Fireproofing Inspections: Critical Steps for Building Safety & Code Compliance

Material testing usually revolves around aggregates, soils, concrete and asphalt. In some areas and special instances, we get some steel inspections. The level of involvement in these steel inspections can go from a simple visual inspection to a more complicated non-destructive evaluation. Even with the steel inspections, the bulk of the material testing happens during the construction of the structure. Once the structure has been completed, “the testing agency can go part-time as needed” is the typical phase in the jobsite trailer. Is there more to do? Do we need to be there? The answer to these questions can be affected by multiple factors, however, there is more to do.

The completion of the structure is one phase of the inspection and testing. Concrete testing might be completed but there are more materials to test and inspections to complete. One of those is the fireproofing inspection. Fireproofing material is critical for the structure to survive a rapid increase in temperature or fire. The fireproofing material must be applied in general accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, so it is effective. The margin for error with this material is very narrow as it must perform at its full capacity when the time comes.

Why a Fireproofing Inspection is Mission-Critical

In recent years, we've noted a great increase in the adoption of the International Building Code (IBC). Chapter 17 of special inspections is clear on the importance of the Fireproofing inspections. IBC does offer a Spray-Applied Fireproofing Special Inspector Certification. This certification is part of the requirements in order to ensure the fireproofing material is applied properly.

The evolution of fireproofing standards reflects lessons learned from high-profile structural failures and fire incidents. Beyond the IBC, organizations like ASTM International, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) all contribute critical specifications for fireproofing application and performance.

Other aspects to consider during the inspection are the surface preparation, minimum coverage in the transition areas between structural members, application process and others. Surface preparation forms the foundation of effective fireproofing, while thickness verification and coverage continuity are particularly critical in transition areas where beams meet columns. Application quality involves monitoring environmental conditions and ensuring the material is applied according to manufacturer specifications.

We encourage you to visit the ICC website for more information regarding the fireproofing certification and inspection processes.

Omnant’s Approach to Optimizing Fireproofing Inspections

The burning hot question (pun intended) is: how can Omnant help me during a fireproofing inspection? Glad you asked! At Omnant, we’re here to support your construction inspection and material testing operation in three key areas:

Scheduling

Omnant facilitates the scheduling of personnel to perform the inspection. Additionally, Omnant tracks the certifications of your team and allows your dispatch team to send a certified inspector to perform this work. As part of the schedule, Omnant assists your inspector with the equipment and notifies if any of the pieces of equipment are in need of service or calibration through our integrated equipment monitoring system.

These inspections must be timed precisely within the construction sequence – after fireproofing application but before other trades can potentially damage the system. Our certification tracking ensures optimal inspector assignment based on both certification requirements and project complexity.

Documentation

Built inside Omnant, your inspector has access to the project drawings and specifications. This allows the inspector to conduct an informed and precise inspection in the field. If questions arise, the information is available.

This mobile access to project information, combined with our field inspection software capabilities, ensures inspectors have everything they need onsite. The system maintains version control so inspectors always work with current project information. When specifications are revised or drawings updated, field personnel receive automatic notifications and instant access to the new documentation.

Reporting

We provide report templates that ease the reporting process for all your inspectors. Our templates are based on the code guidelines and the requirements of the applicable standards like ASTM, ACI, AWS, and others. Omnant understands that some local agencies have very particular reporting requirements. We can customize the existing forms or even better, we can create the one you want!

Our integrated photographic documentation automatically captures GPS coordinates and timestamps, providing precise location information for all inspection activities. Real-time report generation enables immediate communication of findings to project stakeholders for rapid deficiency response.

Omnant supports fireproofing inspectors around the nation every day. Our easy to use and customizable reporting component is key to streamlining the inspections. In addition, Omnant eases the distribution of those reports and makes them available to all stakeholders 24/7.

Simplify your inspections and strengthen your reporting. Schedule a demo with Omnant today!