Condensed Summary of the Process

Below is a condensed summary of the Construction Observation process for a health facility:

1. Upon plan approval, a building permit (OSH-FD-302 Application for Building Permit) is issued and construction begins.


2. An Inspector of Record (IOR) approved by the hospital governing board or authority is employed by the facility and works under the direction of the Design Professional of Record. The approved IOR with the required personal knowledge performs only those duties associated with the required continuous inspections, and executes the required inspections specific to the project(s) for which the IOR has been approved.


3. The FDD Field Compliance Unit staff periodically visit the construction site to:
   • Ensure that requirements of the building code are being met.
   • Monitor the performance of the IOR.
   • Document the lack of adequate, competent, or continuous inspection.
   
   
4. The Regional Compliance Officer (RCO):
   • Supervises the work activities of the field staff.
   • Coordinates the monitoring of construction of heath facilities.
   • Makes decisions regarding Alternate Methods of Compliance.
   • Reviews qualifications and workload of Inspectors of Record (IOR).
   • Monitors the on-going performance of IORs through assigned field staff.
   • Issues building permits and stop work orders for unsafe, unauthorized, or non-complying construction work as necessary.


5. The Compliance Officer (CO):
   • Conducts construction observation of the health facility’s construction to ensure work is in substantial conformance with the approved plans and specifications.
   • Monitors compliance with the approved Testing, Inspection and Observation (TIO) program.
   • Monitors the IOR’s performance.
   • Coordinates field staff.
   • Issues the certificate of occupancy and/or construction final.
   • Recommends closure of projects for inactivity, noting outstanding safety issues with code sections for non-compliant work when appropriate.


6. Once construction is completed, FDD issues a certificate of occupancy which allows the owner to then apply to the Department of Health Services for a license to operate the health facility.