Inspection Procedures Flashcards
Explain the duties of an Inspector
Communicate with building owners and occupants, design professionals, contractors, other government officials, and the general public to explain the basis and importance of the fire and life safety codes they administer.
Enforcement
~ Inspector new and existing buildings and facilities for code compliance
~ Verify occupant loads
~ Investigate complaints
~ Evaluate emergency preparedness plans
~ Review construction and renovation plans
Describe components of interpersonal communication
~ Communication Model Elements
~ Interpersonal Skills:
- Listening Skills
- Conversing Skills
- Persuading Skills
Describe the basic administrative duties of an Inspector I.
Written Communications
- Memos
- Emails
- Letters
- Reports
Files and Records
Describe the preparation required before an inspection.
- Maintain Personal Appearance
- Assemble necessary tools, equipment, PPE
- Schedule appropriate amount of time
- Review related records
Explain basic inspection procedures
Guidelines for Inspections
General Inspection Practices
Code Requirements
Photographs
Inspection Checklists
Building Occupancy Changes
Results Interview
- Violation Discussions
- Educational Opportunities
- Long-term Relationships
Letters and Reports
Explain general inspection observations that should be made before entering a structure or facility.
- Conditions, barriers, or obstructions that may affect fire department access
- locations of hydrants, alt water sources, FDCs
- Building name and address match file
- Address clearly visible and compliant
- Maintenance or housekeeping problems that may create a fire hazard (trash, dry vegetation)
- Type of occupancy, has it changed?
- Number of stories
- Proximity to other structures, exposures
- Construction, renovation, or demolition activities that create a special or temporary fire life safety condition
- Exterior signage identifying materials or prohibiting practices
Explain guidelines for inspections
- Display identification
- State reason for visit and entry request
- Invite owner/occupant/rep to accompany
- Coordinate inspections (other agencies)
- Follow written inspection procedure
- Prepare to issue stop work or cease-and-desist order for extremely hazardous conditions or illegal work (work without permit) being performed
- Maintain reliable record
Explain the role of an Inspector I in follow-up inspections.
To verify that corrections noted in the inspection report have been completed. If violations are corrected, compliment the owner/occupant for taking the appropriate actions. Send letter confirming violation was corrected, close the file. If violations are not corrected and corrections are not in process, write final notice with what legal actions can be taken if compliance not attained by specified date, reemphasize right of appeal and appeal process.
Identify ways an Inspector I will participate in emergency planning.
Verify that emergency plans are in place and in compliance with locally adopted codes. Verify that emergency plan is updated as personnel leave or move within organization. Keep a copy of emergency evacuation drills in the facility inspection file for future reference.
Describe the complaint management process.
Complaints should be met with courtesy and genuine interest. Prompt investigation of complaints. Procedure for receiving and processing complaints in SOPs. Process and act upon each complaint in a consistent manner, record all pertinent information. Standardized complaint form is useful. Complaints that don’t need immediate attention can be routinely assigned to inspection staff or qualified company officers.
Complaints with serious life safety threat require immediate action.
May need to give owner/occupant notice.
Code violations found, initiate process that leads to corrective action.
May need to notify complainant when issue is resolved.
Document and maintain complaints in record keeping system.
Describe what makes a complaint complex.
- Size of facility
- Research involved
- Number of codes & standards to be addressed
- Whether inspector has experience in questions asked
Describe how to evaluate emergency preparedness plans.
Things to look for:
- Emergency-reporting procedures for facility personnel
- Duties and responsibilities of facility personnel in the event of an emergency
- Procedures for personnel to evacuate the facility, relocate to another area, and/or shelter-in-place
- Procedures for conducting emergency fire drills
- Information about facility’s fire protection systems
Emergency Evacuation Plans:
1. Evacuation Routes
2. Monitor Duties
3. Employee/occupant Duties
List the enforcement duties of an inspector.
~ Inspector new and existing buildings and facilities for code compliance
~ Verify occupant loads
~ Investigate complaints
~ Evaluate emergency preparedness plans
~ Review construction and renovation plans
List the basic elements of a communication model.
o Sender - originates message
o Message - meaning, idea, concept to convey
o Medium or channel - path between sender & receiver
o Receiver - accepts message and interprets
o Interference - prevents full message being received (internal or external sources)
o Feedback (response) to the sender - completes communication process
What skills are needed to be an effective listener?
~ Attending: focus on speaker and ignore distractions
~ Understanding: decode message and assign meaning, repeat message or restate in different words to clarify meaning.
~ Remembering: Repeat information or take notes to assist in remembering.
~ Evaluating: critically analyze message and separate facts from opinion
~ Responding: respond to confirm communication received, understood, or will be acted upon
Identify essential elements of message, focus on speaker and not personal concerns or thoughts, take control of environment and remove distractions, focus on message and not the sender
What skills are needed in order to converse successfully?
~ Engage in dual perspective
~ Take responsibility for personal feelings and thoughts
~ Show respect for the feelings and thoughts of the other person
~ Try to gain accuracy and clarity in speaking
~ Be aware of any special needs of the receiver
~ Avoid speaking or addressing a problem while angry or emotional
Nonverbal communication:
~ Eye contact, maintain
~ Body language, good posture
~ Facial expression, match to message
~ Gestures, control annoying/distracting
~ Poise, gain through practice
~ Personal appearance, professional dress
~ Touch, be conscious of neg/pos effects
~ Proximity, be aware of cultural differences
~ Use of time
Explain Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Pattern.
A method of persuasion developed by Alan Monroe in 1930s.
~ Attention: gain attention of listener
~ Need: describe problem and demonstrate need for a change
~ Satisfaction: present solution with sufficient info and evidence to understand how it accomplishes the goal
~ Visualization: describe solution and how it will benefit listener
~ Action: state actions listener will need to take and establish expected date for completion
What types of written communications might an inspector use in the course of business?
- Memos
- Emails
- Letters
- Reports
List types of files and records normally maintained by an inspection organization or agency.
- Facility inspection files
- Inspection reports, forms, checklists, and letters
- Violation notices
- Plans review comments, approvals, and drawings
- Investigation reports
- Permits and certificates of occupancy
- Complaints
Records should be maintained on occupancies that:
- possess a permit, certificate of occupancy, or license of some type
- contain automatic fire suppression, detection, or alarm systems
- contain hazardous materials or perform hazardous operations on a routine basis
Why are follow-up inspections conducted?
To verify that corrections noted in the inspection report have been completed.
What are some of the emergency evacuation requirements for educational facilities?
- Verify frequency of drills meets code
- Drills should occur at different times of day
- Form lines and proceed to nearest exit in orderly manner
- Some students may need to move independently of regular line or require special assistance from another student or teacher
- Teachers, teacher assistants, staff, and older students can function as monitors and assist
- Monitors should hold doors open or close to prevent spread of smoke and fire
- Teachers and staff have responsibilities for searching classrooms, restrooms, or other spaces
- Predetermined assembly point outside, students are checked and accounted for
- Points far enough from building to avoid danger and interference with fire department
- Alternate exits must be designated and practiced
What are some of the emergency evacuation requirements for health care facilities?
- Conducted quarterly on each shift
- Must include all emergency notification signals
- Written plan is followed during drill, updated, and records kept
Hospitals & nursing homes require special procedures because a total evacuation of a facility is not warranted during every emergency. Evacuation plans proceed in progressive steps or phases.
Phase 1 activities - REACT
R: remove immediate danger
E: ensure room door closed
A: Activate fire alarm or notify law enforcement
C: Call fire department or law enforcement
T: Try to extinguish or control fire, or remove those at risk
or RACE
R: Remove (patients)
A: Alert (call 911)
C: Confine (close off area of origin)
E: Extinguish (if able to do so)
Phase 2 activities - evacuate entire zone, close room and smoke barrier doors first
- Evacuate adjacent fire / emergency first
- Evacuate remaining in zone
- Move occupants to predetermined safe areas
- Take medical charts/records with patients
- Place facility in lockdown to limit movement
Phase 3 activities - evacuate entire floor and zones on floor above afterward
Phase 4 activities - evacuate building
- fire floor first
- floors above fire floor next
- floors below once floors above clear
- transport patients to other buildings/sites
What unique conditions impact evacuation drills for correctional facilities and hotels?
Physical security features of the building and the need to maintain control of inmates.
The temporary nature of hotel and motel occupants presents a challenge. Occupants are not familiar with the building layout.
What complaint information should be kept by an inspector?
Date/time complaint received
Location of perceived violation
Name of person reporting complaint
Name of owner/occupant
Nature of complaint or perceived violation
Date/time of inspection
Date/time of follow-up inspection
Resolution of complaint
What is one of the most important duties an inspector has when it comes to interacting with various officials and the general public about the basis and importance of the fire and life safety codes? (689)
A. Inspections
B. Enforcement
C. Investigations
D. Communication
D
Conversations that involve the exchange of detailed information or complete concentration should take place in: (691)
A. a public meeting.
B. front of witnesses.
C. a controlled environment.
D. an uncontrolled environment.
C
What is the best way to improve good listening skills? (693)
A. Practice
B. Training
C. Coaching
D. Formal education
A
What kind of communication is body language? (694)
A. Verbal
B. Nonverbal
C. Secondary
D. Professional
B
Primarily, administrative duties for inspectors include: (695)
A. custodial duties.
B. forensic investigation.
C. answering the phone.
D. preparing written communications.
D
The success of an inspection visit depends upon how familiar an inspector is with: (698)
A. model codes.
B. consensus standards.
C. the site being inspected.
D. the people who own the property.
C
The inspector should establish a ____ method for conducting inspections in order to better identify unsafe conditions or behaviors. (702)
A. varied
B. secret
C. random
D. consistent
D
The most difficult aspect of dealing with people while conducting an inspection is: (713)
A. making appointments.
B. rescheduling inspections.
C. conducting violation discussions.
D. meeting people for the first time.
C
Follow-up inspections are made to verify that corrections noted in the inspection report have been: (715)
A. noted.
B. started.
C. completed.
D. issued permits
C
What is the key to successfully handling any emergency, regardless of the type of occupancy? (716)
A. An effective emergency plan
B. A convenient means of egress
C. Effective training of owner/occupants
D. Effective execution of an emergency plan
D
Complaints that involve a serious life safety threat require: (722)
A. immediate action.
B. immediate research.
C. routine investigation.
D. effective execution of an emergency plan.
A
What must an inspector be prepared to deal with by business owner/occupants when they act on complaints? (724)
A. Protests
B. Legal action
C. Physical harm
D. Negative attitudes
D
What inspector practice goes a long way in providing education and building a positive image of fire prevention activities? (689)
A. Punctuality
B. Writing skills
C. Issuing citations
D. Professional attitude
D
Verifying occupant loads and investigating complaints are examples of which Inspector I job duty? (689)
A. Reviews
B. Education
C. Enforcement
D. Communication
C
Which basic element of a communication model contains a meaning, idea or concept that a speaker is attempting to communicate? (690)
A. Sender
B. Medium
C. Message
D. Interference
C
What basic element of a communication model gives the path that a message takes? (690)
A. Sender
B. Medium
C. Feedback
D. Interference
B
When communicating, what prevents the receiver from fully receiving a message? (691)
A. Sender
B. Medium
C. Message
D. Interference
D
Which element of the communication model completes the communication process? (691)
A. Sender
B. Medium
C. Feedback
D. Interference
C
