Jobsite Packages

SBCA’s Jobsite Package is likely the most economical risk management tool a component manufacturer (CM) can deploy.

With respect to your business, what do you dwell on before you go to sleep? What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? If I were to hazard a guess, I would say the most common answer in our industry right now is related to labor challenges and greater production. Given all we have been learning at the SBCA meetings over the past year, I would argue we also need to be constantly focused on our exposure to risk.

For decades, SBCA Jobsite Packages have helped component manufacturers (CMs) provide handling and installation guidance to their customers with every order. These pre-assembled packages of instruction documents, attached to truss deliveries in a zippered plastic bag, are now available in a digital format.

Question: 

Manufactured gable ends are actually frames even though they are often referred to as trusses. The webs are “studs” oriented vertically and usually spaced at 12, 16 or 24 in. O.C. The gable end frame is designed to transfer vertical loads from the roof to the continuous bearing wall below. Another way gable end frames are different from trusses placed in the interior of the structure is that frames experience perpendicular wind loads. The sheathed frame transfers the wind loads to the roof and ceiling diaphragms and vice versa.

Question: 

Some building designers believe that gable end webs need to be L-braced to 90% of the web length, which sounds fine. However, they spec that scissors gable end webs need to be braced to 100% of the web length. That means that in the field they are notching the braces to fit around top and bottom chords – you can imagine how difficult that can be. Is that necessary or even the intent of the web L-bracing?

Question: 

If trusses blew down from insufficient temporary bracing and the contractor put them back up without the knowledge of the truss manufacturer and gave the truss manufacturer a letter stating that the trusses were okay, is that sufficient? Do you know of any truss manufacturer who would accept this?

Question: 

How much OSB can be stacked on a floor deck without damaging the trusses?

Question: 

I almost always see wood trusses erected with no stability bracing at points of support. It seems to me that common sense and section 3.3.3.4 of The American Wood Council’s National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS) require that lateral support be provided at points of bearing. Plywood decking doesn't provide any more restraint for a wood truss than it does for a roof joist. I doubt if it was a concern with short span trusses having 4 in.

Question: 

We are finding it difficult to design permanent diagonal bracing for scissors trusses. The truss is often only a few feet in depth, which does not provide adequate room for diagonal bracing. Has SBCA come up with recommendations for permanent bracing of scissors trusses?

Question: 

We have been specifying laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams for some time now. The plans usually state, “Beam to be engineered and supplied by truss manufacturer.” What kind of liability issues do I need to watch out for?