.
Over the last 2 years, I have read with interest several ‘viewpoint’ articles on this subject from respected engineers. I want to generally recap on what was said, basically agree with it, and thereafter suggest some rather radical ideas on how we, as an Institution, should proceed. P.L. Ross