Sign-off cards for commercial?

[Code Neophyte]

Another very elementary question, which you have all come to expect from me:

Do you use and post a "sign-off" card on commercial projects when conducting a framing inspection, similar to the process I believe most use for residential (IRC) projects?

If not, what - if any - documentation do you leave at the jobsite that the required inspection has been made?

If so, would you care to share your "card" format with me, so that I can shamelessly plagiarize the document?

Feel free to PM or email.

I sincerely appreciate all responses, as always!!

 

[Yankee]

We dont use cards, , have a triplicate form where we check off what kind of inspection was done and there is a nice place for remarks. If noone is on the sitre I just stick it under something where they mgiht find it. If they don't find it, we have a copy at the office.

 

[jar546]

We dont use cards, , have a triplicate form where we check off what kind of inspection was done and there is a nice place for remarks. If noone is on the sitre I just stick it under something where they mgiht find it. If they don't find it, we have a copy at the office.

ditto

But, if they want stickers, we have them too, in addition to the forms

 

[cboboggs]

We use a sign off card and two part inspection form, a copy of which is left on site. I would provide a copy of our card, but it is not online and I do not have the facilities to scan it.

 

[Darren Emery]

we do the same as boggs - we recently revamped our commercial card - added fire inspeciton categories as well as a spot for zoning to sign. We provide a lot of blank space on the back for tracking partials - rarely does all of one type of inspection get called for at one time, so we track each individual trip chronologically on the back.

We're still tweaking ours - found a few problems with the current design. Could scan and post if interested.

 

[FredK]

I guess it would also depend on the size of jurisdiction one's in. We have a myself and one other inspector and we sometimes overlap on jobs, so all reports go on the computer after inspection is completed on site.

So depending if it's a small or large job. Small commerical builds/remodels will get a sign off on a card on the site, or written corrections while larger jobs get a sign off on either plans(if approved plans are available) and also noted in computer as to what was approved. Some larger jobs are running 4-8 pages of computer generated inspections reports when the next inspection is asked.

Note on every larger commercial job I found the Super and we walked the inspection together. I note what is approved or not approved and asked him if he wanted a written report of that inspection. Any time they asked what was inspected I would hand over the computer sheets(that I had) of previous inspections.

When the permit is issued there is a commercial checklist for inspections similiar to the residential with added spaces for fire, health, city engineering(drive entrances etc) and planning(plants, parking, etc) to sign before a C of O can be issued. Those spaces also include the correct phone # to them to call.

The paper trail requires the applicant to bring in the approvals signed by each group before the permit techs will issue that C of O so the signature on the checklist doesn't really mean much. Building, engineering and planning (they are city) will sign off on the computer and for seperate government groups (fire and health) we need their paperwork to add to the file.

Easier to write approve thrid floor plumbing on the computer than scribling all over plans or checklist and trying to follow what your fellow inspector looked at. Also really need to describe what you approved/failed so the next guy can follow you if needed.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mtlogcabin]

We are similar to fredk systems. Had a couple of large jobs where the super kept an inspection log book. He divided the book into different sections civil, fire, electrical, special inspections, ect, worked well

 

[texas transplant]

We require a permit box on each job. We use a two part form to indicate what inspection was done, time date etc., what the outcome of the inspection and any notes for corrections etc. The contractors copy goes into the permit box. The permit and the approved plans have to be in the box at all times (except on really big jobs they can post a notice in the box that the plans are available in the job trailer) We bring ours back, inspectors have to enter all their slips before going home that day into the computer system. According to our City Clerk we can toss the hand written report 6 months after the C of O is issued, as long as all info from the slip is on the computer. We just got a new printer, copier, scanner and now we can scan the inspect reports into the computer and tie them to the permit so we don't have to type what we just wrote. A pdf is attached to the permit file.

Our software is not great, but does a decent job of tracking all inspections, the notes from the inspections, and won't let you print inspections out of order. Like rough framing has to be approved before you can approve the insulation inspection. Helps make sure we make all the inspections. The permit tech sets up the number and type of inspections when she enters the permit. Inspectors can pass, fail, partial pass (which allows another inspection to be generated for the same thing)

Finals can't be approved before all other inspections are made, C of O can't be printed until all sign offs are done.

Another benefit is after the inspection(s) are entered, we can hit one key and print a report of all inspections performed on any project to date and the notes associated with them.