The exteriors of institutional and commercial buildings, just like their roofs, are out of sight and out of mind for most people — until something goes wrong. In the case of exteriors, that something often is falling objects, such as aluminum building materials or ice. In 2020, New York City conducted a series of facade inspections after falling debris killed a pedestrian.
The latest instance of falling building material occurred in San Francisco, where Transamerica Pyramid staff members were recently seen guarding the perimeters of the building as crews cleaned up the glass and debris from a window that broke, according to CBS News.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said a glass pane was being cleaned when it broke, sending pieces of the window falling onto 600 Montgomery Street.
The incident comes about two weeks after the Transamerica Pyramid reopened its lobby to the public for the first time in four years. The new owner recently conducted an 18-month renovation project in hopes of revitalizing downtown.
This is not the first time glass has fallen from a San Francisco high-rise onto streets below. In September, a full pane of glass was being installed on the roof of the Salesforce East building when it plummeted to the street.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
