As part of its risk-based audit program, the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – Building and Energy Division (Building and Energy) conducts general inspections to assess how well building standards are being applied. A ‘Snapshot’ inspection informs Building and Energy on whether a problem exists; its size and scale; and whether a more comprehensive general inspection is required.

In April 2016, Building and Energy carried out a general inspection into metal clad timber framed roof construction (GIR1) which identified issues with the tie-down of residential roofs to resist wind actions.

General Inspection (Snapshot) Report Four – Wind classification compliance for residential houses (GIR4), is a snapshot general inspection. GIR4 extends the work of GIR1 by assessing the accuracy of wind classifications for Western Australian (WA) residential housing against the applicable building standards from which they were derived.

The two key areas of interest in GIR4 were:

• Was an appropriate wind classification provided?
• If not, was the wind classification used less than what is considered appropriate?