HomeMy WebLinkAboutIndustry Bulletin 2017-001 New Construction Appointments
KERRI L. DONIS, CFO, EFO, MSOL
FIRE CHIEF
Theodore F. Semonious, Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal
Prevention and Technical Services Division
(559) 621-4181 FAX (559) 498-4323
Fresno Fire Department 911 H Street Fresno, CA 93721-3082
FIRE INDUSTRY BULLETIN 2017-001
UPDATE TO FIRE INDUSTRY BULLETIN 2015-001
SCOPE
This industry bulletin clarifies the amount of time needed for new construction and five
year inspection appointments and the procedures for canceling appointments without
incurring a re-inspection fee.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide direction to contractors for scheduling new
construction and five year test appointments. This bulletin also clarifies when re-
inspection fees will be enforced on contractors not ready for their scheduled inspection.
BACKGROUND
As the Fire Prevention Division strives to provide more efficient services, it was
determined in May 2015 that transitioning from hourly appointments to AM/PM
appointments would allow for a higher number of new construction and five year test
inspections to be performed on a daily basis.
REQUIREMENTS
Beginning in May 2015, contractors requesting a new construction inspection have been
given the choice of an AM or PM appointment time. AM appointments occur between
0800-1200 hours. PM appointments occur between 1300-1700 hours.
When scheduling an appointment, the contractor is required to give the following
information: permit number, type of inspection, address of the inspection, number of
units needed to complete the inspection, and name and contact number of the person
meeting the inspector on site.
Inspections appointments are assigned a unit equivalent. Each unit is approximately
equivalent to 30 minutes of inspection time at the site. This time frame does not imply
“To protect and put service above all else.”
Industry Bulletin 2017-001
January 11, 2017
Page 2
that the inspector will be at that location for the exact time stated, it is provided as a
reference to ensure the contractor is scheduling enough time to complete the inspection.
To better guide contractors on the number of units they need to request when scheduling
an appointment, the following guidelines shall be followed:
Type of Inspection Number of
Inspectors
Minimum No. of
Units
Fire Sprinkler Inspection*
Under 20 head TI
Over 20 head TI
Hangers/Bracing
Final
Fire Pump Acceptance Test
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
Fire Alarm System* 2 6
Five Year Test
Up to 2 risers/2 FDC’s
3-5 risers/2+ FDC’s
5-10 risers/2+ FDC’s
10+ risers/2+ FDC’s
Pre-action system
Dry System
Fire Pump
Standpipes
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
4
2
2
2
2
*If it is a large project, double the number of units for each inspection.
When scheduling an appointment, the contractor is committing to be ready for the
inspection at the beginning of the block of time (either 0800 hours or 1300 hours
respectively). If the contractor realizes they will not be ready at the beginning of the
block of time, they must call and cancel the appointment at least one business day prior
to the scheduled appointment. If a contractor does not call and cancel the appointment
one business day before, they will be charged a re-inspection fee.
On the day of the appointment, the inspector will call the listed contact person 15-20
minutes before their arrival on site. Once the inspector arrives on site, they will wait up
to 10 minutes for the contractor to arrive. If the contractor does not arrive within that time
frame, the inspector will leave the site and the current re-inspection fee policy will apply.
If a contractor is not ready for the inspection when the inspector arrives on site, but
believes they will be ready before the end of their assigned block, the inspector will go to
their next appointment and attempt to come back to complete the inspection at a later
time within the scheduled block, if time permits. If the inspector is able to return and
the contractor is still not ready for an inspection, the current re-inspection fee policy will
apply.
Industry Bulletin 2017-001
January 11, 2017
Page 3
If the contractor fails to give the correct number of units needed to complete the
inspection, the inspector will stay on site for a reasonable amount of time based on what
was scheduled. If the contractor is unable to complete the inspection within the allotted
time, the inspector will leave for their next appointment. When this happens, the
contractor will be required to schedule an additional appointment to complete the
required inspection.
If the inspector is not able to make it to an inspection at all during the scheduled block of
time due to other constraints, the inspector will call the contractor and let them know that
their inspection will be moved to another block or the next day. The inspector will go to
the site and complete the inspection before beginning other inspections scheduled for
that block of time.
As per our current policy, a re-inspection fee shall be paid before another appointment
will be scheduled.
This policy is effective May 15, 2015 (updated January 11, 2017) until revoked.
REFERENCES
Fresno Fire Department Policy No. 401.001 – Appointment Cancellation
Fresno Fire Department Policy No. 401.003 – Re-Inspection Fee Payment
National Fire Protection Association Standard 1730 (2016 ed.)