10.17 EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR DEFECTS FOUND IN OTHER SCHOOLS IN SCOTLAND

10.17.1 In addition to the above four schools outside Edinburgh where actual physical damage to or collapse of external walls had been caused by the force of the wind, other Local Authorities advised the Inquiry of the discovery in some of their schools of the same range of defects that caused the collapses elsewhere. The following is a sample of these findings.

10.17.2 Inverclyde Council

10.17.3 Inverclyde Council provided the Inquiry with structural engineering reports on surveys completed in August 2016 on four PPP schools and four Non-PFI/PPP schools. The surveys were commissioned following reports of the problems with the Edinburgh schools.

10.17.4 The reports on the four PPP schools indicated the following:

(i) All Saints Primary School, Greenock:

The structural report stated that a wall panel over a doorway some 4m wide by 2m high was found to have no wall ties over the full area of the panel and required the installation of remedial wall ties. Otherwise the wall ties were found to be generally compliant.

(ii) Notre Dame High School, Greenock and Clydeview Academy, Gourock:

The structural reports state that in both schools there was inadequate embedment where two-part wall-ties had been used in the wider cavities. The embedment was reported as being only 30mm at the inspection locations as opposed to the recommended 75mm for these type of wall ties. The installation of remedial wall ties was recommended at these locations.

(iii) Aileymill Primary School, Greenock:

No defective construction was identified in the surveys.

10.17.5 The reports on the four Non-PPP Schools indicated the following.

(i) Inverclyde Academy, Greenock:

The structural report stated that a panel of brickwork, approximately 2m x 2m located in a high part of the building was found to be held with only one wall tie, in an area of the building that was exposed to the highest concentration of wind-loading. The installation of remedial wall ties was recommended.

(ii) Newark Primary School, Port Glasgow and St. Joseph's Primary School, Greenock:

No defective construction identified in either school.

(iii) Kings Oak Primary School, Greenock:

No defective Construction identified in the surveys but further testing suggested as a final check.

10.17.6 Angus Council

10.17.7 Six PPP schools constructed in Angus, which opened in 2009, were inspected following the Report of the Oxgangs school wall collapse. Five of the six schools were found to have been constructed where head restraints were not in accordance with the construction drawings. Insufficient wall tie embedment was identified in three of the six schools. In one of these latter three, there were differences in the coursing levels of the inner and outer leaf resulting in ties not being horizontal and in some cases missing.

10.17.8 Dundee Council

10.17.9 Eight PPP schools under the control of the Dundee City Council, which opened in 2009, were inspected following the Report of the Oxgangs school wall collapse. Three of the eight PPP schools were found to have deficiencies. Two schools had a lack of provision of bed joint reinforcement and wall head restraints in a small number of panels and in one other school wall tie embedment was found to be less than the minimum requirement in some locations and in several wall panels the required wall head restraints were found to be missing.

10.17.10 East Renfrewshire Council

10.17.11 East Renfrewshire Council provided to the Inquiry structural reports produced in 2011 on two PPP schools, St. Ninian's High School and Mearns Primary School built in 2006. Remedial work was required in 2011 to both schools in relation to the lack of provision or proper embedment of wall ties. Examples of the defective work at St. Ninian's High School are shown below. These photographs were taken during the remedial works contract in 2011.

St Ninian's High School, East Renfrewshire

Image 29: St Ninian's High School;

"Photo showing one of the defective wall ties (no embedment) in place behind the internal skin of blockwork in the sports hall."

Commentary and photograph from the Structural Report.

Image 30: St Ninian's High School;

"No wall ties have been installed into a large section of the wall."

Commentary (and photograph) from the Structural Report.

Image 31: St Ninian's High School.

The structural report refers to:

'misalignment of bed joints' between the two leaves of the wall';

'deformation of wall ties allowing the transfer of water to the inner leaf';

'the slope of the wall tie at 105 degrees is not permissible'; and

'the spacing of wall ties at 675mm x 900mm fails to meet the required 450mm x 900mm'.

10.17.12 The Inquiry is of the view that the nature of defects identified in the above examples from other schools in Scotland clearly posed risks to those using the schools, which risks could have been avoided if effective quality assurance processes had been in place during the original construction of these schools.

10.17.13 There is sufficient evidence of the repetition of the same basic faults in the building of external masonry walls across a range of schools in Scotland to demonstrate that this issue requires a proactive response on the part of both clients and contractors in relation, respectively, to enhanced independent inspection and improved quality management to seek to eradicate this repeated failing of the construction industry.