• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

OK, Who has a plan of action for the COVID-19?

is anyone closed down?

We are getting close. I am on the sidelines. There is talk of doing some virtual inspections from home. Re-roof, electrical panels, furnace and AC, drywall, insulation, small framing jobs like additions and garages. Oh and smoke & co alarms.

While I’m not impressed with virtual inspection; it may come down to that or nothing. I think pictures would be better than a video that I can’t rewind. That would give me time to do an inspection.
 
Last edited:
Fire side

No annuals for awhile

Do new construction, new businesses, complaints

Study the code book in the office, when no work
 
As of end of business today, we have shut down most of our buildings to public access. My question to the City Manager will be; When do I stop sending my staff into 40-50 inspection sites? We have close public access to buildings, but we are sending the folks out into the public???

BTW, I am one of the naysayers, I think we are overacting, compared to usual one or two year flu strains that will, or would have, killed us all.
 
As of end of business today, we have shut down most of our buildings to public access. My question to the City Manager will be; When do I stop sending my staff into 40-50 inspection sites? We have close public access to buildings, but we are sending the folks out into the public???

BTW, I am one of the naysayers, I think we are overacting, compared to usual one or two year flu strains that will, or would have, killed us all.


But you normally do not interact with that many people at a job site or you can limit it,,,

Plus implement “ personal Social distancing“
 
I am 3rd Party.

We have notified all of our municipalities and as many contractors as possible;
Not accepting office walk ins, requesting email, fax or mail service delivery of plans or revisions.
Staff is now asking callers if anyone is experiencing flu like symptoms when an interior inspection is scheduled. More prevalent on residential inspections then commercial.
 
Staff is now asking callers if anyone is experiencing flu like symptoms when an interior inspection is scheduled. More prevalent on residential inspections then commercial.

I have had occasions where the person that answered the door was obviously sick. I refuse to enter when that happens. More thn once the person called the office to complain that they took a day off work for this and demanding that I come back. I once had a final inspection where I had to see all of the smoke alarms......one bedroom door was closed and I asked to enter but was told no because the person that was in there is quarantined with TB. That upset me. I'm pretty sure that they figured that out.

The point is that you have to not trust people to understand the danger, tell the truth, or care about your safety.

People can be shedding the virus for days before any symptoms manifest.

I hear the statements: "So the flu kills many thousands of Americans every year so what's the big deal about less than 100?" ..... "The Covid-19 mortality rate is ten times that of the flu." ..... "If it takes off the medical establishment will be overwhelmed quickly. People would be expiring in tents set up at hospital parking lots."

Fatboy, When Dr. Oz says it's bad the whole world listens.
 
Last edited:
I think I am going to do a covid free news weekend.

There is just to much overload this past week, besides I am out of toilet paper
 
I have had occasions where the person that answered the door was obviously sick. I refuse to enter when that happens. More thn once the person called the office to complain that they took a day off work for this and demanding that I come back. I once had a final inspection where I had to see all of the smoke alarms......one bedroom door was closed and I asked to enter but was told no because the person that was in there is quarantined with TB. That upset me. I'm pretty sure that they figured that out.

The point is that you have to not trust people to understand the danger, tell the truth, or care about your safety.

People can be shedding the virus for days before any symptoms manifest.

I hear the statements: "So the flu kills many thousands of Americans every year so what's the big deal about less than 100?" ..... "The Covid-19 mortality rate is ten times that of the flu." ..... "If it takes off the medical establishment will be overwhelmed quickly. People would be expiring in tents set up at hospital parking lots."

Fatboy, When Dr. Oz says it's bad the whole world listens.

Agree and we have been told from our first day on the job and reminded during this specific instance, we have the right to respectfully refuse an inspection or make a judgement call for other reasonable arrangements as deemed situationally necessary.
 
I quit shaking hands ten years ago. When people complain about me, and so many have, they say that I am rude because I refused to shake hands. “Who does he think he is?” “He’s too good to touch me?” “He thinks he’s better than the rest of us.” Quite often I wasn’t even them that I snubbed but an employee. That’s when I hear “He needs to apologize.”

I have been known to hit the blue room before greeting the hefe.......then stick my hand out like I’m eager to put germs on his. The sly grin gives me away.

The last day that I worked a contractor walked towards me with his hand outstretched. I pointed to a spot ten feet away and said “Stand over there”.....and he did it.
 
Last edited:
Been unplugged from news since Friday PM, been nice, might keep it up for awhile
 
We have business continuity plans in place for all services that have been identified as essential. Closed most municipal facilities.

We are still doing inspections.

Next steps: no walk-ins and no contractors on site for inspections.

For those thinking this is just a bad flu, Italy did not respond adequately for the same reason 1 month ago and here are their numbers as of today:

Confirmed infected: 24,747
Deaths: 1,809
Recovered: 2,335
Active: 20,603

That means their death rate right now is 44%, due to exhausted medical personnel and equipment.

Worst case scenario for over preparing is that you look stupid. Worst case scenario for under preparing is people die.
 
I have been known to hit the blue room before greeting the hefe.......then stick my hand out like I’m eager to put germs on his. The sly grin gives me away.

Ice, next time when your in the facility, grab some of those white breath mints from the tray on the left and give them out to your buds!
 
As of today all of our buildings are closed to the public. All employees are instructed to practice social distancing within the office as well as out in public. The social distance is six feet which is too far yet not far enough. Tomorrow will bring more restrictions.

As for myself, I haven't left home for 11 days.
 
Last edited:
Was on the PA turnpike near Philly this morning. Hardly any traffic. Lot's of things shut down, malls, schools, sports, theaters. Still inspecting but any meetings are to be on line.
 
For those thinking this is just a bad flu, Italy did not respond adequately for the same reason 1 month ago and here are their numbers as of today:

Confirmed infected: 24,747
Deaths: 1,809
Recovered: 2,335
Active: 20,603

That means their death rate right now is 44%, due to exhausted medical personnel and equipment.

Worst case scenario for over preparing is that you look stupid. Worst case scenario for under preparing is people die.
Confirmed infected: 24,747
Deaths: 1,809
No it is less than 1%
Ok, so neither of these numbers are accurate depictions of reality.

In TMurray's defense, his math is right; however, the denominator (recovered) is grossly underestimated because of cases not reported (i.e. those that did not require hospitalization and have recovered).

MtLogCabin, your math is utilizing the total number of confirmed infected as the denominator; this is wrong, as these people have neither recovered nor died. Thus we do not know what category to put them in.

For both of you, please be considerate of what you are posting. Re-posting or generating information that is not properly vetted is irresponsible and should be avoided.
 
I came up with a mortality rate of 7.3%.

And just to be sure I asked my wife.
 
Last edited:
I came up with a mortality rate of 7.3%.

And just to be sure I asked my wife.
Based upon TMurray's numbers....

1809 / (1809 + 2335) = 0.4365 = 44%

As per my post, this is not an accurate determination. The math is right, but the methodology is horribly wrong.
 
Top