Inspectors missing code violations.......

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HaskinsElectric said:
Actually, inspection request forms contain no such language.
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Who claimed that to be information on an inspection form?

Are you saying they should have a statement ro remind the contractor what he should already understand?
 
satcom said:
Who claimed that to be information on an inspection form?

Are you saying they should have a statement ro remind the contractor what he should already understand?
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I believe all that is implied in an inspection request is that a fee has been paid and a city employee will be dispatched to examine the job in question. As far as a "qualified person" and "knowledge and skills" and "meet all the code standards" goes, I'm pretty sure most experienced Inspectors no longer have any such expectations.

Obtaining inspections is an inconvenience and an expense, nothing more. The guys that actually need their work inspected don't obtain permits in the first place so it's really a very inefficient approach to public safety.

Construction workers and truck drivers are the only occupations where the Government must sign off on every thing you do. All other occupations are populated by people who are considered trustworthy enough not to require such micromanagement.

I don't consider calling for an inspection anything special, I don't need a government worker to validate the fact that I do good work, in fact, I make an effort to conceal my contempt for the Inspector when he's counting wires in my boxes or looking for safety plates.

I know I'm addressing many more issues than you brought up, but I guess I just view inspections as a PITA. I don't need them and the guys that do seldom get them. :mad:
 
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If inspections were not needed inspectors would not be finding violations.

The argument that inspections don't work because some get around them makes no sense.

It would be like saying lift all speed limits because some people speed anyway.
 
iwire said:
If inspections were not needed inspectors would not be finding violations.

The argument that inspections don't work because some get around them makes no sense.

It would be like saying lift all speed limits because some people speed anyway.
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Do *you* require a government mandated maximum allowable speed in order to drive a car safely? Do *you* need an Inspector to ensure that you do quality work? Obviously the answer to these questions is no. I'm not arguing for the elimination of laws and rules, I'm saying that in a small way, I resent the fact that I share the planet with people who do need to be tightly controlled and as a result, I am inconvenienced.

Obviously my view is self centered and narcissistic, but that's part of my charm. :)
 
People, as a group, who fail to regulate themselves will be regulated. That's just how it is. Once such regulation comes into play, it will never be repealed. That's just history.
 
chris kennedy said:
I enjoy my conversations with my inspectors. Always learn something. Most are quite sharp.
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I've have met a few inspectors worthy of my admiration, but for the most part, they conduct themselves as if we have an adversarial relationship. I calmly explain to them that "we are on the same team" and share the same goals, this usually calms them down and makes them less strident in their enforcement efforts.
 
c2500 said:
The thing that gets me is the inspector is normally super picky. I normally pass when he inspects my work, but I know he checks everything closely. I am amazed at what he let slide.
c2500
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Well its obvious that you dont disract him with idle talk - Your buddy probably handed the job card to him after a half hour of talking about the weather - or something.... - It works! :D
 
HaskinsElectric said:
Do *you* require a government mandated maximum allowable speed in order to drive a car safely?
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Yes, I would drive to fast for conditions.

Even on the Autobahn without a speed limit they enforce the other rules very aggressively to make the road safer.

Do *you* need an Inspector to ensure that you do quality work?
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Obviously I do as I have had to make corrections to work done by people under me.

I resent the fact that I share the planet with people who do need to be tightly controlled and as a result, I am inconvenienced.
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Well I can understand that, I am bothered by the fact people use the street in front of my home but that comes with living in populated area.
 
iwire said:
...Even on the Autobahn without a speed limit...
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When I went to Europe, we landed in Holland. I had always heard the Autobahn had no speed limit. When I got on the "autobahn", I was giving it all it was worth!. When we met up with some friends later in Holland, I told them I was ejoying driving with no speed limit. No! No! they told me, Holland has a speed limit. They quickly explained that "autobahn" was a general term and that I would find an autobahn with no limit in Germany.

True enough, when we got to Germany, I got on the "autobahn". The rental car I had would only reach 110 mph but the Mercedes and some of the other cars were passing me like I was standing still!

My wife did not enjoy the "autobahn" one bit!:)

[edit:typo]
 
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HaskinsElectric said:
...... As far as a "qualified person" and "knowledge and skills" and "meet all the code standards" goes, I'm pretty sure most experienced Inspectors no longer have any such expectations.
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Here you seem to allow that there is such an entity as the "experienced Inspector", and that such "experience" would teach an inspector that there are no such things as "qualified person(s)", "knowledge and skills" and/or the meeting of all the code standards. In my interpretation of your statement, you are 1): validating the existence of experienced inspectors, and 2): supporting the need for inspections and, 3): positing a demonstration, at some degree, of projected paranoia an "experienced" inspector would cast on his/her clients.

HaskinsElectric said:
...Obtaining inspections is an inconvenience and an expense, nothing more. .....
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This flies in the face of your previous statement.

HaskinsElectric said:
...I don't consider calling for an inspection anything special, I don't need a government worker to validate the fact that I do good work, in fact, I make an effort to conceal my contempt for the Inspector when he's counting wires in my boxes or looking for safety plates.
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As you readily attest to, there is little doubt you have contempt issues with your work being inspected, but I doubt these issues are actually with inspectors...I can't speak for you, but many who have contempt for inspectors and the important role they play actually have issues with "grandiosity" and "self-image" and project these shortcomings onto inspectors in an effort to prop themselves up by knocking the inspectors down. I experience this routinely on the job.
 
mdshunk said:
I say this with some reservation, but I know that many guys will know exactly where I'm coming from. Part of being profitable in certain market areas is knowing what parts of the code will not be enforced, and which parts are only loosely enforced. Naturally, you don't have to work like that, but certain realities prevail in some areas. The flip side of that is knowing what things are enforced in some areas that aren't in the code at all, but you have to do them to keep peace. My boxes of "Maryland staples" for fixing NM cable in MD comes to mind.
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Can you tell me what "Maryland staples" are? Since this thread already has inspectors upset, you can PM me the answer.

Thanks,

Rich
 
When someone thinks they out smarted an inspector, they are only fooling themself, the person responsible for the job compliance, is not the inspector, it is the person doing the work.
 
Marc,
I too am curious re: "Maryland staples". I've never heard the term before. 'Course that might have to do with the fact that I strictly a "left coast" electrician. I would also welcome a PM of enlightenment re: this term. Thanks
Sean
 
Around here, we have "Massachusetts staples" as MA has a local code amendment requiring all staples to be insulated. However, due to the small size of New England states almost everyone in southern New England anyway uses the insulated staples that are manufactured in MA (and from another company just over the line in southern New Hampshire.)
 
e57 said:
Well its obvious that you dont disract him with idle talk - Your buddy probably handed the job card to him after a half hour of talking about the weather - or something.... - It works! :D
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Hmmm...maybe I need to be more social :D

c2500
 
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