510 R.I. Code R. 510-RICR-00-00-13.4
In accordance with the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-21-3, it shall be the responsibility of the local building official to notify each public or private nursery, elementary and secondary school of the requirement to inspect each school annually prior to August 1st. Reports for said inspections shall be submitted to the superintendent of schools or the private school official prior to said date. Reports on schools on state property shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Education Office.
Although the reports are not required to be filed until August 1, the local building official should make all required inspections as close to the end of the school year in May or June. The facility is in full operation and it is easier to schedule said inspections. Also this would provide the reports to the proper authorities earlier than the August 1 date, thereby allowing more time for any corrections, if necessary.
In all cases the local school department or the private school system shall file for permits for all alterations, extension of existing systems, additions as required in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-102.0 entitled, Ordinary Repairs, of the State Building Code. As one can see by this section of the Code, many items of work required the normal review, inspection and approval of the local inspector. Whether the municipality charges their own schools for permits, is their own matter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-102.0"Ordinary repairs to build structures may be made without application or notice to the building official, but such repairs shall not include the installation of any siding, the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the exit way requirements; nor shall ordinary repairs include addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standard pipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electrical wiring, mechanical or other work affecting public health, safety, and welfare shall comply with the rules and regulations or ordinances of the municipality as to the procurement of a permit for the aforementioned repairs".
It shall be the responsibility of the public school and private school officials to maintain a log of all repairs done to their respective school facilities during this year. This log of repair work which does not require a permit will be available to the local building official to review during normal business hours to assure that the work done is safe and meets code requirements when applicable. The main concern is with the replacement of broken safety glazing. The Code requires that this glazing be replaced to meet the new requirements or otherwise severe penalties and liabilities could result from an accident.
510 R.I. Code R. 510-RICR-00-00-13.4