Town of Ocean City Officials Stress Safety on Balconies, Decks & Guardrails

Ocean City, MD – With notable incidents involving balcony tragedies reaching from the Ocean City community to communities across the country, the town of Ocean City is urging all owners of residential and commercial structures to follow the safety inspection checklist. Taking time to inspect all balconies, decks, guardrails, and stairs for potential safety hazards can prevent a catastrophe before it occurs.

“Poor maintenance is the number one reason for structure failure,” commented Ocean City Chief Building Officer, Kevin Brown. “All visitors that come to Ocean City to enjoy our wonderful town should be aware of balcony overloading. Too many people standing on a balcony at one time [overcrowding] can place an enormous amount of stress on the structural members and may result in a major collapse of the balcony and possible serious injury or even death.”

The building department urges residents and visitors to use caution when allowing children on a balcony, encouraging supervision of children on balconies, fire escapes and high porches at all times. Also, furniture and other items should be moved away from the balcony and deck railings to prevent children from climbing. “Proper inspections from a qualified engineer or contractor can help prevent hazards associated with deck collapse and hazards from a guardrail failure just to name a few,” Brown concluded.

In addition, the town’s public safety departments encourage citizens to put safety first when spending time on balconies. “Most of the calls for service involving balcony falls that we respond to in Ocean City are avoidable,” commented Ocean City Fire Chief Chris Larmore. “At no point should you, or anyone, sit on, stand on, walk on or lean over a balcony. We want people to have fun but more importantly we want people to be responsible.”

Listed below is a simple inspection checklist that will help in evaluating balconies or decks:

Deck or Balcony:

Split or rotting wood Deteriorated fasteners, screws, nails, bolts, etc. Poor end support of the balcony deck, joist or girders Excessive movement of the balcony or deck Swaying or unstable Loose, missing or rusted anchors, joist hangers, nails or screws Damaged or decayed support beams, posts or decking Inspect connection to building or structure

Guardrails and Stairs:

Missing, deteriorated or loose railing, ornamental pickets, top and bottom rails Rusted or deteriorated fasteners, screws, bolts and nails etc. Wobbly handrails or guardrails Loose or deteriorated guardrail support post Level and secure landings both top and bottom of all stairs Deteriorated, loose or uneven treads Tread nosing cracked or badly worn Nails protruding from lumber

The Ocean City building department encourages citizens who believe their deck is unsafe or in need of repair, to please contact the Office of Building Inspection at 410.289.8855 or call a qualified licensed general contractor for further evaluation and repairs.