Model COVID-19 Bests Practices For Inspections

WSAFM has developed this list of recommended best practices for conducting permit and regular inspections while striving to meet social distancing and other advised safety precautions in response to COVID-19.  These suggested practices will not cover every step your agency may require – as each organization’s processes are different.  Please feel free to adopt portions of this document as supplemental to your own internal processes.

Permit Inspections: 

1. Requesting party will ensure no more than 2 persons walk within a 6-foot proximity of our inspector at any given time and everyone is advised to have face coverings. 

2. All contractor employee participating in the inspection should complete a self-assessment prior to meeting with the inspector to ensure they are healthy and not suffering from any symptoms.

3. Face coverings and eye protection shall be worn at all times during inspections, and social distancing shall be maintained at all times.

4. Gloves shall be used when handling paperwork between the inspector and the contractor.  The inspector shall sign/date the appropriate inspection. Inspector shall use their own pen and this will not be shared with the contractor, unless signing electronically and a disposable cover is available and used. Contractors shall use their own pen.

5. Inspectors should either wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer after removing their gloves.  It is recommended that each inspector have hand sanitizer available in their vehicle.

6. Disposable refuse bags should be available in the inspector’s vehicle for disposing used gloves and other disposable items.

Business Inspections:

1. Inspectors should attempt to schedule all inspections.  This provides an opportunity to discuss safety precautions and expectations.

2. Face coverings and gloves for inspectors is required while conducting inspections, and advised for the building or business representative.  It is advisable to carry extra masks for those instances where you encounter someone that does not have one.

   *Different levels of PPE may be required based on the risk and requirement of the

      facility.

3. Business or building representatives should conduct a self-assessment prior to the inspection to ensure they are healthy and no suffering from any symptoms.

4. Social distancing shall be maintained during the inspection.

5. Inspectors should not share pens, or should use a disposable pen cover for any electronic pens that are required for signing inspection reports.

6. Inspectors should either wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer after removing their gloves.  It is recommended that each inspector have hand sanitizer available in their vehicle.

7. Disposable refuse bags should be available in the inspector’s vehicle for disposing used gloves and other disposable items.

    

   *Consider limiting the number of staff that are inside the building during inspections. 

    

Additional considerations that can assist with limiting exposure:

1.  Video inspections and/or re-inspections, where deemed appropriate.

2.  Self-inspections where deemed appropriate.  Your organization will want to consider development of a checklist and submittal process, along with frequency.

3. Agencies that utilize third-party companies to track annual life safety system inspections may work with those companies on having contractors submit completion paperwork electronically as the 1^st inspection in lieu of providing hard copy forms.