A structure can pass a visual inspection and still be unfit for continued service. That sentence confuses a lot of people the first time they hear it, because “it's still standing” and “it's still safe” feel like the same statement. They're not. A column can have measurable section loss, a documented history of overload, or damage from a past fire and still be standing perfectly straight. Whether it can keep carrying its design load safely is a separate question, and that's w