Special Inspection

By Hosam Salman, P.E. "Terracon Consultants Inc."

History of Special Inspection

• First seen in 1947 UBC under the designation of "Registered Inspectors"
• US House Subcommittee held hearings in 1982 to examine causes of structural failures with main question of "Are there common problems associated with structural failures?"
• Subcommittee concluded the 2 most critical factors to structural failures were:
  • Lack of organization and communication between parties on construction projects
  • Lack of sufficient inspection by the design professional of record during construction
• Subcommittee recommendations:
  • All codes and professional organizations ensure that provisions are in-place to make design professional of record oversight mandatory during construction of public facilities.
  • All state and local code agencies require the design professional of record, or a designated representative, to be on-site at the appropriate time.
• Realizing the design professional of record was not always available; more specific Special Inspector programs were defined and initiated

IBC Background

• The International Code Council (ICC) was established in 1994 as a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes.
• Founders of the ICC are:
  • Building Officials and Code Administrators International (BOCA)
  • International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
  • Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI)

2003 IBC Chapter 17 Definitions, Goals & Requirements

Definition of Special Inspection

• Chapter 17, Section 1702 of 2003 IBC defines Special Inspection as:

"Inspection as herein required of the materials, installation, fabrication, erection or placement of components and connections requiring special expertise to ensure compliance with approved construction documents and referenced standards"

• In addition to inspections called for in Section 109 (building official), and structural observations in Section 1709 (design professional of record), Section 1704 outlines the type of work requiring special inspection

• Chapter 17, Section 1702 of 2003 IBC defines Structural Observation as:

"The visual observation of the structural system by a registered design professional for general conformance to the approved construction documents at significant construction stages and at completion of the structural system.  Structural observation does not include or waive the responsibility for the inspection required by Section 109, Section 1704..."

• What local building officials inspect per Section 109, varies across jurisdictions.  Must be defined in advance to avoid confusion.

Work Requiring Special Inspection

• Fabricators 1704.2
• Steel Construction 1704.3
• Concrete Construction 1704.4
• Masonry Construction 1704.5
• Wood Construction 1704.6
• Soils 1704.7
• Pile Foundations 1704.8
• Pier Foundations 1704.9
• Wall Panels & Veneers 1704.10 (certain seismic categories)
• Sprayed Fire-Resistive Materials 1704.11
• Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems 1704.12
• Special Cases 1704.13
• Smoke Control Systems 1704.14

Goals

• Improve communication between design professional and contractor
• Provide a valuable quality assurance program that benefits all parties related to the proper fabrication, installation, and placement of specific structural components that require special knowledge, expertise and attention
• Assist in providing a structure that is safe to the public

Parties Involved

• Building Official
• Registered Design Professional
• Owner
• Contractor
• Special Inspectors
• Testing Laboratory

Requirements

• ICC Professional Code Examinations are designed to measure practical knowledge required for competent professional practice, those without relevant education or experience would not be expected to pass.

• Most successful candidates have extensive code enforcement experience in the field, plus strong related education and management experience.

• Knowledge and Certifications with:   
  • 2003 International Building Code
  • ACI 318-02 Code Requirements
  • AWS Structural Welding Code
  • ASTM Standards
  • ICC Concrete Manual

IBC Certifications

Reinforced Concrete

2003 IBC, ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade 1, ACI 318-02 Code, ASTM Standards for Concrete, ICC Concrete Manual

Pre-stressed Concrete

 2003 IBC, ACI 318-02 Code, Reinforced Concrete Certification, Field and Specs for Unbonded Single Strand Tendons, Recommendations for Prestressed Rock and Soil Anchors 1996, ASTM Standard for Concrete

Structural Masonry

 2003 IBC, Masonry Structures ACI530-02, Reinforced Grouted Brick Masonry, Reinforced Concrete Masonry Construction Inspectors Handbook, ASTM Referenced Standards

Structural Steel and Welding

 2003 IBC or 1997 UBC, AWS Structural Welding Code, AWS Standard Symbols

Spray Applied Fire-proofing

 2003 IBC, Technical Manual Standard Practice for the Testing and Inspection of Field Applied Thin Film Intumescent Fire Resistant Materials

Structural Steel and Bolting

 2003 IBC or 1997 UBC, Spec for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges, Manual of Steel Construction (AISC), LRFD and Allowable Stress Design

Certification Process

• Complete two-part, 90 question exam per certification
• Obtain / Submit Pre-Requisites
  • i.e. ACI Concrete Field Testing Tech Grade 1 Special Inspector
• Meet Education/Work Experience Requirements
• Verification of Education/Work Experience Form
  • Experience must include decision making responsibility and authority, compliance with plans, specifications and codes. Documentation and reporting of inspection results
  • Verification is completed by a current or former supervisor

Additional Certification Info           

• All tests are available on-line at a local testing facility. Promissor Testing Location Center link on ICC website:       http://www2.iccsafe.org/certification/exams/computer.cfm
  • Austin - La Costa Corp Pk. 6448 Hwy 290 East; #F-106  Austin, TX  78723
  • Houston - 2424 Wilcrest  #104,  Houston, TX  77043
  • Arlington - 2201 North Collins, #230, Arlington, TX  76011
  • Independence, KS - 18900 Valley View Pkwy., Independence, MO  64055
• Pencil & Paper option at limited areas on scheduled dates:
  http://www2.iccsafe.org/certification/exams/exams.cfm
• Application Fee - $200.00 for each exam - Credit or Electronic Check.
• Results/Certification received w/in 60 days of complete application and testing.
• Complete Detailed Info available:

   www.iccsafe.org/certification/pdf/2006National CertificateCandidateBulletin

Renewal Requirements

• Certifications are valid for three years
• 2.5 Hours Continuing Education is Required for renewal in lieu of retesting
• Renewal Fees are $50
• Specific Info is available at: www.iccsafe.org/certification/renewals/

Proactive Goals

• Be a leader in implementing special inspection in our service areas
• Get involved in local municipality programs and development of special inspection requirements
• Establish credibility through qualifications

Benefits

• IBC certification is a significant professional accomplishment
• Continued Education/ Training
• Recognition/Certification for Experience and Knowledge
• Higher Fees for Services and Higher Wages for Inspectors
• Competitive Advantage
• Reduced Risk of Liability
• Owner Receives Better Quality Construction

Thank you,