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When you lose trust in a contractor

jar546

jar546

CBO
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
13,001
Location
Not where I really want to be
About 2 months ago I was doing a final Fire Alarm inspection when I noticed that the new EMT was not secured to the thin-strut. The contractor did not have the straps in his truck and I asked that he put them on and send me a pic. I told him he was on the honor system because I was signing off on the inspection anyway because it was such a simple fix. I never got the pic and I forgot about it. I forgot about it until I was back at the same property for a different inspection of the switchgear. There is was, right for me to see, both sides of the door had the conduit straps missing. The permit is closed out but they pulled another one for a different building.
How would you handle this situation? Let's see how different we are.
IMG_5838.JPG
 
We are all human and forget, basically **** happens and maybe the employee wasn’t able to return with strap. Who knows.

Either way, I would have no reservation about asking the employee or a different employee onsite to handle this today and I’ll come back later to view both jobs. If necessary I’d reach out to a higher up in the company and explain the predicament to achieve a verifiable resolution.
 
"The permit is closed out but they pulled another one for a different building".
Different jobs so you cannot use that permit to get the correction completed on the closed permit.

How would you handle this situation?
Just like you forgot I bet he did too. Like others have said call the contractor and remind him the correction was not done and he needs to get it done.
 
If I tell a guy he can send me a pic then he better send me the pic. And I'll hound him until I get it. If the inspection is dependent upon whatever should be in the pic for it to be complete, then I can't file the inspection card/close the permit until the pic is in the file.

No doubt the strap needs to be there, but if you were willing to accept a pic of it then it's on you for forgetting and/or not following up. Sure, make them fix it now, but don't claim the only mistake was by the contractor.

Pics are one of my pet peeves - everybody wants to send them, and that's fine, but we have to make sure it gets done. I'm signing my name on your inspection ticket, and in 10 years somebody is going to have to look up that inspection/permit for something. If the pic is not there and I said it should be, then what's that make me? Bad at my job, is what.
 
JCraver said:
If I tell a guy he can send me a pic then he better send me the pic. And I'll hound him until I get it. If the inspection is dependent upon whatever should be in the pic for it to be complete, then I can't file the inspection card/close the permit until the pic is in the file.

No doubt the strap needs to be there, but if you were willing to accept a pic of it then it's on you for forgetting and/or not following up. Sure, make them fix it now, but don't claim the only mistake was by the contractor.

Pics are one of my pet peeves - everybody wants to send them, and that's fine, but we have to make sure it gets done. I'm signing my name on your inspection ticket, and in 10 years somebody is going to have to look up that inspection/permit for something. If the pic is not there and I said it should be, then what's that make me? Bad at my job, is what.
Click to expand...


I should add, pictures are a "one chance and done" deal in my office also. I'll let you send me pictures, if there's no easier/better way or you're in a hurry or whatever. But if I have to track you down one time, you're done sending me pictures. I don't care how big a hurry you're in from then on, you're going to have to schedule an inspection.
 
Chris doesn't wear a pair of socks, only wears one black sock, "That's the way he rolls!"

He's a one sock pirate!
Trend setter!
 
I only allow pics sometimes on very minor things. Other times i will note approved pending notes or corrections and what ever it its. If it gets done then its approved. If not then it is incomplete and not closed & will expire. If I come back and find it not fixed I would then write the correction. I will only do this for a handful of contractors & burn me once and your done.
 
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