Painted labels

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Re: Painted labels

He probably could swap out the lid and order a new sticker.He is dealing with an inspector that for some reason is out for blood.Try buying him doughnuts.Wonder if when he goes home if his mother runs out from under the porch and bites him on the leg :D

[ February 01, 2005, 05:12 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
 
Re: Painted labels

Latex paint om a shiney label it scrapes off without damage to the label.Take an edge of anything hard and it flakes off but that`s not the poimt it is so ridiculous.We get tagged for a painted label that nobody has ever read.We are electricians and we haven`t noticed them.Today I looked in the warehouse and there are about 100 cans all have this label...See how observant I am
:D Come on comply with all aspects of the NEC and fail because of a painted label ????What next fail because the permit box is set to high.
 
Re: Painted labels

I don't see where this is that outrageous, the label says do not paint, simple solution, do not paint it. Would you paint a UL, ETL, CSA, etc... label? It may or may not be a safety issue, but the instructions are clear aren't they?

Think of it this way, if the installer can't follow these instructions, there is a possibility of true dangers somewhere in the installation. :eek:

The inspector had a legitimate item to cite as a violation.

Roger

[ February 01, 2005, 09:34 PM: Message edited by: roger ]
 
Re: Painted labels

Saw one of these labels yesterday. 200amp, 600V 3phase all in one. On the utility compartment.

Hazardous voltage inside, Call utility before opening, etc.

"Do not paint or remove this label"

This label seems to take the place of the old embossed letters on the cover that read "Do not Break Seal No Fuses Inside"
 
Re: Painted labels

Roger forgive me but we are electricians not painters.We do not paint these meters the painters do_Oh and it is written in english and spanish.Haven`t seen many French or Oriental painters recently or German,Italian ........My problem is getting a $30.00 tag for this yeah it should and is backcharged to the painting vendor but then you have a backcharge war.Look at this thread at first everyone said WHAT LABEL !!! I bet each and everyone of you went in the shop and went straight to the warehouse or wherever you keep your stock to see if it was there!Hands up please :D The problem I have is simple this inspector can`t find anything else to pick apart so he found this petty issue.Valid yes sensible well that`s debatable.Never in all these years in trade have I seen a fire or someone die because a painter painted a label over :eek:
 
Re: Painted labels

Nope Allen, I didn't have to go look, I know these lables are there. I also know when we mount a piece of Fire Resistant plywood to mask off a portion of it with the information stamped on it.

I would have called the GC and told him when he or the painters cleaned off the lable and sent a check for the reinspection fee, then and only then would I call for it.

It seems simple enough.

Roger
 
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Roger,in buisness one can't tick off a major builder.Call it what you want but they make more than $30 off this guy ,probably more like at least $300 a day or more.Life is a bit differant down here.
 
Re: Painted labels

Jim, I agree as far as a small contractor is concerned.

Roger
 
Re: Painted labels

I hate failing an inspection for any reason and so does WayneAllen. So do we all. I do feel your "pain."
A reality based inspector who knows the contractors he or she is dealing with will often tell them to just fix it, scrap the paint off, or add a missed staple and not write it up, not even reinspect because they know you do good work and you care and you stay current with your continuing education.
But I know guys who say, "Always give the inspector something to fail you on." I always thought that was loserville but maybe with some petty inspectors or dogged revenue seekers you have to let them have their bone.
Don't you love it when painters paint out all your colored conductors in outlet boxes? After texturing them first?
I think the core of painter is "pain."
 
Re: Painted labels

Many inspectors will write at least 2 items,even if it's something like a missed nail plate.That way if you prove them wrong on 1 they still have you.Not fair but they gotta cover there butt too.
 
Re: Painted labels

The label is written in spanish and english. Sometimes, the only language that matters is cash. The painter can afford a $30 fee just as much as the EC can. And while a bill for $30 is small, it does attract just the right amount of attention to the problem. If the painter comes up angry, in your face, accept it back, explain the situation, and show that it's costing you when he does this.

If another trade continually goofs something for an electrician, the means of communication if the trades never see each other is the GC. If the GC can't get the point across in words, cash might get the message across.

Are pins and needles the sidewalk of our industry? :)
 
Re: Painted labels

Interesting side note: yesterday I finished roughing a basement in an unfamiliar neighborhood (we didn't wire it), and the service was painted brown, the labels had no paint. I wonder if it's more common than we realize?

But I know guys who say, "Always give the inspector something to fail you on." I always thought that was loserville but maybe with some petty inspectors or dogged revenue seekers you have to let them have their bone.
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I've heard this too, and lately I've come to feel that this is dishonest. It's essentially throwing up a white flag and declaring "I don't know the code well enough to defend my installation from something bizarre the inspector's going to throw at me, so I'm going to miss nailplates just so that he finds something easy and turns before he sees my serious violation." Knowledge is power. Know the code, and when you're honestly wrong, hey, you learned something.

If the inspector shows no consistency, pops in on the 423rd house and red-tags for the paint, and it's the 423rd different item he's decided to fail for, call his boss. This is displaying "fail-happiness", IMO. Throw him a bone and you're feeding the fire. Put it out, politely as possible, the inspector might not realize he's even doing it or that it's not fair.
 
Re: Painted labels

My whole point is this: This one job was done done by our best guys rough in looked like the wires were ironed and starched. perfect panel etc.Trim out was perfect plate screws straight,flush and level plates,legible panel legend,straps where needed.Just a perfect looking job.Now here comes MR. A_ _ l retentive inspector.Oh the painters painted this obscure nobody ever looks at label and we get tagged $30.00 later.I was there that day,he wouldn,t let me scrape the paint off to pass. :roll: :roll:
 
Re: Painted labels

AW,
If he was able to scrape paint to bring to your attention wording on label,I'd would thing paint could have been removed with ease and he should have accomodated you with a few moments of his time to rectify situation.If I ever have the opportunity to serve the public in such a roll as his,I don't think I would have been as unreasonable as to not to give you "two minutes" to fix. I would hope that any Electrical Inspector that frequents this form, would be in agreement also..

But he was justified, and in full compliance in his authority to bring to your attention this label. And for what ever reason, chose to make it the example...
 
Re: Painted labels

That`s my point,he was and is that unreasonable so as not to give the opportunity to correct such a minor violation.There are other inspectors in the same jurisdiction that have called me and have told me they scraped the label clean and they passed the final inspection.They have called to remind me to tell the painters to not paint the labels anymore.But things being as they are this one particular inspector just wont budge he insists its the ec`s responsibility to make sure the label isn`t painted over.Is it ? well I guess it is.But this is just so petty i can`t believe it has become an issue
 
Re: Painted labels

There are other inspectors in the same jurisdiction that have called me and have told me they scraped the label clean and they passed the final inspection.They have called to remind me to tell the painters to not paint the labels anymore.
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------->AW,brother that may have some thing to do with the statement,"for some reason made a example of you".If we are infact talking same office,those boys do talk to one another.. He went looking for that label AW...He return to office, with the attitude, mission accomplished..Somehow bro' I get the feeling that his bretheran "are not" going to be scraping anymore lables AW. Be aware of this.. ;)
 
Re: Painted labels

Originally posted by allenwayne:
I was there that day,he wouldn't let me scrape the paint off to pass. :)

I guess I'm just trying to advise you to man up, take responsibility for it. We see it as minor, but if the inspector views it as failworthy, you need to treat it as such. At no point degrade the inspector or his right to fail this. Put that factor out of your head.
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Re: Painted labels

Unreasonable is an understatement,this same inspector just before christmas was the AHJ that had 18 finals in one subdivision.I met him in the morning with 2 crews to make any corrections he wanted.Along with us was a new constructiom MGR. former building inspector in same county.He went through 3 or 4 inspections passed these.Then we walked into a garage and the gfci device plate was off,Drywall punch going on.He got furious whats this was his response to seeing this and was going to red tag the job.The CM went outside and called the chief bldg inspector and he called this inspector and told him to let me fix anything that he found but he was to pass the finals.I`m sure this really set well with him but hey I had 4 guys there to do what he wanted.I am so over this whole senario.
 
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