A. General. In addition to the inspections required by Section 15.16.010, the owner or the engineer or architect of record acting as the owner’s agent shall employ one or more special inspectors who shall provide inspections during construction on the following types of work:

1. Concrete: during the taking of test specimens and placing of reinforced concrete. See subdivision 12 of this subsection 12 for shotcrete.

Exceptions:

a. Concrete for foundations conforming to the minimum requirements of Table 18-A of the Building Code or for Group R, Division 3 or Group M, Division I occupancies, provided the building official finds that a special hazard does not exist;

b. For foundation concrete, other than cast-in-place drilled piles or caissons, where the structural design is based on an fc no greater than two thousand five hundred (2,500) pounds per square inch (psi)(17.2 MPa);

c. Nonstructural slabs on grade, including prestressed slabs on grade when effective prestress in concrete is less than one hundred fifty (150) psi (0.1 MPa);

d. Site work concrete fully supported on earth and concrete where no special hazard exists.

2. Bolts installed in concrete: prior to and during the placement of concrete around bolts when stress increases permitted by Footnote 5 of Table 19-E or Section 1925.2 are utilized.

3. Special moment-resisting concrete frame: as required by Section 1701.5.3 of the Building Code.

4. Reinforcing steel and prestressing tendons:

a. During all stressing and grouting of tendons in prestressed concrete;

b. During placing of reinforcing steel and prestressing tendons for concrete required to have special inspection by subdivision 1 of this subsection.

Exception: The special inspector need not be present continuously during placing of reinforcing steel and prestressing tendons, provided inspection for conformance with the approved plans, prior to the closing of forms or the delivery of concrete to the job site, has been accomplished.

5. Structural Welding.

a. General: during the welding of any member of connection which is designed to resist loads and forces required by this code.

Exceptions:

i. Welding done in an approved fabricator’s shop in accordance with subsection F of this section.

ii. The special inspector need not be continuously present during welding of the following items, provided the materials, qualifications of welding procedures and welders are verified prior to the start of work; periodic inspections are made of work in progress; and a visual inspection of all welds is made prior to completion or prior to shipment of shop welding:

(A) Single-pass fillet welds not exceeding five-sixteenths inch (7.9 mm) in size,

(B) Floor and roof deck welding,

(C) Welded studs when used for structural diaphragm or composite systems,

(D) Welded sheet steel for cold-formed steel framing members such as studs and joists,

(E) Welding of stairs and railing systems.

(1) Special moment-resisting steel frames. During the welding of special moment-resisting steel frames. In addition to the requirements of this section, nondestructive testing as required by Section 1703 of the Building Code.

(2) Welding of reinforcing steel. During the welding of reinforcing steel.

Exception: The special inspector need not be continuously present during the welding of ASTMA A 706 reinforcing steel no larger than No. 5 bars used for embedments, provided the materials, qualifications of welding procedures and welders are verified prior to the start of work; periodic inspections are made of work in progress; and a visual inspection of all welds is made prior to completion or prior to shipment of shop welding.

6. High-strength bolting: as required by UBC. Standard 22-4. Such inspections may be performed on a periodic basis in accordance with the requirements of subsection E of this section.

7. Structural Masonry.

a. For masonry, other than fully grouted open-end hollow-unit masonry, during preparation and taking of any required prisms or test specimens, placing of all masonry units, placement of reinforcement, inspection of grout space, immediately prior to closing of cleanouts, and during all grouting operations.

Exception: For hollow-unit masonry where the fm is no more than one thousand five hundred (1,500) psi (10.3 MPa) for concrete units or two thousand six hundred (2,600) psi (17.9 MPa) for clay units, special inspection may be performed as required for fully grouted open-end hollow-unit masonry specified in subsection B of this section.

b. For fully grouted open-end hollow-unit masonry during preparation and taking of any required prisms or test specimens, at the start of laying units, after the placement of reinforcing steel, grout space prior to each grouting operation, and during all grouting operations.

Exception: Special inspection as required in subsection A and B of this section, need not be provided when design stresses have been adjusted, as specified in Chapter 21 of the Building Code, to permit noncontinuous inspection.

8. Reinforced gypsum concrete: when cast-in-place Class B gypsum concrete is being mixed and placed.

9. Insulating concrete fill: during the application of insulating concrete fill when used as part of a structural system.

Exception: The special inspections may be limited to an initial inspection to check the deck surface and placement of reinforcing. The special inspector shall supervise the preparation of compression test specimens during this initial inspection.

10. Spray-applied fireproofing: as required by UBC Standard 7-6.

11. Piling, drilled piers and caissons: during driving and testing of piles and construction of cast-in-place drilled piles or caissons. See subsection A(1) and (4) of this section for concrete reinforcing steel inspection.

12. Shotcrete: during the taking of test specimens and placing of all shotcrete and as required by Sections 1922.10 and 1922.11 of the Building Code.

Exception: Shotcrete work fully supported on earth, minor repairs and when, in the opinion of the building official, no hazard special exists.

13. Special grading, excavation and filling: during earthwork excavations, grading and filling operations inspection to satisfy requirements of Chapter 33 of the Building Code.

14. Smoke-control system:

a. During erection of ductwork and prior to concealment for the purposes of leakage testing and record of device location;

b. Prior to occupancy and after sufficient completion for the purposes of pressure difference testing, flow measurements, and detection and control verification.

15. Wood-Framed Diaphragms and Shear Walls. In Seismic Zones 3 and 4, whenever three-inch nominal framing is required by Table 23-J-1, 23-J-2, 23-K-1 or 23-K-2, inspections may be performed on a periodic basis in accordance with the requirements of subsection E of this section.

16. Special Cases. Work which, in the opinion of the building official, involves unusual hazards or conditions.

B. Special Inspector. The special inspector shall be a qualified person who shall demonstrate competence, to the satisfaction of the building official, for inspection of the particular type of construction or operation requiring special inspection.

C. Duties and Responsibilities of the Special Inspector. The special inspector shall observe the work assigned for conformance with the approved design drawings and specifications.

The special inspector shall furnish inspection reports to the building official, the engineer or architect of record, and other designated persons. Discrepancies shall be brought to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction, then, if uncorrected, to the proper design authority and to the building official.

The special inspector shall submit a final signed report stating whether the work requiring special inspection was, to the best of the inspector’s knowledge, in conformance with the approved plans and specifications and the applicable workmanship provision of these codes.

D. Waiver of Special Inspection. The building official may waive the requirement for the employment of a special inspector if the construction is of minor nature.

E. Continuous and Periodic Special Inspection.

1. Continuous Special Inspection. "Continuous special inspection" means that the special inspector is on the site at all times observing the work requiring special inspection.

2. Periodic Special Inspection. Some inspections may be made on a periodic basis and satisfy the requirements of continuous inspection, provided this periodic scheduled inspection is performed as outlined in the project plans and specifications and approved by the building official.

F. Approved Fabricators. Special inspections required by this section and elsewhere in this code or the Specialty Codes shall not be required where the work is done on the premises of a fabricator registered and approved by the building official to perform such work without special inspection. The certificate of registration shall be subject to revocation by the building official if it is found that work done pursuant to the approval is in violation of the Specialty Codes. The approved fabricator shall submit a certificate of compliance to the building official and to the engineer or architect of record stating that the. work was performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. The approved fabricator’s qualifications shall be contingent on compliance with the following:

1. The fabricator has developed and submitted a detailed fabrication procedural manual reflecting key quality control procedures which will provide a basis for inspection control of workmanship and the fabricator plant;

2. Verification of the fabricator’s quality control capabilities, plant and personnel as outlined in the fabrication procedural manual shall be by an approved inspection or quality control agency;

3. Periodic plant inspections shall be conducted by an approved inspection or quality control agency to monitor the effectiveness of the quality control program;

4. It shall be the responsibility of the inspection or quality control agency to notify the approving authority in writing of any change to the procedural manual. Fabricator approval may be revoked for just cause. Reapproval of the fabricator shall be contingent on compliance with quality control procedures during the past years. (Prior code § 9.306)