by Brianna Crandall — August 6, 2014—The most common contributing factor to significant structural damage and building failure after extreme natural events such as earthquakes and hurricanes is construction that fails to comply with codes, standards and design documents, says the International Code Council (ICC). The new Code Council publication, Special Inspection Manual: 2012 Edition, created in collaboration with Code Council subsidiary International Accreditation Service (IAS), discusses mitigating these issues by practicing specialized oversight and increasing inspection frequency, duration and detail during construction.
“I believe the use of this manual will be invaluable for anyone wishing to learn a practical approach to establishing an effective program,” said Ron Lynn, Director/Building and Fire Official for Clark County (Nevada) Department of Building and Fire Prevention Bureau and a former ICC Board President. “A well-developed special inspection program is one of the most valuable tools a code official can have to assist a jurisdiction. It expands the technical expertise of the organization, and provides expert input and support for code development and adoption.”
The Special Inspection Manual contains requirements involving special inspection within the International Building Code, descriptions of required special inspections, and information to create a special inspection program. It supports preparation for special inspection certification exams and aids building departments in creating procedures and forms to run a special inspection overview program. Facilities owners and managers will gain insight into the inspection process and special requirements during disaster recovery periods.
The content is based on recommended practices and the consensus of building officials, design professionals, and inspection and testing agencies. It outlines the responsibilities of all involved including the special inspector, building official, project owner, engineer or architect of record, and contractor. It supports preparation for special inspection certification exams and aids building departments in creating procedures and forms to run a special inspection overview program.
Additionally, the book provides guidelines to assist ICC Member jurisdictions desiring to implement accreditation requirements or to adopt IAS’s Accreditation Program for Special Inspection Agencies. The manual is also helpful for design professionals writing statements of special inspections.
Special Inspection Manual: 2012 Edition is available for purchase in hardcopy for $49.95 ($39.95 for ICC Members), product item #4019S12, or as a PDF download for $47 ($37 for ICC Members), product item #8950P541.
