By Mike Tobias
Inspectors today are burdened with technical issues and tremendous challenges when inspecting low voltage cabling. Manu jurisdictions do not require a permit to be pulled and have no idea that the cabling is being done. When they come to inspect a building for the regulated crafts is when they will catch problems associated with the telecommunications working. Most inspectors have no formal training in high speed network cabling as far as what makes it function. He/she is not interested if your network runs at its advertised speed, but is concerned about the placement of the cables through fire rated barriers and code issues like grounding and boring the system.
When an AHK finds a problem with a telecomm installation, the first thing he/she is interested in is the installer’s qualifications. Is he qualified to perform this installation? Is he a qualified person? The current definition in the 2005 NEC says, “One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training on the hazards involved.” Apparently, there is no requirement that the qualified person is required to have any formal training except for minimum safety training requirements. Most inspectors will judge a person’s qualifications by the workmanship he/she sees on the job. Some will require a written document to substantiate ones qualifications. The definition does not currently require documentation of qualifications, but a lot of inspectors consider it to be common sense to check someone’s credentials if their qualifications are in question.
The BICSI Code Committee has allowed me to request a change in the next edition of the NEC (2008) definitions to read: “Qualified Person: One who has approved and verifiable training, skills, and knowledge related to the construction, installation and operation of the electrical equipment and potential hazards involved.” This will make it easy for the inspector. If someone has been trained, there will be a document to confirm their efforts. The inspector will “approve” the source of the training if he feels it truly qualifies the person in question.
If and when we are allowed to make the change to the qualified person, there will need to be a definition of the term “verifiable”. The recommended definition will read verifiable: “To prove to be true by demonstration or evidence.”
I am responsible for tech support at our company and I field a lot of calls from inspectors who want to verify individual’s credentials. It I trained him and he does something stupid, the inspector may or may not accept his credentials. Most inspectors will let us know if the installer is not doing the job we trained him to do. There have been instances where I had to revoke the Certified Installers Certification because the economy or situation called for the installer to cut corners. The message here is that if you acquire formal training – Use it!
If you have no formal training and expect to get by without it, your days on the job may by numbered. Most firestop manufacturers offer training and most of them are at no cost, web-based and easy to understand with a minimum of experience. If you have formal training, be prepared to furnish “verifiable” proof of your qualifications to the AHJ if he asks for them.
There is another code definition that people need to read and understand the meaning of: Authority Having Jurisdiction.
I received a call from an installer in Florida who had a big problem. This guy had showed up on a large retrofit where the installer was removing abandoned cable and installing new network cables. During the wreck out of the old cabling a gentleman showed up in a 3-piece suit carrying a briefcase. He began to look over the shoulders of the installers and was inquiring about how the contractor was going to seal the fire-rated barriers. He introduced himself as being from the insurance company and he was performing a risk assessment. He was not in uniform and did not have a badge, so the installer quickly dismissed him and escorted him from the jobsite without responding to his request for information. A week later the insurance agent showed up with a State Fire Marshall. The Fire Marshall walked in, red tagged the doors and evacuated the (10-story) building without even looking at what concerned the insurance agent. After red tagging the door and sending the occupants to the parking lot, he explained that the contractor should read the definition of AHJ. He went on to explain that once he met the concerns of the insurance agent, that he would be back to perform an inspection on behalf of the State.
Everyone knows who the AHJ is. Typical AHJ’s are the City and County Electrical and Structural Inspectors. Then there are the State Fire Marshall’s Inspectors. There are Federal Inspectors such as the Joint Accreditation Commission that inspect health care facilities funded by Medicare and Medicaid. Their authority is never questioned. However, installers should read the fine print in the Coed Book detailing exactly who the AHJ may be. For those who do not know it, below is the footnote attached to the definition of AHJ:
“The phrase “Authority Having Jurisdiction” is used in NFPA documents in a broad manner, since jurisdictions and approval agencies vary, as do their responsibilities. Where public safety is primary, the AHJ may be a federal, State, local or other regional department or individual such as a fire chief, Fire Marshal, chief of a fire prevention bureau, labor department, health department, building official, electrical inspector, or others having statutory authority. For insurance purposes, an insurance inspection department, rating bureau, or other insurance company representative may b in the AHJ. In many circumstances, the property owner or his/her designated agent assumes the role of the AHJ; at government installations, the commending Officer or Dept. Official may be the AHJ.”
The message here is to know who qualifies to be an AHJ and do not kick him/her off the jobsite.
Mike Tobias is the Chief Executive Officer of Unique Firestop Products. He is a member of the BICSI Codes Committee and consults with BICSI on firestopping issues. He may be reached at mtobias@uniquefirestop.com
