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CASP requirments

Chad Pasquini

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Nov 4, 2009
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our department is looking into having a casp certified specalist on staff by 2014, couple of questions. will this requirement put more liability on our department. will this turn into court appearances. Mark you seem to be the ada expert on this board, your thoughts are appreaciated.
 
I think CASP certification and renewal is expensive and unnecessary for a local building dept.

Application fee - $500

Examination fee -$800

Certification fee -$300

Total initial certification=$1,600.

But also renewal, that is another $500 every three years.

That does not include the cost of training courses, which I a believe are more important than the certification.

Who would be your CASp? Your BO?

What advantages does it have? The knowledge of the studying and training is the important thing.

The certification is no more meaningful then being LEED-AP.

Although your question is focused on liability, which is specifically addressed on the states website listing certified individuals:

"Statement: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a state agency or employee of a state agency may not be held liable for any injury or damages resulting from any service provided by a certified access specialist whose name appears on this list published pursuant to Government Code section 4459.7(a)."

So it couldn't hurt. Worth considering just to help focus on studying the laws and codes and staying current.
 
My comparison to LEED-AP...

The CASp manual includes some sample questions. Page 10.

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dsa/casp/CASp_Handbook_Rev_05_02_12.pdf

Why pay $1600 to prove you can answer those multiple choice questions?

Any competent inspector, building official, plan checker, architect, and commercial contractor should know this. Passing this test does not mean you can decipher and interpret the more gritty areas of accessibility.

I think your license as an inspector or architect should automatically make you CASp certified.
 
No more liability than enforcing and interpreting the building code. But that is a question for your legal department. I do believe the state requires you to have a CAS on staff or on retainer, by a certain date.
 
mark handler said:
No more liability than enforcing and interpreting the building code.
I agree with this. But looking at the other side of it, I don't see any advantages to a Dept having a CASp certification. Or perhaps there is an advantage that I am unaware of?

Would the certification bring some sort of actual authority on accessibility issues that you didn't already have as a plans examiner, inspector, and/or BO ?

This is a question that I am genuinely interested in, I am not trying to just be against CASp outright in my analysis.

mark handler said:
I do believe the state requires you to have a CAS on staff or on retainer, by a certain date.
If this is true, then it could save money to just get a CAS on retainer. Unless, again, there is an advantage that I am unaware of.
 
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