Main bonding in large industrial building

[R4BOE]

could not have said it better vandaft

 

[Knobhead]

The nature of the steelwork makes the difference. Most of the plants I’ve worked on the steel structure formed part of crane support tracks. I wouldn’t contemplate drilling a stanchion or beam that had anything to do with the integrity of that structure. Cross bracing still needs to regarded with care.

I’ve seen 1½“ bolts popped out of joints. In one fish plate joint 24 out of 72 bolts had failed!

A wild supposition it may be but in court anything that can be used to disperse/spread blame, will be.

Cover yourself!

 

[R4BOE]

Seriously ?? we are talking about a wee hole in a H beam here, i am going to ask the structural steel enginner on the job next time i see him ?

 

[Knobhead]

Please ask first before setting to with a drill. Cover yourself!

 

[Engineer54]

As you have said , steel erectors/structural engineers etc drill in to these beams to bolt in cross strainers so tapping/or bolting, an earth wire would be hardly putting any stress on the beem the removed swarf when drilling would be replaced with a bolt so the volume of the beam would be the same( the bolt would infact would be of stronger composite) so there for would not be any weaker

Also as you say roller doors etc are all fitted to structural steel work ,maybe we better do away with them and fire doors .

You have to take these things in perspective, just because you see a contractors steel erectors fixing, hangers, and making other alterations that is involving drilling and bolting to existing structural steelwork, doesn't mean they are doing this without clearance from a structural Engineer. Remember in most instances they would need to submit drawings for approval, before any work would commence either from the companies Engineering dept, or via a LABC or whatever.
Another possibility is that the contractor is following a drawing issued by a companies Engineering department or by the companies consulting engineer.

In general, the drilling and tapping a single hole for say a 14 to 17mm earth bonding cable is neither going to be here nor there in the bigger scheme of things...lol!!

 

[netblindpaul]

Generally it should not be a problem, however if as Tony suggests the steelwork is load bearing as in for a travelling gantry crane say and thus is subject to stress cycles, then drilling even a 5mm hole could be an issue, especially if the steel work has been value engineered, or the crane loading has been upped to its maximum, perhaps above the original design, but within the loading of the steel work as is.
You then come along and insert a crack nucleation point (several actually if you tap the hole) in a cyclically loaded structural member.
This could be an issue...