FSEA: Guardians of Building Safety

By David Fusco, P.E., FRSE, LEED AP, SENIOR PRINCIPAL AT THORNTON TOMASETTI, FSEA PAST PRESIDENT

When it comes to the built environment, many professionals contribute to making projects succeed. But when it comes to protecting lives, one role stands above the rest: the structural engineer. From design and inspection to emergency response, structural engineers are the guardians of building safety.

Turning Vision Into Reality (and Safety)

A building often takes years, sometimes decades, to move from concept to completion. Hundreds of people shape the process: architects refine form and function, owners weigh cost and use, and contractors bring plans into the field. But through it all, the structural engineer carries a singular duty to make sure the building is safe for the people who will occupy it.

It’s the structural engineer who ensures that an architectural vision can survive hurricanes, earthquakes and the daily forces of gravity and wind. That means running the numbers, tracing load paths, checking materials and making sure every structural element meets the Florida Building Code.

It’s a constant balancing act, meeting the architect’s intent while guaranteeing that safety and performance are never compromised.

Beyond New Construction

Our role doesn’t end when a ribbon is cut. Florida is home to aging high-rises, coastal condos and public buildings that need continual evaluation. Structural engineers conduct inspections and assessments to verify that older buildings remain safe, and we lead retrofit and restoration projects to extend their service life. But even routine evaluations aren’t the whole story. When disaster strikes, our role can become even more critical.

First Responders Rely On Us

After a collapse, hurricane or tornado, emergency crews rely on our expertise to know where it’s safe to work and where it isn’t. Search and rescue teams often include structural engineers on the ground to evaluate stability, mark danger zones and, if needed, design controlled demolitions to open safe passage.

During the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Surfside, multiple structural engineers worked alongside emergency responders to guide life-or-death decisions about which parts of the building could be entered and how to navigate through hazardous debris.

A Moral Duty

Structural engineers hold a responsibility not unlike doctors. Just as physicians are bound to protect health, we are entrusted to protect safety. If we see danger in a building, whether in a cracked column, corroded connection or flawed design, we are obligated to report it. Few other professions carry such a direct ethical duty tied to human life.

We fight the forces of nature every day because lives depend on the structures we design and inspect. In Florida especially, where storms and coastal exposure test buildings year after year, that duty is always front and center.

Why Structural Engineers Are The Guardians

Some structures can be built without a structural engineer’s input. But the consequences can be costly. At best, projects suffer from wasted materials or inefficient layouts. At worst, they fail.

Structural engineers know how buildings behave under real-world conditions. We design for strength and stability, but also for resilience and durability. We see what others may overlook: the load path through a joint, the risk in a corroded beam, the telltale crack that signals something bigger.

That’s why, when it comes to the safety of the built environment, our role is unique. Just as doctors preserve health and firefighters save lives, structural engineers safeguard the places where communities live, work and gather. Every building that withstands a hurricane, every bridge that carries generations of traffic, stands as proof of that guardianship and the trust society places in us.