Program Requirements, Auditor Ethics, and Jobsite Safety
Program requirements define who may do the work and how conformity is judged: certified installers and accredited manufacturers, approved materials with current evaluation reports, pre-installation meetings, defined audit frequency, and documented testing. Auditors must know the program's own administrative rules - sampling rates, notification periods, report deadlines, and the definition of major versus minor nonconformity - because grading often tests program administration rather than building science.
Ethics are tested directly. The auditor must be independent of the installing contractor: no installation or design work on the same project, no undisclosed financial interest, no gifts or hospitality that could influence judgment. Report findings truthfully without favoring whoever hired you, disclose conflicts, protect confidential information, and never sign off on work you did not personally observe or verify. Substituting the contractor's self-inspection for your own observation, or softening a finding under pressure, is misconduct.
Safety: the jobsite is not the office. Complete site orientation; use fall protection at height; wear eye, head, and foot protection; use respiratory protection for spray foam and dust per the SDS; watch for hot work, energized equipment, and unstable access. Blower door testing carries its own hazards - depressurizing a building can backdraft natural-draft combustion appliances, so verify pilots and burners are off, monitor for carbon monoxide, and keep occupants and pets clear of the test area.
Worked example (rule of thumb): if you would not place the observation and its evidence in front of a third-party reviewer with your name on it, do not sign it - and never inspect or test an area you are not authorized and safely prepared to enter.