• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

What do you all wear and carry as far as boots, gloves, etc?

C

Cmessier

Registered User
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
17
Location
Pennsylvania
I know, I overthink everything, and I'm doing that right now, but I realize this job isnt going to be a joke. First things first, I'm going to need a pair of comfortable boots that offer really good protection from who knows what I'll be stepping in. I hear 5.11 boots are really good, any other recommendations to look at?

I'm also guessing mechanix gloves are pretty common.

Is there anything else I should be considering before I start? Any essentials that you take with you everyday aside from the obvious phone, pen and pad, etc?
 
You are kind of in a different line of work, than most on this forum.,,,, I think

Cell phone to call 911 on the irate citizen with a bat

I would suggest cheap throw away gloves
You can get them by the bundle

throw away face towels

A good respirator,, with good filters

I use ankle high 511 love them

Body camera!!! Back for that first item.

Get some legal classes so you know what you can and cannot do,,,,
And where you can legally stand
 
Cmessier said:
Hm. You dont just use your phone camera?
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh Grasshopper

You do need legal classes.

A possibility is

“ Legal Disclaimer””
Depending sometimes, but not always and may apply to city issued phone and personal phone….
And depending on your state laws,,,

1. If you take a work related picture ,,, That picture is discoverable, in a legal proceeding..

2. Which means your phone itself is discoverable,,, as in they could lock up your phone at an attorney’s office,,, till a case is resolved

3. And have access to any other information on it!!!!!

4. To include phone calls.
 
cda said:
You are kind of in a different line of work, than most on this forum.,,,, I think

Cell phone to call 911 on the irate citizen with a bat

I would suggest cheap throw away gloves
You can get them by the bundle

throw away face towels

A good respirator,, with good filters

I use ankle high 511 love them

Body camera!!! Back for that first item.

Get some legal classes so you know what you can and cannot do,,,,
And where you can legally stand
Click to expand...

This is great advice. Thanks!
 
cda said:
Ahhhhh Grasshopper

You do need legal classes.

A possibility is

“ Legal Disclaimer””
Depending sometimes, but not always and may apply to city issued phone and personal phone….
And depending on your state laws,,,

1. If you take a work related picture ,,, That picture is discoverable, in a legal proceeding..

2. Which means your phone itself is discoverable,,, as in they could lock up your phone at an attorney’s office,,, till a case is resolved

3. And have access to any other information on it!!!!!

4. To include phone calls.
Click to expand...
Hm. Yes. I have a lot to learn. Thanks for this! I dont care if someone goes through my phone, but, yeah, losing it for the duration of a legal proceeding I am NOT OK with.
 
A good flashlight

If you do not mind a little big

Ryobi has a good set up ,, with being able to change out rechargeable battery

Sometimes at Home Depot you can get it free if you buy a battery


www.homedepot.com

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Hybrid LED Spotlight (Tool Only) with 12V Automotive Cord P717 - The Home Depot

RYOBI introduces the 18V ONE+ Hybrid LED Spotlight (Tool Only) with 12V Automotive Cord. A unique feature of this spotlight is its ability to run off any RYOBI 18V ONE+ battery or the 12V Automotive Cord
www.homedepot.com
 
Last edited:
The camera that I use has a 40x zoom. I can get close from far away. The flashlight that I carry is a Strion. It can temporarily blind someone.
Be aware that the people that you will be dealing with were most likely not expecting company. That alone will upset some and down right piss off others.
 
Last edited:
Cmessier said:
OK, I'll bite.

Why?
Click to expand...



Rotating Work Boots

When you achieve the level of experience as some, it will become apparent that numbering your work boots and rotating them, pair 1 and pair 2 is the way to go. The question is, can you mix and match numbers and alternate 1s and 2s with left and right?
www.thebuildingcodeforum.com
 
Definitely do not use a personal phone for work, or visa-versa. I was issued a work phone and told that I could also use it as my personal phone, but I could not use my personal phone for work for liability reasons. That was a red flag for me, so I kept my personal phone too. Best decision ever. When I clock out, the work phone is turned off and in my desk. Nobody other than my boss has my personal number. One time I got a call from a contractor while I was on vacation begging for an inspection, I was very surprised but it turned out I went to college with his brother. I politely told him to lose that number.
 
Joe.B said:
I could not use my personal phone for work for liability reasons.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on this a bit, i use my personal phone to take photos, what kind of issues could that create. Contractor calls go through the office phone not my personal phone and anyone I do not wish to have my number I star 69 them. It's worked so far, I'm only worried that my phone can be subpoenaed buy an attorney, couldn't that be an issue?
 
Pcinspector1 said:
Can you elaborate on this a bit, i use my personal phone to take photos, what kind of issues could that create. Contractor calls go through the office phone not my personal phone and anyone I do not wish to have my number I star 69 them. It's worked so far, I'm only worried that my phone can be subpoenaed buy an attorney, couldn't that be an issue?
Click to expand...
That's exactly the potential issue. If there were any legal issue involving photos you take on a personal device, text messages, or even voicemails, your phone could become evidence and you would need to surrender it. I met an inspector at a training event that had that happen to him, used his personal device to record some code violations in response to a tenant complaint. The homeowner sued the city and even though the inspector was fully in the right to do what he did, he was required to immediately surrender his phone without warning or time to collect any of his personal information such as contacts or photos. It was almost a year before he got his phone back so he had to get himself a new phone at his expense. Lucky for him he didn't have anything personal exposed through the process.
 
Oh and our city policy explicitly prohibits using a personal device for work but the reasons why are vague. Something to do with funding and insurance. That part never made too much sense, I'm guessing that if there was a wage or labor dispute I could claim the expenses against them? Maybe if I broke my personal phone doing city work I could try to make them buy me a new one? Who knows...
 
Pcinspector1 said:
Can you elaborate on this a bit, i use my personal phone to take photos, what kind of issues could that create. Contractor calls go through the office phone not my personal phone and anyone I do not wish to have my number I star 69 them. It's worked so far, I'm only worried that my phone can be subpoenaed buy an attorney, couldn't that be an issue?
Click to expand...

Could be without a phone for awhile

Plus they can see all those top secret pictures of your hamburger.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top