Salt Lake City Building Services Inspection Success Guidance

This communication is intended to help ensure a successful project by highlighting the most critical aspects of inspections, identifying areas that often negatively impact schedules and increase communication of expectations.

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Stamped approved plans on site

• The IBC/IRC requires a legible, City stamped paper copy to be on site for inspections. This includes the 0000 pages from the approved documents.
• Include approved submittals, listings, and installation instructions. All listings become part of the approved plans and record drawings.
• Review your plans to determine Construction Type and Occupancy.

Communication and coordination with inspectors

1. Call 801-535-7224, check the SLC Building Inspections app, or online portal between 7 and 8 am on the day of the inspection to coordinate a time with your inspector. If we are not contacted between those times, we will arrive as our schedule allows.
2. It is highly encouraged to use our SLC Building Inspections app for scheduling inspections and communicating with our building inspectors.
3. The cut-off time for next day’s inspections is 3:00pm, the workday before the inspection.
4. Work with your inspector to ensure that you are using their preferred method of communication. i.e. texting, email, phone, app

Coordination of Trades

1. Whenever possible try and schedule all roughs or finals at the same time for efficient inspections to keep your project moving. Time constraints of the inspector can become a potential problem for bigger projects. Taking control of your schedule and coordinating between sub-contractors will limit time wasted by re-inspecting the same areas repeatedly.
2. If inspections aren’t coordinated and are scheduled sporadically, “Shotgun Inspections”, around the building a completion inspection for each area will be required prior to insulation/concealment. The inspector reserves the right to request completion inspections as needed.
3. “Small bites of the apple” are encouraged on larger scale projects. Waiting for a larger area to be completed prior to scheduling inspections could prove problematic to your daily schedule as the inspector might not be able to accommodate the inspection time needed to complete the requested area.
4. It is always encouraged that you schedule a consultation with the lead inspector to coordinate the best way to complete your scheduled inspections.

Special inspectors/City recording

• Review Service Inspections agreement and special inspector requirements in the approved plans and call for consultation to ensure all special inspector requirements are being met.
• Schedule city inspections for all wood, concrete, exterior systems, and any other systems or devices that require special inspections in conjunction with the special inspector so we can record progress.
• Where fire stopping is required to be “special” inspected, call for a penetrations inspection so we can verify completeness prior to covering after the special inspector has approved the area. 
  • NOTE: All fire penetrations and fire rated special inspections will be 100% verified on site by the City inspector prior to concealment.
• Include grid lines, special inspector name and agency on all inspection requests.
• Upload all Special Inspector reports into ProjectDox as reports become available. To gain access email [email protected] or call 801-535-7224.

Mid-point Consultation

• Prior to starting 4-way inspections, a consultation is highly recommended to review the project in detail to make sure no major items have been missed that could cause costly delays or prevent Certificate of Occupancy issuance. This review is also a good time to make sure all special inspections have been completed up to this point.

Fire Rated Assemblies (sheetrock assemblies)

• Print out UL listings for all fire rated assemblies (wall, floor ceiling, shaft, etc.) and put in a three-ring binder. Provide all UL listings at insulation and sheetrock inspections. (These could also be in a digital file on a tablet)

Fire Stop Assemblies

• Print out UL listings for fire stop systems (wall, floor ceiling, shaft and roof ceiling) for all penetrating items (electrical, HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing, etc.) and put in a three-ring binder. Provide binder on all penetration inspections. (These could also be in a digital file on a tablet)

Certification for fire stop installers

• All installers of fire stop systems are required to be certified by the manufacturer.  This training should be provided in advance for everyone, including trades, installing fire caulk.

Pre-penetration consultation with all subs and fire stop contractors

• Call for a consultation once the trades/subs assemble on site and framing is ready for sub work to begin.

Low volt applications

• Ensure all low volt is complete prior to calling for a penetration inspection. Fire wire and low volt are the biggest offenders for not being complete at the time of penetration inspections.
• We also experience issues once they start with floor-to-floor penetrations. The low volt and fire alarm contractors need to be included in the fire stop consultation.

Temp heat

• The city will not clear meters used for temp heat and no permanent piping shall be used for temp heat. The utility provider will install a temp meter for you, contact Enbridge Gas for installation.

FDC requirements and Site Safety

• FDC sign of approved size and colors contrasting to the background shall be in place once the standpipe is installed.  The standpipe shall be able to be connected to pump trucks or hydrants.
• FDC connections are required to be in place and activated as soon as framing is 40’ in height. As the building height increases, the FDC’s within the structure shall be installed within every 20’ of additional height.
•  We reserve the right to cancel any inspection if unsafe access or conditions exist. Re- inspection fees will be applied for any inspection canceled due to safety concerns. See SLFD construction fire safety handout included.

Installation instructions for all equipment

• Have installation instructions for all equipment ready at the rough inspection stage and again at the final inspection.

Ventilation as required by the IMC

• All dwelling units with less than 5 air changes per hour are required to provide ventilation. Consult your design team for how to accomplish this.

SER installation in Type 1 and Type 2 Construction

• SER’s are only allowed in Type 1 and Type 2 construction if installed in an approved raceway as defined by the NEC. Consider this requirement before starting installation of SER’s in a parking garage, or other Type 1 or 2 construction.
  • Note: A drywall assembly is not an approved raceway.

Underground fire lines and grease interceptors

• Public Utilities will perform all underground fire line inspections up to the riser. From the riser up, Building Services will take over inspections.
• Public Utilities will inspect all grease interceptors and sand/oil separators installed outside of the building. Hydromechanical grease interceptors installed in the building will be inspected by Building Services.

Generators

• Backup generators require a Hazmat Permit through the Salt Lake Fire Prevention Bureau.
• Do not fill any diesel generators with fuel until the permit has been issued and inspected by the Fire Inspector.

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