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MONDAY MORNING MESSENGER |
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Message prepared especially for Members of the American Institute of Inspectors® as well as Home Inspectors abroad |
GOOOOOD MORNING, A.I.I.....
It's a great day here in Orem, Utah. It is currently stormy and snowing here in Utah. This is amazing because it is the start Spring. We went from nearly 70 degree days last week, back to snow on the grounds in just day 24-hour period. As you read this edition of the MMM I will be in Park City, Utah inspecting a stucco clad home. The snow should be deep and with the storm it may be downright windy and bitter outside. Thistype of weather pattern is tough on my system and I feel a head cold coming on.
Tuesday will be a big night this coming week. Our oldest son Adam is finishing up his first Cub Scouting Pine Wood Derby race car. He is excited and thinks that he has come up with a winner. To prevent me from being tempted to take over his project we decided that we would both build racers together. Adam's is the red one and mine is the yellow one. We have been surfing the web looking for some sure fire speed tips and it seems as though the advice is all over the board. If you have some sure fire tips on Pine Wood Derby racer speed from your past, then please forward them on to Adam and I at Peaceofmind@TheHomeInspector.com.
The AII Spring Conference in Reno is just around the corner. The weekend of April 5th will be here in a blink of an eye. I'm looking forward to it and I have been asked to put on a 2 hour presentation titled "Technology and the Home Inspector." If you are sitting out there dreaming high technological dreams, but you are uncertain how to get there from your current location, then please send along your technology wish list. For more information on the AII Mid Year conference please visit www.Inspection .org
PLUMBING INSPECTORS TAKING PAYOFFSAs you read this story, please put yourself in the role of the building official. Would you have fallen into the expectation of the job description, or would you be the valiant whistle blower?
Philadelphia Inquirer, Thu, Mar. 21, 2002
Thirteen plumbing inspectors are accused of taking payoffs. Twelve pleaded not guilty; one is to be arraigned today.
By Maria Panaritis and Joseph A. Slobodzian, Inquirer Staff Writers
For the longest time, the city's plumbing inspectors wanted company cars.
So when the Department of Licenses and Inspections rolled out a pair of Crown Victorias just for them, the guys stopped bugging the boss.
But the boss started bugging them.
In a sting orchestrated by the FBI and an officer-turned-L&I commissioner, the two Fords were rigged with hidden microphones and video cameras. To the department's 14 plumbing inspectors, the cars were just part of a two-year plan to test the efficiency of alcohol-fueled vehicles (they even had to fuel up at a special gas station in the Northeast) and to see whether they could save the city some money by using company cars.
But to the feds, the rigged cars became central spies in a corruption investigation that climaxed this week. The images and conversations captured on tape - men accepting money from contractors in return for arriving promptly for inspections - helped wipe out virtually the entire plumbing-inspection department in a federal racketeering indictment that left L&I handing out termination notices to all but one inspector yesterday.
Twelve of the 13 plumbing inspectors indicted Tuesday entered not-guilty pleas yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Faith Angell at the federal courthouse in Center City. The 13th was scheduled to be arraigned today.
The defendants and their lawyers yesterday declined to comment on the indictment in any detail.
"We knew about this investigation and we will vigorously defend against it," said Howard D. Popper, the attorney for Joseph Leone, 40, of Packer Park, a plumbing inspector since 1982.
The former L&I plumbing inspector who, according to investigators, refused to accept payments now works for another office within L&I. He has been so harassed and ostracized for not having participated in what many describe as a decades-old ritual of payoffs among city plumbers and inspectors that he has refused to speak publicly about it and is avoiding reporters, officials said.
"He does not want to talk to anybody. He does not want the aggravation," L&I Commissioner Ed McLaughlin said. "He's not looking to be held up any more as a target" for criticism.
McLaughlin, a former Philadelphia police chief inspector who helped map out the sting several years ago, said the FBI provided the technical expertise.
But he emphasized that the investigation was emblematic of vigorous efforts by the beleaguered agency to root out corruption - a legacy that has been passed down for decades.
"This was a case of L&I cleaning its own house," McLaughlin said.
He said the federal investigation and indictments had effectively eliminated the practice of payoffs by removing rogue plumbing inspectors from the department.
But as added insurance, he said, the department in the last year has changed the way it gives plumbing contractors the go-ahead to finish a project. That way, they won't have to worry about waiting for a handful of plumbing inspectors to show up at a project before sealing a hole in a street or bathroom.
Under the old system, plumbers doing major work on a site - connecting pipes to street sewer mains or reworking the plumbing system of a house, for example - were required to get an L&I plumbing permit.
That permit triggered an inspection to be performed once the work was done, certifying that the plumber had used proper materials and made proper connections, among other things, McLaughlin said. Then, the contractor would be permitted to seal the job.
That procedure is similar in many suburban towns, said Mike Brescia, who, as owner of Budget Plumbing & Heating in Lafayette Hill, is registered to work in Philadelphia and 15 other municipalities.
"The inspection is important to the plumber because if he has to wait for the L&I inspector to come out and do the inspection, it's [costing him] money," McLaughlin said.
It also creates a problem because the contractor ends up leaving a hole in the street, or in someone's bathroom floor, overnight.
The payoffs documented in the federal investigation were made to ensure that inspectors showed up at a certain time, McLaughlin said.
Just how much of a time-management problem did plumbing contractors typically face?
With a little more than a dozen plumbing inspectors bearing the citywide burden, "there are some times when we get busy and we can't make all the appointments," McLaughlin said.
So about nine months ago, L&I changed the way it does business. Plumbing inspections are now performed by 27 multidisciplinary inspectors charged with plumbing and building-code inspections. They are handling inspections once done by the 13 plumbing inspectors who were indicted. (Most of the 13 were suspended yesterday with intent to dismiss. The rest had either already resigned or retired.)
If an inspector does not arrive, the new system allows licensed registered master plumbers to call a district supervisor at L&I and request permission to photograph the work and submit a statement (stamped with the master plumber's seal) saying that all work complies with code.
Brescia, a plumber for 22 years, said it is rare for a city inspector to not make it out the same day that the inspection is requested. It's only a problem when an inspector assigned to a given section of the city is out sick, he said.
In the suburbs, though, inspections are usually prompter because inspectors handle fewer jobs each day, Brescia said.
As one of the area's larger plumbing contractors, Brescia said, he was interviewed about the L&I scandal by the FBI in November 2000.
He would not say yesterday whether he had ever engaged in the practice of payoffs to inspectors. But he offered a perspective that spoke to an almost fraternal culture among contractors and inspectors.
"When you go to the barber and the hairdresser, certainly you give them a tip for a good job," Brescia said. "You don't give it to them because they did something illegal to your hair. And you don't go to a restaurant and expect additional food on the table because you give a larger tip. You just got good service. That's just the sort of way a lot of plumbers looked at this."
CPSC SAFER PROPANE TANKSNEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Office of Information and Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2002 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles - Release # 02-127 (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184
New, Safer Propane Tank for Barbecue Grills Helps to Avoid Gas Leaks - Device Expected to Prevent Many of the 600 Fires/Explosions Each Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants consumers to know that as of April 1, 2002, all propane gas tanks sold to consumers for barbecue grills must have a new safety device. The over-fill prevention device will help to avoid propane leaks that can cause fires and explosions. The new standard is published by the National Fire Protection Association.
"CPSC worked with industry to develop this safety standard to help prevent deaths and injuries," said CPSC Acting Chairman Thomas Moore. "As people trade in their old propane tanks for newer ones, we will see fewer fires."
Propane gas is highly flammable. Each year, about 600 fires/explosions occur with gas grills resulting in injuries to about 30 people. The new safety standard for propane gas tanks requires that an "over-fill prevention device" be installed in new gas tanks. The new propane gas tanks have valve handles with three "lobes" (prongs) while older tanks have valve handles with five prongs. Beginning April 1, only the new propane tanks will be sold or refilled nationwide. People with older propane gas tanks will need to get the new, safer tanks when they go in for a refill. While some dealers are trading in old tanks at no cost, others may charge a fee, which could range from $10 to $20.
An additional industry standard (adopted in 1995 at the urging of CPSC) provided for several safety features in the gas grills, hoses, and connections. The safety standard calls for a device to limit the flow of gas if the hose ruptures; a mechanism to shut-off the grill if it overheats; and a device to prevent the flow of gas if the connection between tank and grill is not leak-proof. People who have grills that do not meet the 1995 standard should either get a new grill or be especially attentive to the safety tips below.
Here are some safety tips to reduce the risk of fire or explosion with gas grills:
Charcoal Grill Safety Tips
In 1996, CPSC revised the label on charcoal packaging to more explicitly warn consumers of the deadly CO gas that is released when charcoal is burned in a closed environment. The new label reads, "WARNING ... CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD ... Burning charcoal inside can kill you. It gives off carbon monoxide, which has no odor. NEVER burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles or tents." The new label also conveys the written warning visually with drawings of grills inside a home, tent, and vehicle. The drawings are enclosed in a circle with an "X" through it.
CPSC & ESFI GIVE FLOOD WARNINGUS Consumer Product Safety Commission Electrical Safety Foundation International
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson
March 22, 2002 Release # 02-127 ESFI Executive Director: Michael Clendenin (703) 841-3296
CPSC, ESFI Warn Flood Victims About the Dangers of Mixing Water and Electricity
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the mountain snow melt begins and flood season approaches, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) are warning consumers to beware of the dangers that are present when water comes in contact with electricity. A flood can cause tragic losses to families, but to protect against the unexpected loss of life, CPSC and ESFI have some important safety advice:
"As families begin to clean up following a flood, there are hidden electrical hazards throughout the home," says Michael Clendenin, executive director of the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). "Take the time to protect your family and home by making a new beginning that includes finding and fixing all electrical dangers caused by a flood."
"After the flood waters have receded, CPSC wants families to be aware that electricity has the potential to cause an even greater loss than that of personal property," says Thomas Moore, CPSC Acting Chairman. "We hope that this information helps prevent deaths and injuries during these difficult times."
For people who live in counties already declared eligible, you can contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program at (800) 427-4661.
These and other electrical safety tips are available at the Foundation's Web site at www.electrical-safety.org or call (703) 841-3229.
CPSC DYNASTY RANGE REPAIR RECALL
You will recall a while back when I got on my soap box and went fanatical on the need for us to document whether or not freestanding ranges have their anti-tip brackets. I took flack locally and nationally for being too nit-picky. Afterall, they reasoned, "We can't be responsible to check for every little safety feature. We also can't be responsible to read, study, and remeber every safety recall." The justification for lack of due diligence on our part had a hollow ring. So for those of you who don't want to be responsible for one more CPSC notice about anti-tip brackets, please skip to the next section.
CPSC, Jade Products Inc. Announce Recall to Repair Dynasty Gas Ranges
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Jade Products Inc., of Commerce, Calif., is voluntarily recalling to repair about 7,200 Dynasty gas ranges. The ranges could tip-over if a heavy weight is placed on an open oven door, posing a risk of burn injuries from hot food or liquids in cooking containers.
Jade Products has not received any reports of incidents. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.
The Dynasty gas ranges included in this program are all 30, 36, and 48-inch units with the model number DGRSC. The model number is located on the serial plate that is accessed by lifting the right hand cooking module from the range top. The brand name "Dynasty" appears on the front of the range.
Appliance and retail stores nationwide sold these ranges from January 1996 through December 2001 for between $3,000 and $7,400.
Consumers may continue to use the ranges but are cautioned not to place any objects on the open oven door until an anti-tip bracket as been installed. Consumers can participate in the product recall online or call Jade Products toll-free at (888) 607-5694 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to arrange for free installation of an anti-tip bracket.
The installation of the anti-tip brackets will bring the recalled ranges into compliance with the stability test requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z21.1 Standard for Household Gas Cooking Appliances.
Some of these ranges were involved in a separate March 2001 recall to repair a delayed gas ignition defect.
CPSC FIREPLACE SCREEN RECALL
NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Fireplace Screen Recall Hotline: (601) 362-6813
March 20, 2002 CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson Release #02-123 (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1189
CPSC, Pascal Products Co. Announce Recall of Two-Paneled Fireplace Screens Sold At Wal-Mart
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pascal Products Company Ltd., of Jackson, Miss., is voluntarily recalling about 600 two-paneled fireplace screens. The paint on the metal mesh can ignite when exposed to a direct flame, posing a serious fire hazard to consumers.
Pascal has not received any reports of incidents. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.
The recalled screens are Wal-Mart Home Trends 2-Paneled Fireplace Screens with model number 500RR. The 500RR model screens have a light rust color and use standard Phillips-head hinge pins (see photo and diagram below).
Wal-Mart stores nationwide sold the fireplace screens from September 2001 through December 2001 for about $30.
Consumers should stop using the fireplace screens immediately and return them to any Wal-Mart store for a refund. For more information, consumers should call Pascal at (601) 362-6813 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
Fireplace screens that have a dark brown color or have elongated dual-use-screw heads are not included in this recall.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGEFor our Oregon inspectors and anyone else interested, I promised to give you an update on the March 8th, Home Inspectors Advisory Committee (HIAC) meeting in Salem, Oregon.
We spend the first two hours of each meeting in an Executive Session working on the certification test. We review each question for accuracy and leave it as is, change it, or remove it. During the public meeting that follows we have been discussing contracting out the testing to an independent testing firm. More on that in a moment.
At noon the public meeting opened and after reading and approving minutes of the previous meeting any public in attendance is invited to give two minutes of comment each. We get some pretty good feedback here. There are some regulars that attend each meeting and give their opinion on all of the issues we are working on. I am there to represent AII and Oregon Certified Home Inspectors and these public comments are pretty valuable to me.
As the public meeting continues HIAC works through the issues at hand and requests or allows public comment at intervals throughout the discussions.
Current issues;
1) Discussed WDO Standards and made two recommendations to the Policy Board; a) To add a WDO section to the Oregon State Certification test and, b) For the CCB to become the governing body for all WDO inspectors in Oregon and all persons perfoming WDO to be certified, (currently being performed by anyone with a contracator's license.)
Now keep in mind this is for WDO inspections only, the Dept of Ag would still be responsible for licensing pesticide applicators.
It may be a stretch to get both of these all the way through this legislative session but hopefully will give us some direction on how far we can move this issue.
2) Discussed changes to the Oreogn Standards of Practice; HIAC is in agreement that we need to make some upgrades to the standards but we have not agreed on the wording of these upgrades yet. There was a proposal to adopt some ASHI standards of which I am very much opposed to. I am opposed to adopting the language of any particular association, whether it be the one I belong to or another one. We have an obligation as HIAC memebrs to represent Oregon State Certified Inspectors and not the views of AII, ASHI, OREIA or any other individual inspection association. This topic brought in a larger amount of the public than I had previously seen at a HIAC meeting with some very sparked comments. Several letters were submitted from the various associations beforehand in opposition to adopting the ASHI wording. When it came to a final vote the four HIAC members present were split 50/50 in the vote. The Chairman excercized a tie breaker vote to side with the opposition in adopting the ASHI standard language. Although he sided with us he made it very clear that he felt changes needed to be made. So we won this one by a very slim margin. Since I was the main opposer I have felt like I need to submit a proposal that I feel is more acceptable. I have almost finished my proposed changes to the Oregon standards and will submit them this week to be distributed to other HIAC members for their review before the next meeting.
3D AUTO DATING TIP By Donna Tarkowski
Hi Michael, In your Jan 14, 2002 issue, you have some great instructions on updating the copyright date. I hope this introduces some users to where headers and footers can be changed.
However, here's a tip you may not have thought of: Instead of putting in the actual year as text, which you may forget to change, just include a code to merge the current year in, when the report is printed.
For instance, use [DATEyyyy] where the date should go. Now, you never have to change the date. It will merge in the current year, based on the computer date.
No more remembering to update!
Donna Tarkowski - Tech Support - 3D Inspection Systems
That is a great tip Donna. It is another way to simplify documents that I had not thought of before. Here is the footer line on my modified Top1.w3d document.
Copyright: Michael Leavitt, [DATEyyyy] RESIDENTIAL REPORT INSPECTION #[RPT] Page [PGN]
You can see that I took out the 2002 that previously followed my name and by adding the [DATEyyyy] the line now automatically merges in the current year into the place of the merge code. You will also notice that I use the [RPT] and [PGN] merge codes in the same line to automatically merge the report number and the page number. Here is the printed out results of the footer line.
Copyright: Michael Leavitt, 2002 RESIDENTIAL REPORT INSPECTION #22302A Page 12
PHOTO CHALLENGE #98
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QUOTABLE QUOTE: "The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started." Dawson Trotman |
HAVE A GREAT WEEK! Michael Leavitt & Co Inspections, Inc. The Most Qualified Inspector in Northern Utah! |
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