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Over ridden

J

jwilly3879

Sawhorse
Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
171
Location
Olmstedville NY
Had an interesting one last week. The neighboring Town's inspector was in the hospital. and they asked me to do a final on a rehabbed building. I went up, checked the other BO's notes and did a walk through, nothing spectacular jumped out. Got to the attic and found the battery room for the solar array and the associated electronics, some air handlers and water heaters and closed cell spray foam through the entire space. Part of the foam had been sprayed with the appropriate intumescent coating and the rest had been trimmed flush with the studs and joists as you would expect for sheetrock to be applied. I wrote a correction for the exposed foam without issuing a CO. Three days later the contractor tells me he has the CO issued by the BO who was now out of the hospital. I asked how did you solve the exposed foam problem and was told that they left it exposed because the prints didn't call for any covering.

So much for trying to do a good inspection. Politics reins supreme, state funded job for a university retreat.
 
Is your report/correction list even on the official record?

So when the fire happens they can point to you. ?..
 
steveray said:
Their BO issued the CO....He is good.....
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I don't quite follow this statement. Do you meant that since he has a CO from the BO, no worries on a known code violation? Kind of a get out of jail free card?
 
steveray said:
Jcaho?........
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Lymangood: [voice on the cockpit voice recorder] I found out what JAFO is. "Just Another F Observer", huh?

Jacho

Just another c hospital observer
 
Steve - I understand your point, and agree to some extent.

However, if that exposed material leads to a death during a fire, EVERYONE involved in this build will be in court, and all may "own" the verdict to some extent. Especially the moral verdict. If the builder knows about a violation, and allows it to remain - HE owns it, IMO.
 
Darren Emery said:
Steve - I understand your point, and agree to some extent.However, if that exposed material leads to a death during a fire, EVERYONE involved in this build will be in court, and all may "own" the verdict to some extent. Especially the moral verdict. If the builder knows about a violation, and allows it to remain - HE owns it, IMO.
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Correct....but the inspector that cited the violation...and then it was approved by someone else later, has done his job correctly and has no worries about legal issues. Morally or ethically he may want to bring it up to see if it got overlooked accidentally for some reason.....
 
steveray said:
I remember JAFO....even though Blue Thunder was when I was pretty young....
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Heard someone currently up high scrubbed excess military weapons being given to cities, so guess we still will not see big blue
 
Since I was filling in at that Town's request I didn't write a violation but left a correction note with the secretary that the building was not ready for a final and told the contractor about the issue with the foam. He was going to speak with the applicator and the engineer in charge and let the office know when the work was completed and call for a reinspection. They were also waiting for the final on the electrical which is a third party inspection, and without that there would be no CO.

Spray foam is a big issue in this area, the applicators don't let the contractors know of the barrier requirements. I make note of the requirement at plan review and find that often the architects are not aware of the requirement either. It creates problems for contractors who bid a job, win the bid and then when they apply for the permit find they need to install the thermal or ignition barrier, depending on the location.

The other inspection I did for a final had two services installed at opposite ends of the house, the original and the second on the newly constructed attached garage. One inspector had approved the service and the inspector that came for the final rejected it. I have also seen subpanel installations with 3 wire URD run from the main disco to the subpanel with two ground rods at the sub and neutrals and grounds not separated.

It is frustrating to say the least.
 
So how do you get involved???

Contract

Third party

Cover for each other

Might want to rethink depending on the conditions , before you are live at five
 
jwilly3879 said:
. . . Spray foam is a big issue in this area, the applicators don't let the contractors know of the barrier requirements. I make note of the requirement at plan review and find that often the architects are not aware of the requirement either. It creates problems for contractors who bid a job, win the bid and then when they apply for the permit find they need to install the thermal or ignition barrier, depending on the location.
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Even if they specify other types of insulation on the plans, we routinely attach an informational handout on thermal barriers requirements of spray foam to the plans. Included in the attachment is our requirement that the builder/contractor provide the manufacturer’s installation guidelines or ICC ESR to show compliance for the onsite inspection.

It is more frustrating when it's discovered they installed this stuff without a permit.
 
Although it's pronounced "Jack-o" the initials "JCAHO" stand for the "Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations." For hospitals you must have a current JCAHO accreditation.
 
The building is about 7 miles back in he woods. I got involved because it is the neighboring town and with NY's push to share services I have filled in there before when the previous BO passed away.
 
My recommendation would be to document the information given to the GC and let the BO know what transpired and document because if something happens, everyone will be retreating and sharks will be looking for blood. Keep a file at home on this one!
 
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