The Lagos State Government says implementation of its Certified Structural Integrity Programme (CSIP)  will strengthen public confidence in the safety of buildings while protecting lives and property.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL), Olayinka Abdul, made this known on Thursday in Lagos.

Ms Abdul spoke at a sensitisation campaign with market leaders at the Alimosho Local Government Secretariat.

She was represented by the Director of Business Development in the agency, Abimbola Adenote.

The event had the theme “Zero Tolerance for Structural Failures and Building Collapse: Structural Integrity Testing a Mandatory Safeguard.”

Ms Abdul said that the CSIP would make  structural integrity testing mandatory every five years for all buildings in the state to ensure their safety and habitability.

The general manager said the policy was aimed at preventing avoidable building collapses through proactive monitoring and compliance.

She said the programme represented a shift from reactive responses to proactive measures aimed at preventing structural failures and building collapse.

She said that, under the CSIP, every building in Lagos would undergo periodic structural integrity assessments to determine whether it would still be safe for occupation.

According to her, the programme is built on a mandatory three-stage testing framework.

She said the first stage would involve compulsory soil testing before construction approval would be granted.

“The second stage is carried out during construction and comprises destructive tests on cement, blocks, concrete, steel and sand to ascertain that the materials meet the required standards,” she said.

Ms Abdul added that the third stage  would require non-destructive testing on completed buildings using modern equipment such as the Pundit and Profoscope to evaluate their structural integrity without causing damage.

She described non-destructive testing as a scientific process for assessing the condition and stability of existing structures while leaving them intact.

According to her, regular structural testing is as essential to buildings as periodic servicing is to vehicles.

She said that buildings could deteriorate overtime due to age, environmental conditions and continuous use.

Ms Abdul said that compliance with CSIP  was mandatory, warning that building owners who would fail to conduct the required tests would be sanctioned.

“Our officers can serve notices, request structural integrity reports and, where owners fail to comply within the stipulated period, issue final warnings or seal the affected buildings,” she said.

She urged stakeholders in the construction sector, including suppliers of building materials, developers and property owners, to support the initiative by complying with the prescribed testing requirements.

According to her, the programme is aimed at strengthening public confidence in the safety of buildings while protecting lives and property across Lagos.

(NAN)