Is your Deck Safe?
Deck failures happen. Between 2010 and 2014, there were an average of 7,700 people per year who went to hospital emergency rooms because of injuries sustained from structural failures of decks, balconies, and porches. This does not include visits to emergency clinics or to private physicians. Most of these injuries could have been avoided with proper construction methods, proper maintenance, and periodic inspection by a Certified Deck Inspector.
Most decks do not meet the minimum standards for safe construction. Minimum standard are set in the International Residential Code (IRC) and the American Wood Council’s DCA 6 – Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide. The IRC is updated every three years for safety. A deck that was built to conform to the 2015 IRC is most likely not as safe as a deck built to the 2018 IRC. The 2021 IRC includes a major update to the deck standards.
The mission of the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) is to provide a unified source for the professional development, promotion, growth, and sustenance of the Deck and Railing building industry in North America so that members can exceed the expectations of their customers. Their Code Initiative vision is safe decks with well-thought-out engineering and a common sense practical approach to code requirements. The Code Initiative mission statement is to advance and protect industry interests in the code development arena and to promote member involvement; to promote governmental and agency reliance on NADRA as a voice for the industry; to create and maintain relationships with key government agencies and code officials; to be a forum for the discussion, study, and investigation of proposed and existing model code development, federal and state legislation and programs, and to report such findings to the Board of Directors and the Membership.
NADRA provides training and testing to certify deck builders and deck inspectors. NADRA’s Master Deck Professional-CODE Certification Program for deck builders was developed and is presented by Building Code College. NADRA’s Deck Evaluation/Inspection Certification Program allows the industry professional the ability to safely evaluate a deck.
If you are having a new deck built, make sure and use a Certified Master Deck Professional. If you have an existing deck, get it inspected by a Certified Deck Inspector.