This Book Is a Companion Study Guide to the Online Course

This Book Is a Companion Study Guide to the Online Course: http://www.nachi.org/safety_course.htm Safe Practices for the Home Inspector InterNACHI Members: Take the free, online Safe Practices for the Home Inspector course now (free to InterNACHI members) The course is free to all InterNACHI members. Upon successfully completing the online course and passing the final exam, you will receive a Certificate of Completion and be able to: · wear personal protection equipment; · use a ladder safely, · provide client safety; and · take action if an injury occurs. Take the online course at www.nachi.org/safety_course Safe Practices for the Home Inspector The purpose of this publication is to assist the inspector in recognizing those conditions which can lead to personal injury, and to provide safety guidelines for such situations. It also provides basic information and useful tips for operating a safe and professional home inspection business. To order additional training books, visit www.InspectorOutlet.com Authors: Ben Gromicko, Director of Education, International Association of Certified Home Inspectors Joe Farsetta, Chairman, InterNACHI Ethics Committee Nick Gromicko, Founder, International Association of Certified Home Inspectors Research: Rob London, Technical Writer Graphics: Lisaira Vega, Levi Nelson, Jackson Tupper & Erica Saurey Editor: Kate Tarasenko / Crimea River Layout & Design: Jessica Langer Copyright © 2015 International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc. All rights reserved. The text of this publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission in writing from the authors. www.NACHI.org Table of Contents Introduction 5 Fall-Arrest Systems 53 A Brief Word Regarding OSHA’s Role 6 Alternatives to Walking a Roof 55 Inspector Liability 6 Quiz #4 57 InterNACHI’s Residential Standards of Practice 8 The Exterior 58 The Limitations of a Home Inspection 9 Asbestos Cement Siding Inspection 58 To Exceed or Not to Exceed 11 Lead Paint Hazards 59 14 Steps That Help Inspectors Avoid Lawsuits 12 Gas-Fired Combustion Appliances 60 Quiz #1 17 Gas-Fired Wall and Floor Heaters 62 Basic Tools and Tips 18 Oil-Fired Combustion Appliances 62 Apparel for Safety and Professionalism 18 Electric Heating Systems 63 Inspection Signage 22 Quiz #5 65 Tools of the Trade 23 Electrical Systems 66 Tools of the Business 29 PPE for Electrical Inspections 66 Avoiding Common Back Injuries 31 Using a Voltage Detector 67 Quiz #2 33 Removing Panel Screws 68 Ladder Operation and Safety 34 Removing the Dead Front 69 What Is a Ladder? 34 Inspecting the Panel Interior 70 Ladder Injury Statistics 35 Replacing the Dead Front 71 Protecting Yourself 35 Quiz #6 72 OSHA's Requirements for Ladders 37 Confined Spaces 73 Ladder Sizing and Ratings 38 What Is a Confined Space? 73 Inspecting a Ladder 40 Permit-Required Confined Spaces 73 Setting Up and Using a Ladder 42 Quiz #7 75 Ladders and Electricity 44 Attic Inspection 76 Review 45 Attic Hazards 77 Quiz #3 47 Attic Pull-Down Ladders 80 Roofs 49 Quiz #8 82 Inspecting Roofs & Risk Factors 49 Crawlspaces, Cellars & Other Confined Spaces 83 Gaining Access to the Roof 53 Unseen Hazards 86 4 Safe Practices for the Home Inspector Quiz #9 90 Appendix I: Answer Keys 127 Answer Key for Quiz #1 127 Unusual Hazards in Problem Homes 91 Answer Key for Quiz #2 127 Hydroponics Inspection 91 Answer Key for Quiz #3 128 Marijuana Grow Operations 92 Answer Key for Quiz #4 128 Meth Labs 94 Answer Key for Quiz #5 129 Post-Disaster Inspections 97 Answer Key for Quiz #6 129 Inspecting After an Emergency 97 Answer Key for Quiz #7 130 FEMA's Post-Flood Guide 98 Answer Key for Quiz #8 130 Quiz #10 101 Answer Key for Quiz #9 130 Animal and Pest Hazards 102 Answer Key for Quiz #10 131 Dealing with Dogs 102 Answer Key for Quiz #11 131 Quiz #11 108 Answer Key for Quiz #12 132 Arthropods and Snakes 109 Answer Key for Quiz #13 132 Quiz #12 113 Notes 133 What to Do in Case of an Injury 114 Notes 134 General First Aid Information and Disclaimer 114 What to Do If You Fall from a Ladder 114 Skull Fractures 114 Closed-Head Injuries 115 Broken Bones 116 Electrical Burns 117 Puncture Wounds 117 Severe Bleeding 118 Animal Bites 119 Snake Bites 120 Bee Stings 121 Minor Cuts and Scrapes 122 Quiz #13 124 Special Thanks 126 Introduction 5 Introduction What does "safety in the workplace" mean for the self-employed home inspector? It starts with knowledge, and then extends to the application of that knowledge to what you do. Safety requires diligence, especially as there is no governmental agency or workplace watchdog to ensure that inspectors are properly protected. Most importantly, knowledge about safety requires the ability to recognize potentially unsafe situations, and the courage to resist performing those inspection tasks that many believe come with the territory, because they don’t have to. After all, your life is worth more than the amount you charge to perform an inspection. This course covers everyday hazards as well as potentially dangerous conditions that home inspectors may encounter during inspections. Because there is no governmental oversight agency that regulates what inspectors do on the job, learning about safety is a matter of personal responsibility. Successfully completing a course on inspection safety is a good start, but even more important is implementing what you learn. Simply knowing that dangerous conditions exist is not enough. Appropriate action needs to be taken. This can mean making sure that you have the proper equipment available and ensuring that it's in good condition, and taking the time to learn to use it properly. It also means learning where to look, knowing what to look for, and using good judgment before you take action. Potentially hazardous conditions are not always obvious, so inspectors should remember to be vigilant about certain dangers, depending on the circumstances, home conditions, and even geography and region. Inspectors must take responsibility for learning about the hazardous conditions unique to the areas where they work. Inspectors also need to be realistic about their physical abilities. The ability to perform certain tasks varies from person to person. A task such as walking a roof or entering a crawlspace that might be easily accomplished by one inspector may be difficult for another. Most of us are aware of our own limitations, which may change over time. For each of us who performs home inspections, knowing our limitations and respecting them will help keep us safe. 6 Safe Practices for the Home Inspector A Brief Word Regarding OSHA’s Role While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes and enforces general workplace safety guidelines, be advised that unless you work for or own a multi-inspector firm, OSHA may not be a part of that picture. If you do work for a multi-inspector firm (or own one), the OSHA rules may apply, including the mandatory implementation of proper training and the issuance of personal protection equipment (PPE). Although multi-inspector firms and corporations must comply with OSHA regulations, in cases of a complaint or accident involving an individual inspector, OSHA may become involved. Depending on what state an inspector works in, the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) over safety in the workplace may be federal (such as OSHA), or an OSHA-approved state program. Inspectors wanting more information about whether or to what degree they need to comply with OSHA regulations should contact their regional OSHA office. Regardless of whether OSHA is involved, the inspector should still be familiar with safe practices for two reasons: personal safety and liability. The personal safety issue is self-evident. The liability factor is something else. If the inspector believes that a situation is unsafe, there is no obligation to enter into or onto the area. So long as the reason is disclosed, personal safety will trump any perceived duty to inspect a potentially dangerous area. If the OSHA guidelines back the inspector's opinion as to a potential danger, it may become an excellent defense argument, should the inspector get summoned to court over an alleged faulty inspection where a defect or damage is found in, on or around the area not examined for safety reasons. This book is not meant to cover all the OSHA guidelines. Its purposes are to raise awareness of potentially hazardous conditions and offer guidelines on how to avoid them. Regardless of whether an inspection business is required by law to comply with OSHA regulations, inspectors should be familiar with safe practices, and OSHA is a good source for safety guidelines. Inspectors are sometimes confronted with a situation that requires them to make a decision about whether it is safe to proceed, such as whether to walk a roof or enter a confined space. If an inspector's refusal to undertake a task for safety reasons results in a lawsuit, his position may be strengthened significantly if he can show that the decision was in compliance with OSHA guidelines. For this reason, it is a good idea for inspectors to be familiar with the OSHA regulations that may apply to home inspections. Inspector Liability An inspector’s duty regarding safety is not just to himself, but also to his clients. In 2008, an inspector in Seattle was sued because his client fell through an opening in a floor leading to a crawlspace that he was inspecting, and the client broke his arm in three places. The lawsuit alleged that the inspector was guilty of "negligence and misconduct" because he failed to barricade the opening or notify the client of the potential hazard.

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