Residential Inspections

[GPM123]

I'm in a Med sized Town in Canada. Our Council is thinking about starting to inspect existing apartments in residential homes. ( Like a basement apt ) for what they consider 3 basic important issues, and enforce them.
NOTE These 3 only. This is to cherry pick from the codes.

Bedroom window sizes
Electric smoke alarms interconnected with the others in the House.
Proper fire separation.

Good intentions, yes. BUT this will open a big can of worms!

Is there anyone who does something like this now?
What do you think?
Any feedback welcome.

[DeputyMarshal]

Is there anyone who does something like this now?
What do you think?
Any feedback welcome.

It is indeed a big can of worms.

I don't know how your legal system addresses liability and duty to act but I know that here I can't pick and choose the codes I enforce. If I enter a residence (for whatever reason) and see a code violation, I have to document it and abate it. Typically, that only happens if I'm in a residence for a fire call. If I was entering residences all the time to check for specific code compliance items, I'd inevitably see plenty of other items that I would be obligated to address.

[FWDbuff]

I am a career fire inspector in a municipality which has adopted, by ordinance, an inspection program for all multiple occupancy units (2 or more apartments) every 2 years. It is a combination Fire Code/Property Maintenance Code Inspection. We utilize the 2003 (soon to be 06) ICC Code Series.

Our inspections only open cans of worms when the owners of the buildings or the individuals occupying the apartmens receive a violation notice. Out of almost 625 units inspected last year, my biggest problem? Batteries (lack thereof) in smoke detectors, or missing smoke detectors.

[firemanmikey]

Here in Alberta we don't enforce smoke alarms in residental homes; however we highly encourage it, but I beleive it says in the Alberta Building Code that a private residental dwelling must have an operable smok alarm. We don't go into homes here and enforce it hard here though. I was told in Sask they make damn sure everyone has a working smoke alarm. I think it's good to do but is ALOT of work.

Mike