Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 401.7 - Certification category specificationsAn individual certified by the Department in the following categories may perform the duties described in the specific category as a construction code official:
(1)Residential building inspector.(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that these structures are free from hazardous structural conditions and comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include inspection of footings and foundations, concrete slabs, wood decay and termite protection, floor and ceiling framing, wall framing, roof framing, masonry walls, sheathing, roof covering, interior and exterior wall coverings, means of egress system and safety glazing.(2)Residential electrical inspector.(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that these structures are free from hazardous electrical installations and comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of electrical service, electrical distribution systems, wiring methods, panel boards, control devices, conductors and electrical fixture installation.(3)Residential mechanical inspector.(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that these structures are free from hazardous mechanical installations and comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of mechanical equipment, gas fuel supply systems, venting of appliances, air ducts, combustion air and comfort cooling.(4)Residential plumbing inspector.(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that these structures are free from hazardous plumbing installations and comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of water service, building sewer, water distribution, drainage, waste and vents and fixtures.(5)Residential energy inspector.(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that energy installations are made in the manner specified in the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of conditioned or unconditioned spaces, R-values for roof/ceiling, floor and wall assemblies and insulation placement, installation of materials for the building envelope and its components, moisture control methods such as caulking, sealing and weather-stripping, duct and dipping insulation and sealing criteria, thermostats for each heating and cooling system, electrical metering, lighting installation and controls and piping insulation, circulation pump controls, heat traps, shower heads and pool cover installations.(6)Building inspector.(i) Ensures that buildings and structures are constructed in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include inspection of construction site and building location, footings and foundations, wood and steel framing and connections, masonry construction, precast and cast-in-place concrete, exterior weather boarding, fire-stopping and draft-stopping, building components related to life safety and fire protection systems and building components related to size, installation and workmanship.(iii) May perform residential inspector duties listed in paragraph (1).(7)Electrical inspector.(i) Ensures that electrical installations are made in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code regardless of the size or components used in the installation.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of raceways (installations, size), cables, panel boards and boxes, conductors, control devices, motors and generators, electrical equipment and special occupancies.(iii) May perform residential electrical inspector duties listed in paragraph (2).(8)Mechanical inspector.(i) Ensures that mechanical installations are made in the manner specified in the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of fuel piping systems, heating, cooling and ventilation, fuel-fired equipment venting, steam and hot water heating systems and piping and energy conservation.(iii) May perform residential mechanical inspector duties listed in paragraph (3).(9)Plumbing inspector.(i) Ensures that plumbing installations are made in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of underground piping installation, rough-in inspections, drain-waste-venting (DWV) systems, pressure testing, water distribution systems, observation and elimination of cross connections, system pumps, tanks and pressure vessels and fixtures, traps and valves and their connections.(iii) May perform residential plumbing inspector duties listed in paragraph (4).(10)Energy inspector.(i) Ensures that the building envelope, mechanical systems, electrical power and lighting systems and building service systems and equipment comply with the approved construction documents and the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include verifying that building envelope and components meet minimum requirements for installation of materials and that building envelope penetrations are caulked, sealed and weather-stripped, determining compliance of moisture control methods, installation of and types of mechanical equipment and efficiencies, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, ducts and piping, insulation and sealing, lighting installation and lighting controls for building interiors and exteriors, permanently wired poly-phase motors and their efficiencies, piping insulation, circulation pump controls, heat traps, point-of-use controls and pool cover installations.(iii) May perform residential energy inspector duties listed in paragraph (5).(11)Accessibility inspector/plans examiner.(i) Ensures that buildings and structures are constructed in accordance with the accessibility provisions of the Uniform Construction Code and that construction documents submitted as part of a permit application comply with the accessibility provisions of the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include inspection of building sites and all interior building components to verify compliance with the accessibility standards or review of construction documents to verify that the design of building sites and all interior components comply with the accessibility standards.(12)Building plans examiner.(i) Determines that the construction documents submitted as part of a permit application comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining the degree of compliance necessary for new construction projects, alterations or repairs, proper use group/type of construction classification, determining height and area requirements, minimum means of egress requirements, minimum light and ventilation requirements, minimum design structural loads, adequacy of soils investigations, adequacy of footing and foundation designs, minimum fire-resistance requirements, adequacy of barrier-free designs, minimum energy conservation requirements and adequacy of fire-protection systems.(13)Fire inspector.(i) Conducts basic fire prevention inspections and has a general knowledge of applicable codes and standards.(ii) Duties include field inspections, preparation of correspondence and inspection reports, handling complaints, and maintaining files related to inspections that were conducted.(14)Electrical plans examiner.(i) Determines that the construction documents submitted as part of a permit application comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining proper number of services, proper location of services, adequacy of emergency systems, proper service size, proper over-current protection, special use applications and proper conductor size and application.(15)Mechanical plans examiner.(i) Determines that the construction documents submitted as part of a permit application comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of fuel piping systems, fuel-burning appliances, mechanical refrigeration systems, incinerators, energy conservation equipment and controls, boilers and pressure vessels, venting systems, hydronic and steam-piping systems and ventilation air systems.(16)Plumbing plans examiner.(i) Determines that the construction documents submitted as part of a permit application comply with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining that water service, building sewer/storm sewer and other underground piping are properly sized and located, determining that proper drainage fixture units, fixture locations and clearances are used, determining the adequacy of drain-waste-venting (DWV) riser diagrams and water distribution systems and determining the proper number of fixtures and proper materials as proposed.(17)Energy plans examiner.(i) Ensures that the design criteria specified for a building are correct and in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code and that alterations, additions and change of use or occupancy are in compliance with the Uniform Construction Code.(ii) Duties include determining compliance of the design conditions specified, conditioned or unconditioned spaces, R values for roof/ceiling, floor and wall assemblies and insulation placement, insulation of materials for the building envelope and its components, moisture control methods such as caulking, sealing and weather-stripping, duct and dipping insulation and sealing criteria, thermostats for each heating and cooling system, electrical metering, lighting installation and controls, piping insulation, circulation pump controls, heat raps, shower heads and pool cover installations.(18)Building code official.(i) Manages, supervises and administers building code enforcement activities. The Department, municipality or a third-party agency that operates an enforcement program under the act will employ at least one person certified or registered as a building code official.(ii) Duties include management of building code enforcement activities, supervision of building inspectors or plans examiners, issuing building permits, occupancy permits, notice of violations and orders to vacate, and initiation of prosecutions.(19)Elevator inspector.(i) Inspects electric and hydraulic elevators, conveying systems and other lifting devices to ensure that these installations are free from conditions that would present a life safety or fire hazard to persons using the installations.(ii) Duties include determining compliance with the Uniform Construction Code regarding door closers, interlocks, car safeties, over-speed governors, safety tests, reshackling, ropes, fireman's recall, brakes and other related elevator equipment and the investigation of accidents.(20)Passenger ropeway inspector.(i) Inspects passenger ropeways to ensure that the installation is free from conditions that would present a life safety or fire hazard to a person using the installation.(ii) Duties include investigation of accidents and determining compliances of power units, auxiliary power units, carriers, cabins, cars, location, vertical and horizontal clearances, haul rope sleeves, guides, haul rope condition and splice, structures and foundations, capacity, speed, acceleration/deceleration, loading and unloading areas, required stopping devices, brakes and rollback devices, tension systems, manual and automatic control devices, haul rope grips, operation and maintenance of equipment, electrical components, emergency shut down circuits, bypass circuits, speed regulating devices, and other related ropeway equipment with the Uniform Construction Code. This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 401.1 (relating to definitions); and 34 Pa. Code § 403.45 (relating to inspections).