QA on Inspectors.

Date 03-10-2003 14:08

What is done to verify that the special inspector is performing their duties depends on the contractor. Your integrity is commendable.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 03-10-2003 14:30

I would not feel bad about the remarks made toward your inspection. If you are going by the specs or code you were given to inspect by, then you are doing what you are getting paid to do. I too have seen and am bothered by the lack of intrest in performing a thorough inspection. Don't sign off on anything that does not meet the codes or specs. That's all you can do. But you do have a valid question.
John Wright

By Seldom

Date 03-11-2003 00:21

Hi BCSORT,

Ah ha! The dirty little secret of QA/QC inspection services has come to the surface. What, you want to inspect the inspector? No, no, no, we inspect welders or anybody except ourselves! There’s a bunch of inspection managers reading this post right now grabbing for their bottle of Maalox! LOL

It’s been my experience that most companies pretty much drop the ball when it comes to performing QA (verification) on their inspection personal! I should know, performing “inspector QA” was one of my key job responsibilities for over a dozen years by virtue of being the Senior and Lead in my department.

The first thing a company (the Owner) has to do is admit to and agree that it’s prudent and commonsensical to verify the inspector’s work just as you would a welder’s or any other individuals work product. This can be a tough thing to do without clear evidence of noncompliance.

Next, there has to an inspection procedure written by the Owner in order to give concise direction to the inspection personnel. This procedure is one instrument that’s used to objectively perform compliance verification of the inspector’s job performance? Yes I know, people used to tell me all the time that all of the big inspection/nde companies have their own procedure and their “field-supervisors” will perform this function. Ya right! Hopefully you’ll be luckier then me and review one someday that isn’t mostly smoke and mirrors with open doors and windows because I have yet to!

Now comes the part most Owner’s managers and definitely the inspection/nde company managers hate, somebody representing the Owner has to go into the field and perform QA on the QA’s (excluding QC’s)! That’s right. In order to perform QA on QA’s you have to go where the work is! It isn’t just compliance with the inspection procedure that’s being verified, it’s also compliance with the job’s specs and code/standard that’s being scrutinized as well. I will say that it’s been my findings that just the threat of an inspector being audited at the job site will increase his/her performance by 1/3.

If my post seems a little pessimistic or negatively biased, I’m not sorry because I found through performing my job responsibilities that less then 1/5 of the inspectors over a dozen year or so period consistently met or exceeded the minimum requirements of the job. Those types of stats should turn anybody into a pessimist! LOL

By DGXL

Date 03-11-2003 19:26

Special inspectors are required to report to the building official.
They are also required to furnish the RDP and building official copies of His/her reports.

A signed final report of work accepted is required as well (Certificate of Compliance). The building officials rely on the special inspectors as their "eyes and ears" on the jobsite.

Or, as mentioned above, verification inspection is performed when the owner gets off their wallets. This (IMHO) is the QA side as mentioned above as well.

There are good inspectors, and bad ones.
There are good building officials, and bad ones.

Many BO's rely completely on special inspection who are supposed to be qualified by testing or approved by the building department or jurisdiction. Many have told me they do not have a clue about our trade, they are not "know-all" individuals, they are overseer's.

I perform verification inspection regularly for engineers, architects and owners. I like this end of the business. I have to answer to the building depts. and satisfy the RDP and the owner who is watching the $$. Often verification inspection is not required, but a QA inspector is requested due to the nature of the project.

A couple of years ago while doing QA, the special inspector showed up 1/2 hour late w/bladder buster coffee and maple bar in hand, the contractor started an hour early. The engineer was with me and he was somewhat surprised at the state of his project. The inspector would not climb the pour pans as this was unsafe... I came up with a 2 page punch list vs. his 2 items. That is one of the checks and balances of special inspection.

There are some good special inspectors, but I do believe they are few and far between. I have a photo of one sleeping behind a building, others play golf, and then expect a paycheck at the end of the week.

By WBI

Date 04-07-2003 18:14

I must concur with DG on the sad state of special inspectors and I'm one of those "overseers" who expect "eyes and ears" to remain open on the job.

The fact is, most jurisdictional inspectors (BO) are converted carpenters with little or no structural steel background. Damn few understand the several trades they are expected to be familiar with. How many CWI's know high strength bolting requirements? What is the minimum height of an exit corridor or them maximum number of occupants allowed in a topless bar? The jurisdictional inspector has to be familiar with all of the construction trades. The special inspector is supposed to be an expert in a specific trade. I find it difficult to believe that one individual can be an EXPERT in concrete, masonry AND structural steel (apologies to BCSORT) but there are no limits established that prohibits such variety.

Several years ago I attempted to get a code of conduct adopted by the jurisdiction I work for and wasd rejected because it is "demeaning to the special inspectors." As long as ignorance prevails in the management ranks of building departments and ICBO/ICC continues to hand out certificates without OTJ experience, this will be the result.