The bridge should be designed and built with maintenance in mind. Ensure that the main beams can be inspected along their length, and especially where they rest on piers and end seats. Decking and handrails should be replaceable. It may be necessary to include anchor points for safety harnesses to allow safe inspection to be done.
Full plans and records of the bridge should be kept. During construction, any variation to the specification should be accurately recorded on an ‘as-built’ drawing. Photographs are useful, especially of parts which will be covered up.
The bridge and its approaches should be inspected annually, using a standard inspection and maintenance record sheet (Countryside Commission for Scotland, revised 1989). Routine maintenance includes cleaning vegetation and debris from decking, maintaining free air space around beam ends, and tightening loose fixings. Timber preservatives should be re-applied every three years, and metal paint every five. Repairs must be done in accordance with the original specification.
