More Training needed for Inspectors

[Uncle Bob]

Building Safety Departments need to provide formal continuous training for Inspectors. With the slowdown in construction; now is a good time to start meeting that need. Every Building Safety Department should have a continuous training program; that evaluates, supports, and provides continuous training for the Inspectors.

It doesn't have to be expensive trips to ICC's or other seminars. There are numerous opportunities that are available for in-house, on-site (construction site), and internet training; at little to no cost to the AHJ; that will produce more competent and confident, Inspectors.

Building Officials have a responsiblity to do everything in their power to provide this training; and to evaluate the results.

Here are a few ideas:

Examine Inspection reports that Inspectors turned in; before the training and for some time after the training.

Research available internet training from professional organizations like APA, and WTCA; and instructional material (installation requirements, and code references) from organizations like the Gypsum Association, Simpson Strong-Tie, and many others; much of it "FREE"; and some that cost very little compaired to sending the Inspector to a (in many cases an all expenses paid vacation) Seminar.

Contact the material manufacturers and/or their associated organizations. Truss and Engineered wood manufacturers in your area are usually happy to provide on-site training to Inspectors; including how to read TJI layouts and Truss Design Drawings, and how to inspect them.

Inspect the Inspector. This one almost caused me to quite; when my Building Official had a more knowledgeable and experienced (and much younger) Inspector re-inspect some of "my inspectons" and, occasionally, did the same himself. Today, I can't thank them enough.

Require at least one new Certification per year. This develops a positive learning attitude and instills pride.

In an interview I watched; Ross Perot was asked, " To what do you attribute your success?". He answered, "I hire people who are smarter than me."

Uncle Bob

 

[vegas paul]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Agreed. Especially with budget reductions lately, inspectors and Plans Examiners are being asked to do more with less... the last thing you want to do is take away their training. One good FREE way to have brief, topical training is to assign an inspector to do a short session on a topic of their choice, presented to everyone else. Include it in a staff meeting. This can be as little as 5 minutes, or as long as necessary. This gives them some sense of expertise and leadership, and is a good team-building exercise. Rotate through the ranks and let everyone do it.

The best part is, that some inspectors will choose a subject that they are already experts on... others (given more prep time) may choose a subject that they are weak in, but want to become knowlegable in. Works either way.

I learn most from listening to everybody, not just the high-paid managers, directors, and training professionals.

 

[LGreene]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

If any of you would like training on door-related code requirements, my company has people in most areas that can provide that training at no charge. It's not a sales-pitch - we try to keep it very generic. We cover requirements for fire doors, egress, and accessibility, and we hand out a pretty good reference guide (available here: http://www.ihatehardware.com/?p=115).

We're seeing a lot more electrified hardware and access control, so we've been getting requests for training on that. We also talk about some of the more basic stuff - panic hardware, opening force/closing speed, fire door assembly components, etc. If your jurisdiction is enforcing the NFPA 80-2007 requirement for annual inspections of fire doors, we have presentations specific to that topic as well.

Feel free to drop me an email and I can put you in touch with someone in your area - lori_greene@irco.com.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Paul,

Sorry about missing Plans Examiners. We were small and had to take care of both. Also, thanks for adding cross training. This type of training can help put Plans Examiners and Inspectors on the same page; encourages them to work as a team; and, is also good for ICC Certification CEUs.

LGreene,

Great example of how we can profit from training opportunities from manufacturers. Do you also reference I-Codes in your training?

Uncle Bob

 

[LGreene]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Paul,Great example of how we can profit from training opportunities from manufacturers. Do you also reference I-Codes in your training?

Hi Uncle Bob -

We reference the following codes and standards, depending on which ones are used in your jurisdiction:

IBC

NFPA 80

NFPA 101

NFPA 105

ICC/ANSI A117.1

ADA

State & Local Codes

We discuss variations between editions of the codes...for example, IBC-2003 allowed some stair doors (not the exit discharge) to be mechanically locked on the stair side, but IBC-2006 requires those doors to be unlocked from the fire command center. And IBC-2003 required panic hardware on assembly and educational occupancies with more than 100 occupants, but IBC-2006 changed that to 50 occupants. That kind of stuff can be easy to miss when you're moving from one edition to another.

I should also mention that we deal with mostly commercial, institutional, and multi-family applications - not 1&2-family residential. And in the interest of full disclosure - I work for Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies (Von Duprin, Schlage, LCN, Falcon, Steelcraft, etc.), but like I said, our code presentations are not salesy.

- Lori

 

[FM William Burns]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Lori,

Could you post a link to your survey on fire door assembly inspections on this site also?

EDIT: Never mind.........see it up on Commercial Fire Codes and don't want to skew the data since I already filled it out on another site

 

[Daddy-0-]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

U.B.

We do what Vegas Paul suggested. Once a month we have an inspector give a one hour presentation on a code topic. This keeps everyone fresh. We take pictures in the field and use these to train also. We also will ride along for a few days with another trade specialist every year to get trade specific refresher courses. Lastly, the supervisors will occasionally follow behind us to see what kind of things we miss. Then, they will train the staff in the most common mistakes. Works very well.

 

[JBI]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

NYS has mandatory in-service training requirements, so we get at least 24 hours per year just to maintain our standing as 'current'. Most of us get 50 or more per year. Our local NYSBOC Chapter offers training at almost every monthly meeting.

 

[LGreene]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

NYS has mandatory in-service training requirements, so we get at least 24 hours per year just to maintain our standing as 'current'. Most of us get 50 or more per year. Our local NYSBOC Chapter offers training at almost every monthly meeting.

Does your training need to be "registered" in order to count for continuing education? When we do training for architects we have to register the presentations with AIA, CSI, etc., and get a program number. If we need to do this for our code official training, we'd be happy to.

- Lori

 

[JBI]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Lori - Yes. All for-credit programs are submitted to DOS for review and approval prior to being accepted for credit. The Educational Services Unit reviews the material being covered with respect to 7 or 8 categories and assigns the number of credits for each category. By the end of the year you must have a minimum of one hour for each category and a total of at least 24 hours for the year.

 

[LGreene]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

All for-credit programs are submitted to DOS for review and approval prior to being accepted for credit.

DOS = New York's Department of State? So training has to be approved state-by-state? Is there a way to get training approved by a national organization like the ICC and have it qualify for credit without submitting it to each state?

And while we're on the subject of training...what about webinars or online training? Would that be helpful to you guys or does it need to be in-person? Is there any online training that you receive credit for?

 

[FM William Burns]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

Lori,

Could you PM me and I'll send you my email address. I would like to get a Syllabus of the course and time frame for instruction. I can put your course idea in the state inspector training planning agenda on April 23rd since I have an in there. I will PM you with a link to who you need to call in MI to have the course evaluated for CEU’s in MI.

 

[LGreene]

Re: More Training needed for Inspectors

I would like to get a Syllabus of the course and time frame for instruction.

Our sessions can be tailored to the length and topic that you need, so if anyone else is looking for training on codes related to doors and hardware, let me know and I'll put you in touch with someone in your area. If we can train a larger group at a regional meeting or conference, even better.