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Deck Collapses in the U.S.: Building Codes and Safety Concerns

Deaths are not rampant so it must not be a problem....
Oh it's a problem.... just that it's not worth fixing.... or is it? These pictures are examples of what has been approved by clueless inspectors. I chose pictures of stairs so that the Building Officials can participate.

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Clearly missing receptacles....except maybe the first one.....
I've know a few other building officials that would see it just like that. In a month they need a refresher on receptacle spacing... and you get to explain AFCI every time it comes up.
 
Ice. Well, you have two options in front of you then. Wait for a month, or two, or six to rehire a "qualified inspector" for the position that just opened up due to the retirement of the old inspector or <Ice to fill in the blank>

It just is not a perfect word is all I am saying. Sure we can say "Only hire the person who knows it all already" but it may be a long time coming before he/she shows up. In the meantime, people are going to be real pissed off when they have to wait 6 months for their inspection and you tell them that you have been interviewing people every week or so but nobody is currently qualified. Maybe you can persuade the trustees to increase the base pay until these qualified people show up. What is that these days like $150,000 a year.
 
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Sure we can say "Only hire the person who knows it all already" but it may be a long time coming before he/she shows up. In the meantime, people are going to be real pissed off when they have to wait 6 months for their inspection and you tell them that you have been interviewing people every week or so but nobody is currently qualified. Maybe you can persuade the trustees to increase the base pay until these qualified people show up. What is that these days like $150,000 a year.

Sounds to me like a training problem.

It's apparent to me that the system in the Excited States is different than what we have up here. Most of our provinces have a provincial building inspector's association that takes care of training and credentialling.... which solves the problem.
 
Sounds to me like a training problem.

It's apparent to me that the system in the Excited States is different than what we have up here. Most of our provinces have a provincial building inspector's association that takes care of training and credentialling.... which solves the problem.
If only we could just get everyone to come here.....
 
Sounds to me like a training problem.

It's apparent to me that the system in the Excited States is different than what we have up here. Most of our provinces have a provincial building inspector's association that takes care of training and credentialling.... which solves the problem.
Some states in the US do have a system in place, but not all and not Illinois. A city could hire the first guy off the street to be their next electrical inspector if they wanted to. There are cities here who have Community Development departments run by AICP planners who also claim the title building official because no one can stop them and they have zero background in the trades, building, architecture and certainly not building codes.
 
There are cities here who have Community Development departments run by AICP planners who also claim the title building official because no one can stop them and they have zero background in the trades, building, architecture and certainly not building codes.
Oh so many.
 
There are some things an inspector should spend extra time on to make sure that that it not only meets the minimum code requirement but also the Architect/Engineers designed drawings. Then there are times and items an inspector will do a representative sampling during an inspection.
That is just how the real-world works.
No one can build a building and be 100% code compliant with all of the codes, standards and manufactures installation instructions that are applicable to a project.
 
I am located in Southern California. Where you are the condition is, hopefully, much different.

For the first ten years of my career there was a respect shown to inspectors that has evaporated. There's a reason for that.
 
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