Invoking IBC "Statement of Special Inspections" in Specifications 1

[Futzin]

What is the typical way that the IBC Chapter 17 Special Inspections, specifically the Statement of Special Inspections (SoSI), get invoked in construction specifications? If we already have a concrete testing and inspection specification, for example, which includes all the required tests and inspections for concrete construction per ACI 301, etc., do you also indicate that the concrete scope of the SoSI is included in the scope for the concrete tester (e.g., incorporate the pertinent parts of the SoSI into their scope by reference) or do you instead explicitly include all concrete inspection/tests from the SoSI into the concrete testing/inspection spec? In the later case, there's no mention of the SoSI in spec and it's a stand-alone for review by the building official (i.e., the spec writer is ensuring the all the SoSI concrete scope is explicitly included in the spec). This question is a bit more clear for structural steel inspections (assuming AISC 341 isn't invoked) since IBC Ch. 17 defers entirely to the QA requirements of AISC 360 which already serves as the basis for the structural steel inspection spec. I haven't really gotten a satisfactory answer from those I've talked to in my org (seems like things have a way of "working themselves out"), but I prefer a little more assurance that conflict won't come up down the line. TIA.

 

[RobertHale]

My firm currently uses a specification section to formally invoke special inspections. We have had this section for years, but recently, we undertook a comprehensive review and revision of our specs, and we effectively rewrote the entire thing. This 014525 is titled Structural and Special Inspection/Testing Agency Services. We use it to define the responsibilities of all the parties (owner, contractor, and inspector). We also use it to incorporate the Statement and schedule of special inspections into the specifications. The particulars of inspections and testing are still included in the individual Div 03, 04, 05, 06, 13, and 31 specification sections. All these sections have the following statement to start off the Field or Source Quality Control Article "Special Inspections: The Special Inspection/Testing Agency shall perform inspections and field tests and prepare test reports as required by the Building Code and Section 01 45 25 – Structural and Special Inspection/Testing Agency Services." We also place language in the Source Quality Control Article that the required inspections are not required if it is performed in a certified facility and if they submit a "Fabricator's Certificate of Compliance." I will note my firm does the majority of its work in Georgia, and Georgia's Department of Community Affairs worked with the local NCSEA org to modify the old CASE special inspection documents. These are now defacto standards in the state. a lot of the surrounding jurisdictions do not have their own special inspection standard, and they have generally been very accommodating with us using the Georgia Documents. All of it has to work in concert, hence the reason we did a top to bottom revamp of all the specification sections. Our structural documents and general notes reference the required special inspections and point back to the 014525 section. We also generally end up putting the schedule of special inspections on the structural drawings as well. The section we wrote is attached.

 

[RobertHale]

Here is a sample steel specificaiton with our special inspection language added.

 

[JedClampett]

Some entities won't accept (or read) specifications, so we have to put the IBC tables directly on the general notes sheets.

 

[RobertHale]

@JedClampett. We have seen the same things too. One major metropolitan jurisdiction flip-flops back and forth about placing the schedule on the sheets. They also are squirrely about the actual Statment of Special Inspections. We have taken the SEAOG-modified CASE documents and made a word document that we use with a plugin to link into Revit. I don't get major heartburn showing it in both places provided we are maintaining only one document. Our preference is to include it in the spec and to place the Statement (including the special wind and seismic statements) and the Schedule on the drawings. The important thing for me is that the spec defines, in terms of the contracts, what we as the design team are providing, what we expect the special inspection agency to provide (namely the final report, which has been problematic in the past), and how the GC needs to cooperate with the inspector.

 

[Futzin]

@RobertHale Thank you very much for your feedback. A section like the one you've mentioned was precisely what I was envisioning for the clearest way of invoking the Ch. 17 requirements.