Following Building Codes

Re “Selling the Average Joe on Strict Building Codes,” Commentary, Nov. 16: As a general contractor, I was very interested in reading the article by Howard Kunreuther on potential earthquake damage. I was hoping he would have included a mention of proper site supervision to make sure the engineering is executed properly. After the Northridge earthquake in 1994, some of the buildings that failed had evidence of a failure to follow the plans as engineered. Shear nailing was not done properly and some shear walls were missing. The Building Department cannot possibly be a watchdog for every detail on a building plan.

What amuses me more, however, is the constant misplacement of value. What is a human life worth? Why is there any question about cost when it means saving life or saving one from debilitating injury? There seems to be more of a value placed on one’s computer skills, rather than one’s ability to actually build or understand the construction of a project.

I watch every day as buildings go up, and they are still using hammers, wood, steel, concrete, etc. No one has yet come up with a program to extrude a perfect edifice. Until that time, I am afraid that an integral part of constructing a safe building is to assiduously train people to know their craft and develop a new respect for the old-fashioned word “labor.”

VICTOR GENTILE

Beverly Hills