1. Jobsite Inspection Checklist™
Presented by the Wood Truss Council of America

2. Inspection Checklist 1 - Truss design drawings
and truss placement diagram, if required
2 - Truss placements and orientations
3 - Bearing locations
4 - Multi-ply girders
5 - Structural connectors
6 - Permanent web bracing
7 - Truss damages and repairs
In order to perform a basic jobsite truss inspection, the points to review are:
Truss design drawings and truss placement diagram, if required
Truss placements and orientations
Bearing locations
Multi-ply girders
Structural connectors
Permanent web bracing and
Truss damages and repairs
Let’s look at each point in more detail.

3. 1- Review the Drawings Included in truss delivery package
Before you even start looking at the truss installation, review all relevant documentation from the Truss Manufacturer. You will need the truss design drawings and the truss placement diagram to perform an effective inspection. The most up-to-date copies should be on site, look in the delivery package that came with the trusses.

4. 1- Truss Design Drawings
Different Styles of Drawings
Different Truss Manufacturers may use different types of truss design software so their resulting output format is different. Regardless of their origins, all truss design drawings contain the same type information, you just have to know what to look for. For more information on this topic, view the brochure or the seminar called How to Read a Truss Design Drawing.

5. 1- Review Floor and Roof Different Design Parameters
Check the truss loads and truss spacing for the project. Check floor and roof trusses separately, the loads, spacing and bearing requirements may be completely different.
For example a floor truss could be loaded for 60 PSF total and a roof truss to 45 PSF. Does the loading conform to the structural plans and the jurisdiction’s minimum requirements?
For example:
Loading: 60 PSF total
O.C. Spacing: 19.2″
Loading: 45 PSF total
O.C. Spacing: 24″

6. 1- Check Design Drawings for:
Multiple Ply Girders
Keep an eye out for things you will have to look at more closely when you get inside the structure,
for example multiple ply girders.
These could be indicated a couple of ways on the drawing.

7. 1- Check Design Drawings for:
Web Bracing Locations
Locations for permanent web bracing.
This will be indicate don the drawing and in the notes.

8. 1- Check Drawings Point Load Locations
Notice where any large point loads are being transferred from truss-to-girder of girder-to-girder.
Large point loads are designed to attach at a joint location.

9. 1- Any “Extra” Trusses Indicates a spacing or installation error
Take a look around the job site. Do you see “extra” trusses lying around?

10. 1- Any “Extra” Trusses Indicates a spacing or installation error
Truss manufacturers don’t send any more trusses than necessary so any leftovers could indicate a spacing or installation error.

11. 1- Check Placement Diagram
For girders, which support extra loads
Check the truss placement diagram for locations of any girders

12. 1- Check Placement Diagram
For girders, which support extra loads
Girder trusses support extra loads from framing.

13. 1- Check Placement Diagram
Non-Structural Framing
Or areas to be filled in with non-structural framing

14. 1- Check Placement Diagram
Non-Structural Framing
Like valley sets, piggy back trusses or over framing.

15. 2 – Check Truss Placements
Match ID mark on placement diagram
Every truss on the placement diagram has an ID mark. Compare the location of each Truss ID on the placement diagram…

16. 2 – Truss Placements To ID mark on installed truss
To the locations of the truss as it was installed. Each truss will have the ID mark written on or attached to it somewhere, usually on the top or bottom chord.

17. 2 – Check Truss Orientations
Check upside-down and left-to-right
If designed to be installed this way…
This installation is wrong!
Also check the trusses to make sure they are oriented correctly – not upside-down or flipped end-to-end.

18. 2 – Truss Orientations Important for parallel chord trusses
This is important for parallel chord trusses. This example shows a truss installation where the interior bearing location doesn’t line up with the interior bearing wall.
You can tell this is backwards, because any time a truss rests on a bearing wall there should be a joint and most likely a vertical web.
If the truss is flipped back into it’s intended position,
everything lines up perfectly. The truss design drawings indicates exactly where all bearing support are located.

19. 2 – Truss Orientations Important for cantilevered trusses
A cantilever means that part of the structure extends unsupported past the bearing. Most cantilever trusses will have a joint and web located just above the cantilever bearing.
This installation violates this provision so it should raise some concern.
Check the truss design drawing and
it will most likely indicate the correct installation with a web or two terminating in a joint right above the bearing.

20. 2 – Truss Orientations Important for unevenly loaded girders
Girders carrying asymmetrical loads may be designed symmetrically so that it can be installed either way.
Check the design drawings to see if the plates sizes are mirrored on each side of the truss. If not, then there is only one correct orientation for the girder truss.

21. 3- Check Bearing Locations
Are all required supports present?
Check that supports indicted on the truss design drawing are present. The most common bearing condition is what’s known as a simple span – that is, two bearings one at each end.

22. 3- Bearing Locations Are supports in the correct locations?
A quick check of the truss design drawing will tell you no. This incorrect installation shows floor trusses with no means of transferring loads efficiently out of the truss into the interior bearing wall.
The homeowner noticed excessive floor deflection before the house was even finished. The builder added an un-engineered repair in the form of a bearing block at a major point load location in an attempt to alleviate the problem.
If you recall

23. 3- Bearing Locations Bearing may show a double top plate
But can be any designed support
Beam
Hanger
Block wall, etc.
The drawings often show the bearing as a double top plate, but it can be any type of adequately designed support like a beam, hanger or block wall. The main point here is to make sure that the bearing is at least the minimum size indicated on the truss design drawing.

24. 4 – Check Multi-Ply Girders
Verify all plies are fastened together
Verify all plies of any multiple-ply girders are fastened together according to the schedule on the girder truss design drawing.

25. 4 – BCSI-B9 Summary Sheet Info on Multi-Ply Girders
For more information on multi-ply girders see the BCSI-B9 Summary Sheet.

26. 5 – Check Structural Connectors
Hangers, tie-downs and clips installed at correct locations?
Are all hangers, tie-downs and clips installed at the correct locations and all available fastener holes filled with the correct fastener? If truss-to-bearing connectors are not required refer to the BCSI-B8 Summary Sheet on Toe-Nailing for Uplift Reactions.

27. 5 – Structural Connectors
Holes filled with correct fastener?
Are all available fastener holes filled with the correct fastener?
This heavy duty hanger installation isn’t complete until there more blocking installed to accept that bolts for uplift resistance
Here is a similar hanger installed correctly.

28. 5 – BCSI-B8 Summary Sheet Info on Toe-nailing for Uplift Reactions
If truss-to-bearing connectors are not required refer to the BCSI-B8 Summary Sheet on Toe-Nailing for Uplift Reactions.

29. 6 – Permanent Web Bracing
Installed per truss design drawings?
Is it installed at all the locations indicated on the truss design drawings? For more information on this see the BCSI-B3 Summary Sheet on Web Member Permanent Bracing/Web Reinforcement.

30. 6 - Permanent Web Bracing
Prevents compression buckling
Is it installed at all the locations indicated on the truss design drawings? This bracing must be installed in order for the truss to perform according to its design.

31. 6 - BCSI-B3 Summary Sheet Web Member Permanent Bracing
Web Reinforcement
For more information on this see the BCSI-B3 Summary Sheet on Web Member Permanent Bracing/Web Reinforcement.

32. 7 - Check Damages Trusses cut for pipes, stairs, chimneys?
Is any lumber or are any plates damaged, cut or missing? If so, they must be repaired.

33. 7 - Check Damages
Trusses cut for HVAC equipment?

34. 7 - Check Damages
Plates or lumber damaged or missing?

35. 7 - Check Repairs Where is the “Repair Detail”
If so, they must be repaired. If the damage has already been repaired, ask for the “repair detail” issued by the truss manufacturer.

36. 7 - Check Repair Details Similar to original but instructs for repair
It is similar to a truss design drawing but it shows specific instructions on how to repair that particular truss.

37. 7 - BCSI-B5 Summary Sheet
Truss Damage, Jobsite Modifications and Installation Errors
See the BCSI-B5 Summary Sheet on Truss Damage, Jobsite Modifications and Installation Errors for more information.

38. Checklist Complete! This is not a comprehensive checklist
There may be other factors to consider on particular projects
Contact the truss manufacturer listed on the drawings with questions on specific truss projects
Contact WTCA for training information
See the BCSI-B5 Summary Sheet on Truss Damage, Jobsite Modifications and Installation Errors for more information.

39. BCSI Series For more info on: Truss repairs Girders Fall protection
Jobsite storage
Truss handling
Toe-nailing for uplift
Temporary bracing
Construction loading

40. WTCA is the Information Source
WTCA serves the Structural Component Industry by providing key information to its members and aligned building professionals. WTCA’s Mission Statement is to educate the building component industry to ensure the continued growth of components. This is accomplished through a variety of products and services.

41. Structural Building Components Magazine
The mission of Structural Building Components Magazine (SBC) is to increase the knowledge of and to promote the common interests of those engaged in manufacturing and distributing structural building components. Further, SBC strives to ensure growth, continuity and increased professionalism in our industry, and to be the information conduit by staying abreast of leading-edge issues. Contact SBC Magazine today to begin receiving your subscription!

42. www.woodtruss.com Our website is www.woodtruss.com. <animate>
Woodtruss.com takes you to an introductory page that provides links to the WTCA homepage, as well as other key aligned organizations serving in our industry.
<animate> If you click on the WTCA logo…..

43. WTCA Homepage
You will enter the home page of WTCA. You can view WTCA publications, order WTCA publications online, ask technical questions, look up manufacturers by state, view legislative issues, and much more.

44. Wood Truss Council of America wtca@woodtruss.com™
Wood Truss Council of America
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