Inspections old and new after the NYBFU

[mthead]

As we all know by now, Things have changed and are still changing across the state of NY with regards to Electrical inspections and how to get them done.
The short answer is you still have to have your Electrical work inspected.
There are NO RECORDS available to you for past work or certificates done by The Board.
On Long Island there were Four inspectors-An assistant chief inspector,A senior inspector and two general inspectors who chose to work thru to the closing 'Field Inspection' day 10/16/09-I was the senior.
I was proud to have been an inspector with the Board--'02-'09--
I am at a loss to express my amazement at the way it was allowed to go down and at what ultimately will affect all of you who visit this site [you the electricians--the boards imediate clients] and the public--because buisness is buisness and costs are passed on are they not? That is a given.
Inspections will always be required--self certification has already proven itself to be a losing deal-on its face it would seem to simplify things--and then you have one accident or fire which can be blamed on the proffesional who self certified and you'll find it is not a beautiful thing.
I will cease my harangue now - I will say one thing---
Old Jobs Filed with the Board --No one has any special access to nybfu records-they are gone. If someone tells you otherwise it is time to narrow your eyes and take a second look at that source.
Your building departments are aware of the situation.
They will tell you which agencies are now approved in there jurisdiction.
They will tell you what they want to resolve various types of open applications.
Do not assume that things will be any easier now.They are in fact much more difficult.
Last and most important--An electrician in NY can have a buisness relationship with any agency they choose-they are not locked into using only one electrical insp agency--any agency that would attempt to influence you otherwise would probably be one to question as to why they'd do such a thing.
Electrical inspectors and the Agencies that employ them are in existence to ensure that electrical work is done coreectly as per code -why?--to keep the public safe-to be part of a system that is supposed to help your kids sleep safely through the night and not have to deal with a fire or shock--call me naive but thatis why I became an inspector .
Heads up Pierre.

JimOwens/ a.k.a. mthead/a.k.a. Pres. LIEIL



ANY APPROVED ELECTRICAL INSPECTION AGENCY

 

[infinity]

You're battling a political machine that is driven by one thing, money. A statewide licensing program would eliminate much of the nonsense that goes on everyday across the border. I know several licensed electricians who work in various parts of NYS and they all say the same thing, the system is broken. Seems like no one Albany is really listening and all of the home rule advocates are filling their pockets with licensing fee money.

 

[mthead]

Inspections old and new after the NYBFU

Unfortunately Rob ,evidence suggests the system has been corrupted--

 

[bphgravity]

I remember someone posting about 6 months ago that the NYBFU was closing down, but never really heard any more. I tried doing a google search and couldn't find even one article on the matter.

So what happened?

 

[mthead]

Inspections old and new after the NYBFU

Brian - any search using the company name or the NYBFU acronym will not work.
The Board website has been shut down for some time already-searches using "backdoor "style questions such as a search using the edison letter question or a search based on the also [since 2006] now defunct New York Fire Patrol may bring you to various versions of old NYBFU web page homeshots of the past---but that is all they are now ---pictures of the past--save them and print them as reminders that History can be forgotten with the punch of a delete button these days--
as they say-those who don't remember are doomed to make the same mistakes--
I have said this before--but I don't think it can be said enough.
The "NEW YORK BOARD OF FIRE UNDERWRITERS" was in fact nothing short of a remarkable idea.
It was that rare case of public safety and Buisness common sense actually working together.
Insurance policies were and are designed and sold based on odds--[thats right ,it's a bet ]---the odds of having to pay out and make good on their promise to pay-or better..,not having a situation occur requireing them to pay.
Simple Insurance theory-
1] Pay an initial fee and continuing fee-payments as required per legal agreement , entitling/insuring you to financial recompense for certain listed accidents/financial disasters .., etc[financial disasters-that's why they sold that stuff called mortgage insurance and when they eliminated it as a new h/owner requirement we found ourselves on the yellow brick road to todays 'land of oz'.]-
2]for accepting fee I -the insurer-aggree to compensate you financially to a prior legally agreed upon amount subject to adjustment such as the changing legal and econmic system will require or apply.

So...,setting in place -in a non-profit and no relationship/conflict form ---a company with the stated aim of ensuring that a recognized,REQUIRED,and UNIFORMLY APPLIED set of rules be followed in the installation/implementation of the technology called electricity so as to prevent accidents to life or property------
Well there it is --a company designed to protect the public,and at the same time to save buisness-profit makers such as insurance companies in their old time form -the expense of having to pay out on their promise.
WHAT WAS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO--[not gauranteed but aimed for with the listing of guidelines and creation of a means of enforcing them-AS IN THE FAMOUS FIRST ELEC. CODE ESTABLISHED IN NYC IN 1881 in response to a request in the letter from Thomas Edison to NYBFU --- there is no diminishing the importance of that first short record...,]
1]The insurance company collects premiums to cover potential liability payouts.
But by setting rules regarding installation and use of electrical technology -rules which were in THE PUBLICS best interest -and creating an agency to enforce these same rules while still maintaining a conflict/profit distance from said agency thru its non-profit hands off status...,and this is what they set up initially in the nybfu's buisness model-
Well as I've said -it should have been the ultimate self regulating -non cost buisness model.[and it was until arrogance made it vulnerable to scrutiny and then mismanagement took it to the river and killed it]


2]The public ,was collecting the intangible value of pre emptive thinking aimed at protecting life and property and their families. Buisness and the public good achieved with no cost to either because of the nonprofit designation.
best case scenario in which they collected premiums forever and never had to pay out.
But of course we know that the bigger a buisness gets the further away it goes from simple comon sense and the closer they get to the land of OZ--where all seem to be dizzy.Especially the wizards.

So the inspectors are still here to guide you--but I'm a lot bigger than the lollipop twins or whatever they were called.

 

[mthead]

Inspections old and new after the NYBFU

I apologize to all for running on in these responses. Talking about the board opens things up and even when I attempt to edit myself I can see that I am running on.
My only defense is that I was proud to work for the board and of my time there.
I feel what we do as electrical inspectors is very important.It is why I've chosen to continue in the field with our own company.
It is also why we use the exact same fee schedule and policies as the board did.
We're not in this to make a fortune.We still believe in doing what we can to help make things safe.
I've seen what can happen when people forget what the downside to electric can be--it can be shocking--ya'know what I'm sayin'?
In the future I'd have to saythe best publicity we could get would be no publicity--I never want to hear about my company in the papers--no fires,no shocks,no mistakes ,etc.., ever to be related to a job I inspected--that will make me a happy man.