Structural Audit
Our structural audits analyze the integrity and safety of your suppliers' buildings. Use our structural inspections to detect early signs of damage and mitigate safety risks.
Our structural audits analyze the integrity and safety of your suppliers' buildings. Use our structural inspections to detect early signs of damage and mitigate safety risks.
Since the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, the structural safety of supplier facilities has become a board-level concern for brands and retailers worldwide. Tragically, structural failures continue today — factory fires, explosions, and collapses that attract press coverage, regulatory scrutiny, and lasting reputational damage. More often than not, these events would have been prevented by routine structural checks and maintenance.
When a failure occurs in your supply chain, the question your investors, press, and customers will ask is not what the factory owner did — it's what you did to verify that conditions were safe. A structural audit creates the documented evidence that you acted with due diligence.
Any of the following can silently increase structural risk in a supplier facility:
Extreme weather, such as monsoon rains or heavy snowfall
Natural events, such as earthquakes
Vibration caused by machinery or nearby construction
Water leaks in walls
Structural additions, such as mezzanine floors or additional storage areas
Heavy loads, such as water storage tanks added to roofs or floor-level racking
Exposure to corrosive chemicals
Repurposing of a building beyond its original design specification
Audits conducted by licensed structural engineers — not generalist auditors: QIMA's structural audits are carried out by licensed engineers with expertise in design and construction supervision. Every finding is backed by professional engineering judgement — not a compliance checklist applied without technical qualification.
Full structural assessment across 9 areas — not just a visual check: QIMA's audit protocol covers load conditions, structural defects, fire safety, electrical safety, and thermographic scanning of key electrical components. Non-destructive testing (NDT) is applied where required. No structural risk goes unexamined.
Corrective Action Plans that separate critical risks from preventative measures: Every audit report includes a graded factory safety level and a tailored CAP — distinguishing what requires immediate action from what can be addressed through planned maintenance. You know exactly where to act first.
Follow-up support to close findings, not just document them: Beyond the report, QIMA helps factories implement improvements — from live load analysis and post-earthquake inspection to on-site structural safety training. Corrective action progress is tracked until findings are resolved.
100+ country coverage with local building code expertise: QIMA structural auditors operate across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas — with local knowledge of country-specific construction and design codes. Ranked #1 in the industry for customer satisfaction by 30,000+ clients.
Step 1 — Request your audit: Tell QIMA which facility you need assessed, its location, and any specific concerns — recent structural additions, weather events, or changes in building use. Receive confirmation and pricing within 24 hours.
Step 2 — Engineer assigned and documentation reviewed: QIMA assigns a licensed structural engineer with expertise in local building codes and construction standards. Before the site visit, the engineer reviews available documentation: building description, structural certifications, and construction approvals.
Step 3 — Comprehensive on-site assessment: The QIMA engineer conducts a full structural inspection covering 9 areas — load conditions, structural system, defects and damage, fire safety, electrical safety, thermographic scanning of key electrical components, plan verification, building maintenance, and additional structural features. Non-destructive testing (NDT) is applied where required.
Step 4 — Graded audit report delivered: You receive a full structural audit report through your QIMA platform, including: an overall factory safety grade, detailed findings with photographic evidence for every identified risk, and a prioritised Corrective Action Plan that separates critical risks requiring immediate action from preventative maintenance recommendations.
Step 5 — Follow-up and improvement programme: QIMA supports your factory in implementing corrective actions — not just documenting them. Follow-up services include live load analysis, post-earthquake inspection, simulation performance testing, fire safety plan redesign, and on-site structural safety training. Progress is tracked until findings are closed.
Every QIMA structural audit delivers a graded safety report, photographic evidence of every finding, and a prioritised Corrective Action Plan. Get a quote and receive confirmation within 24 hours.
Our audit protocol covers:
Background information/documentation: Detailed building description, verification of structural certifications and construction approvals
Load conditions: Floor-by-floor assessment of load management, identification of 'at risk' loads and misuse of the building; application of non-destructive testing (NDT).
Structural system: Description of structural forms and the building foundation system, review of alterations
Structural defects, damage, distress, deformation, or deterioration: Foundations, superstructure, floors, and roof assessment
Plan and alignment: Verification that dimensions in key areas of the factory comply with the design plan.
Building maintenance and exposure to aggressive environmental conditions: Evaluation of building maintenance, drainage, and exposure to chemicals that could affect structural safety
Further structural surveys and checks: Additional assessment of potentially dangerous structural features, such as water tanks, lifts, and safety barriers
Fire safety: Full verification of fire safety compliance based on local legal requirements and best practices in the industry
Electrical safety: Full verification of electrical safety compliance, based on local legal requirements and best practices in the industry
Thermographic scan: Verification of the temperature of key electrical components to identify potential risks related to overload or loose connections.
Post-audit, we will provide a comprehensive structural audit report, accessible through your online QIMA account.
The report includes:
Grading of the factory’s safety level
Detailed explanation of any identified risks
Necessary supporting photographic evidence
Our auditor will also provide a corrective action plan, based on the audit findings, which will detail any necessary remediation steps, such as repairs, retrofitting measures, strengthening of structural elements, or replacement of damaged or faulty components.
Beyond the audit, we also assist factories in addressing potential risks. We can help establish an improvement program for each factory and provide follow-up to ensure that the necessary corrective actions are implemented.
We can also provide other follow-up services, such as:
Live load analysis through laboratory material testing and/or on-site stress tests
Post-earthquake inspection
Simulation performance testing
Fire safety and electrical plan redesign
Review of geotechnical reports to support factories in their remediation efforts
Custom onsite training, eLearning, and workshops on structural safety best practices and specific structural safety topics, such as load analysis and fire safety.
These combined services help suppliers achieve structural safety compliance.
Clients worldwide
Countries covered
Field and lab experts
Net Promoter Score
QIMA structural audits are conducted by licensed engineers across 100+ countries — with local expertise in building codes, construction standards, and structural safety requirements specific to each market.
Pricing depends on facility size, location, and the scope of assessment required. QIMA provides fixed-fee quotes with no hidden costs — request a quote online and receive confirmation within 24 hours.
Most structural audits are completed in one to two days on site, depending on facility size and complexity. Your full graded audit report is delivered through your QIMA platform within a few days of the site visit.
Any facility where workers are present is a candidate — factories, warehouses, and processing sites all carry structural risk. Priority candidates include older buildings, facilities that have undergone structural modifications, sites in regions prone to extreme weather or seismic activity, and any facility where operational changes have increased structural load.
Your report includes a prioritised Corrective Action Plan separating critical risks requiring immediate action from preventative maintenance recommendations. QIMA provides guidance on remediation steps — repairs, retrofitting, or component replacement — and can support your factory through implementation via our follow-up improvement programme.
QIMA structural auditors operate across 100+ countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas — with local expertise in country-specific building codes and construction standards. Contact us to confirm coverage for a specific location.
The right frequency depends on the facility's age, risk profile, and any operational changes. As a baseline, an audit every one to two years is recommended for active manufacturing facilities. Higher-risk sites — seismic zones, facilities with recent modifications, or those operating heavy machinery — benefit from more frequent assessment. QIMA can help you design an audit programme based on your supplier risk profile.
Every QIMA structural audit report includes an overall factory safety grade, detailed findings across all 9 assessed areas, photographic evidence for every identified risk, and a prioritised Corrective Action Plan. Reports are accessible through your QIMA platform immediately upon completion.
Both. Beyond the audit report, QIMA offers a full follow-up improvement programme — including live load analysis, post-earthquake inspection, simulation performance testing, fire safety plan redesign, and on-site structural safety training. We track corrective action progress to ensure findings are resolved, not just documented.
By contacting QIMA you agree to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.
By contacting QIMA you agree to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.