Code of Massachusetts Regulations
780 CMR - STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Chapter 17 - Structural Tests and Special Inspections
Section 1704 - SPECIAL INSPECTIONS
Subsection 1704.1 - General

Universal Citation: 780 CMR MA Code of Regs 1704.1

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

Where application is made for construction as described in this section, the owner or the registered design professional in responsible charge acting as the owner's agent shall employ one or more approved agencies to perform inspections during construction on the types of work listed under Section 1704. These inspections are in addition to the inspections identified in Section 110.

The special inspector shall be a qualified person who shall demonstrate competence, to the satisfaction of the building official, for the inspection of the particular type of construction or operation requiring special inspection. The registered design professional in responsible charge and engineers of record involved in the design of the project are permitted to act as the approved agency and their personnel are permitted to act as the special inspector for the work designed by them, provided those personnel meet the qualification requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the building official. The special inspector shall provide written documentation to the building official demonstrating his or her competence and relevant experience or training. Experience or training shall be considered relevant when the documented experience or training is related in complexity to the same type of special inspection activities for projects of similar complexity and material qualities. These qualifications are in addition to qualifications specified in other sections of this code.

Exceptions:

1. Special inspections are not required for work of a minor nature or as warranted by conditions in the jurisdiction as approved by the building official.

2. Special inspections are not required for building components unless the design involves the practice of professional engineering or architecture as defined by applicable state statutes and regulations governing the professional registration and certification of engineers or architects.

3. Unless otherwise required by the building official, special inspections are not required for Group U occupancies that are accessory to a residential occupancy including, but not limited to, those listed in Section 312.1.

1704.1.1 Statement of special inspections. The applicant shall submit a statement of special inspections prepared by the registered design professional in responsible charge in accordance with Section 107.1 as a condition for permit issuance. This statement shall be in accordance with Section 1705.

Exceptions:

1. A statement of special inspections is not required for structures designed and constructed in accordance with the conventional construction provisions of Section 2308.

2. The statement of special inspections is permitted to be prepared by a qualified person approved by the building official for construction not designed by a registered design professional.

1704.1.2 Report requirement. Special inspectors shall keep records of inspections. The special inspector shall furnish inspection reports to the building official, and to the registered design professional in responsible charge. Reports shall indicate that work inspected was or was not completed in conformance to approved construction documents. Discrepancies shall be brought to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction. If they are not corrected, the discrepancies shall be brought to the attention of the building official and to the registered design professional in responsible charge prior to the completion of that phase of the work. A final report documenting required special inspections and correction of any discrepancies noted in the inspections shall be submitted at a point in time agreed upon prior to the start of work by the applicant and the building official.

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