East SOS Reconstruction Team Enhances Expertise in Damage Assessment

Viktoriia Natoloka, Infrastructure Manager of the East SOS Reconstruction Program, completed an online course on Structural Damage Assessment for Engineers and Technical Responders in Ukraine, provided by the international NGO RedR UK. 

This course consisted of five modules (15 hours) and focused on practical approaches to assessing structural damage to residential buildings and critical infrastructure, including medical facilities and educational institutions, in the context of war.

Over the course of the training, participants worked through the procedures for conducting technical inspections, classifying the damage, and planning the subsequent restoration work for damaged buildings.

The course covered in detail how to:

• Apply the Ukrainian regulatory framework and Construction Good Practice Standards (CGPS) to damage assessments.

• Assess common types of structural damage in masonry and reinforced concrete buildings.

• Classify the severity of structural damage using a standard classification system and specify immediate actions to ensure safety.

• Conduct and record damage assessments efficiently using a dedicated digital data collection tool.

• Describe and evaluate appropriate repair strategies for various types of observed structural damage.

• Identify and mitigate personal health and safety risks when visiting and assessing damaged buildings.

Amidst the full-scale war and systematic russian attacks on critical infrastructure, these skills hold immediate practical value. Specialists from the East SOS Reconstruction Program are repairing water and heating systems damaged by shelling, restoring clinics in rural areas (FAPs), and deploying modular housing for those displaced in frontline hromadas.

“This training has significantly improved our ability to evaluate the structural integrity of buildings and utility networks, accurately categorize damage levels, and define the precise scope of work required for restoration. It is critical to distinguish between cracks caused by shelling and those resulting from other factors, as this distinction directly impacts both the restoration cost estimates and the overall damage assessment. We must clearly distinguish where we can take immediate action and where we need to pause and bring in additional expertise. This is vital to ensuring that all safety requirements are met for both residents and our specialists,” said Viktoriia Natoloka.

Strengthening our team’s expertise is a fundamental pillar of our systemic approach.

As a reminder, the East SOS team recently completed the project documentation for installing a mobile boiler unit at a temporary housing facility in the city of Zavodske, Poltava Oblast.