Inspection and Field Enforcement
Inspection as evidence
Inspections verify that work matches approved plans and adopted code. Each inspection should produce a clear result: approved, approved with corrections, or disapproved. The record should identify the code section, the location, the corrective action, and the next step. Inspectors need legal authority to enter; consent, an administrative warrant, or a genuine emergency may be required. Do not force entry based only on a permit application.
Key concepts
Know the inspection stages and what must be visible before concealment. Understand special inspections and testing, re-inspection fees, partial occupancy, temporary certificates of occupancy, and final inspection. A certificate of occupancy is generally required before occupancy or use, and it should match the approved scope and occupancy classification.
Traps
- Approving work that cannot be fully observed because it was covered prematurely.
- Writing a correction notice without a code section or a clear corrective action.
- Treating an inspector's verbal opinion as a formal approval.
- Issuing a certificate of occupancy while significant life-safety items remain unresolved.
Worked example
At framing inspection, fireblocking is missing at penetrations. The inspector should not simply tell the contractor to fix it. The record should cite the applicable code section, identify locations, require correction before concealment, and schedule re-inspection. Rule of thumb: if it is not documented, it did not happen; every inspection needs a result, a code basis, and a next step.