Electrical inspectors:
are you required to check the submittals on commer jobs? do you require "RFI's" if its differant than what is on the approved plans.
thanks --dave

Inspectors have no business checking the plans and specs, that is the job of the owner or his represenitive. The inspector can only enforce the legally adopted code.
Don

ccdave ---

I would disagree with Don.

At permit time the plans are checked for code compliance.

At inspection time the work is checked for compliance with the plans.

I agree with Don. the inspector can only enforce what has been legally adopted in the area by the appropate town/county council or the state leglislature. If the owner wants inspections to the plans and specs. then he will have the architect/engineer do those inspection as part of the owners acceptance inspection. It is not the electrical inspectors job to enforce contract requirements. The electrical inspectors job is to enforce the code.

George,
The work should only be inspected for compliance with the code. Plans and specs are not legally enforcable by the inspector. On the legally adopted code rules can be inforced by the inspector. If the plans called for more recptacles than called for by the code, the inspector can't require any more receptacles than the code requires. If the specs call for a very expensive light fixture and cheap one is intalled, the inspector cannot not red tag the cheap fixture if it is code complaint.
Don

In Michigan "Plan Reviews" are required for buildings over 3500 square foot.

I guess that structural code requirements are more "formal" than electrical code requirements.

You submit plans that show the specie/grade of materials along with the layout and the fasteners to as much detail as desired.

The AHJ looks at the plans at permit time and issues a permit to build to those plans. The inspector compares the plans to the actual structure and decides how he wants deviations from the plans handled - change the plans, change the structure, or ignore the differences.

I understand that most of the time electrical plans are not submitted and when they are they are not as detailed as structural plans.

It seems reasonable that when detailed electrical plans are submitted that it is the obligation of the inspector to ensure that the permited work was done as permitted.

I guess the simplest example is if the permitted work indicated wires in conduit and the finished work was NM cables. Even where both are allowed, only one was permitted.

I would have problems with that.

George,
I would have problems if an inspector red tagged a code compliant NM job because the specs called for conduit. That is not the business of the inspector. He has no legal right to red tag a code compliant job. He can only enforce the law and the law is the legally adopted code and any local amendments. As far as the structural design, a change in materials, fastening devices, or design may very well be a violation of the structural building code. The change may result in a structure that is not code compliant and does not have the required strength, stiffness or flexibility.
Don

"If required .... " NEC 2002


I wonder how this would fit into the discussion here?

The building code requires the electrical inspector (or building inspector) to check the plans and specs of a job prior to issuing the permit. At the time of inspection, he will check the installation for code compliance AND compliance with the plans and specs. If there are any differences, then a good inspector will want the RFIs, and change order submittals to slip into the file as well.
On small jobs (residential) this is often waived, which is allowed by the building code.

The NEC is only a small part of the building code. Compliance with all parts is required.

It is true that only the codes adopted by your town/county/state will be law. Most places have adopted the ICC family of model codes, which reference the NEC for electrical.

Earl

Joe
That is required on some of the larger jobs here. It is part of the plan approval process. If this was done and the plans show an approval for this way and no other permitted then the AHJ has something to say about it. The permit was issued for work to be done a given way and not doing it that way is a violation of the permit.
The plans and specs are still the owners to enforce. The AHJ can only enforce the legally adopted code. He/she is not in a position to use his authority to enforce contract requirements.

Submittals
Question what if the contractor submits on items other then called for in the Spec.s . I feel its not up to the inspector if they meet code to bring it up? To do a complete job you would have to go thru the specs. and compare items with whats been submitted.Then there could be e-mail or side letters approveing other then in specs between the owner or project mananger(example Light fixture types ,time clocks,ect . How would all this be handled???

Earl
On what do you base this assertion? Adoption of the ICC codes would appear to be far from universal and even most, as in more than fifty percent of jurisdictions, would surprise me.
--
Tom H

The green states have I codes adopted. I would say that it is more than 50%

The state of Utah has established rules which govern the licensure and responsibilities of inspectors. In those rules some items are listed that constitute "unprofessional conduct" by inspectors. Item 10 in that list is:
I believe it would be unprofessional conduct in the state of Utah to approve a job done in romex if the engineer had specified conduit, even though it might meet code. I wonder if other states or jurisdictions might have similar laws or rules?

[This message has been edited by eprice (edited 06-14-2004).]

eprice ---

I appreciate your comments on conduct. I also appreciate Don's comments.

I think it is up to the local juristiction, AHJ, government, and prosecutor (and I would include the local licensed people) to decide how formal the process of ammending plans has to be.

Don clearly has a very liberal view. I have a conservative view. We should all try to find something that functions well rather than hinders one side or the other.

I printed your replys and have been in meetings all day about this---
Thanks everyone for your thoughts--dave