2021 IBC Chapter 17

Lesson 16: Special Inspections and Course Review

IBC 1704, 1705 and course review · 20 practice questions

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Reading

Fifteen lessons have taught what the 2021 IBC asks a building to be: classified, rated, sprinklered, connected to an exit, loaded, founded and kept dry. Chapter 17 asks a different question. Who checks that the work actually matches the drawings, and how is that proof recorded? Some work cannot be seen once it is covered. A weld disappears under fireproofing, a bar under concrete, fill under a slab. So the code adds a second layer of checking on the important structural work, done by a specialist the owner hires, on top of the building official's inspections. This last lesson teaches that layer at a summary level, then reviews the whole course module by module. Local adoption governs, so confirm the edition and any local amendments before relying on a number.

Special inspection is planned at the permit, staffed before work starts, carried out during construction, and closed out with reports.

What a special inspection is

Section 1704.2 says the owner, or the owner's authorized agent other than the contractor, employs one or more approved agencies to perform the special inspections and tests listed in Section 1705, and identifies them to the building official. These are in addition to the building official's inspections under Section 110 (Lesson 1). The Section 202 definitions draw the lines. A special inspection is a check of construction work that calls for the skills of an approved special inspector, measured against the code and the approved drawings. A special inspector is a qualified person who works for or is hired by an approved agency and is accepted by the building official. Under 1704.2.1 the agency documents its inspectors' competence before construction starts. The arrangement puts the payment on the owner's side of the table, not the contractor's, which is the side of the person whose work is being checked.

Exceptions and unusual work

Four exceptions in 1704.2 keep the system from reaching every small job. First, work of a minor nature, or work warranted by conditions, as approved by the building official. Second, Group U buildings accessory to residential use, unless the official requires inspection. Third, portions built under the cold-formed steel light-frame provisions of 2211.1.2 or the conventional light-frame construction of Section 2308, the limits Lesson 14 covered. Fourth, the contractor may employ the agency where the contractor is also the owner, which is the owner-builder case. In the other direction, Section 1705.1.1 treats work the building official considers unusual, such as alternative materials or methods, unusual design, or materials with extra manufacturer installation instructions, as work that needs special inspection even if it is not otherwise listed. A small conventionally framed building may skip the system. An engineered building generally does not.

The statement of special inspections

The plan is written down before the permit issues. Under 1704.2.3 the applicant submits a statement of special inspections, in line with the construction documents of Section 107.1, as a condition for permit issuance. It is not required for portions built under 2211.1.2 or Section 2308. Section 1704.3 has the registered design professional in responsible charge prepare it; where the work is not designed by a registered design professional, a qualified person approved by the building official may. Under 1704.3.1 the statement identifies the materials, systems, components and work that need special inspection or testing, the type and extent of each inspection and test, and any additional seismic or wind requirements. Read it like a schedule: for each item it tells you what is inspected, how often, and by whom.

Section 1704.4 adds a document from the other side of the table. Contractors responsible for the main wind or seismic force-resisting systems, designated seismic systems or listed components submit a written statement of responsibility before starting that work. Section 1704.5 lists further certificates the owner submits, such as those from fabricators.

Continuous and periodic

Every entry in Section 1705 carries one of two frequencies. Continuous special inspection means the inspector is on hand the whole time the work is under way. Periodic special inspection means the inspector drops in from time to time to look at work that is under way or already done. Both are Section 202 definitions, and the Section 1705 tables use them as column headings. The difference is cost and risk. Work that cannot be checked afterward, such as fill placed in lifts, a pile being driven or wood being glued in the field, calls for the inspector to be there throughout. Work whose result stays in view until the inspector arrives, such as nailing, bolting and excavation depth, is usually periodic.

Reports and the final report

Under 1704.2.4 the agencies keep records of their inspections and tests and submit reports to the building official and to the registered design professional in responsible charge. The reports state whether the work conforms to the approved construction documents. A discrepancy goes to the contractor at once, and if it is not corrected it goes to the building official and the registered design professional in responsible charge. At the end a final report documents all the required special inspections and tests and the corrections of any discrepancies, and it goes to the building official at a point agreed on before the work starts. For a GCHS project manager, these reports are the record to collect and file as the work proceeds. A missing report is hard to recreate after the frame is closed in.

Structural observation

Structural observation under 1704.6 is a different service from special inspection. The owner employs a registered design professional to observe representative structural systems, details and load paths visually, for general conformance with the approved construction documents. The observer submits a written statement of the frequency and extent of observation before starting, and at the end a statement that the site visits were made, with any deficiencies reported. It does not take the place of Section 110 inspections or Section 1705 special inspections.

Key numbers: structural observation triggers (2021 IBC 1704.6.1)

Risk Category III or IV
A high-rise building
Seismic Design Category E and more than two stories above grade plane
When the registered design professional responsible for the structural design requires it
When the building official requires it

The 2021 list has no wind-speed trigger and no height trigger apart from the high-rise and Seismic Design Category E items. Older handouts show wind-speed and height triggers from earlier editions, so do not teach those as 2021 rules.

Section 1705 at a summary level

Section 1705 lists the work that needs special inspection, by material and system. This table rebuilds only the parts this course teaches; the full tables, and the rows for wood (1705.5), helical piles (1705.9) and seismic resistance (1705.13), are in the adopted code.

Section	Work	What to remember
1705.2	Structural steel, steel deck, open-web joists	Structural steel follows the AISC 360 quality assurance requirements (1705.2.1). Fabrication inspection is excused when there is no welding, thermal cutting or heating and the fabricator submits a material-control procedure.
1705.3	Concrete, by Table 1705.3	Table columns give continuous and periodic items. Welding of reinforcing bars is 1705.3.1 (AWS D1.4).
1705.4	Masonry	Follows the quality assurance programs in TMS 402 and TMS 602.
1705.6	Soils and fill	Periodic for the material below footings, excavation depth and subgrade. Continuous during fill placement.
1705.7 and 1705.8	Driven and cast-in-place deep foundations	Continuous for driving operations and for drilling operations and records.
1705.12	Wind resistance	Triggered by wind speed and exposure. See below.

The exceptions matter as much as the rows, because they keep small work out of the system. In concrete (1705.3), special inspection is not required for isolated spread footings of buildings three stories or less above grade plane that are fully supported on earth or rock; for continuous footings under light-frame walls of such buildings on earth or rock, designed under Table 1809.7 with concrete strength not over 2,500 psi; for nonstructural slabs on the ground; for concrete foundation walls built to Table 1807.1.6.2; and for concrete patios, driveways and sidewalks on grade. In masonry (1705.4), it is not required for empirically designed masonry, glass unit masonry or masonry veneer designed under 2109, 2110 or Chapter 14 in Risk Category I, II or III; for masonry foundation walls built to Table 1807.1.6.3(1) through (4); or for masonry fireplaces, heaters and chimneys built under 2111, 2112 and 2113. Glass unit masonry or veneer in Risk Category IV needs TMS 602 Level 2 inspection (1705.4.1).

Wind resistance, 1705.12

In the 2021 IBC, wind resistance is 1705.12 and seismic resistance is 1705.13. Section 1705.12 applies to buildings in Wind Exposure Category B where the basic design wind speed V is 150 mph or greater, and to buildings in Exposure Category C or D where V is 140 mph or greater, unless the exceptions to 1704.2 exempt the work. Inside the section:

Key numbers: wind-resistance special inspection (1705.12)

Trigger: Exposure B with V of 150 mph or more, or Exposure C or D with V of 140 mph or more
1705.12.1 structural wood: continuous during field gluing of main windforce-resisting elements; periodic for nailing, bolting and anchoring of shear walls, diaphragms, drag struts, braces and hold-downs (excepted where sheathing edge fastener spacing is more than 4 in. on center)
1705.12.2 cold-formed steel light-frame: periodic for welding, screws, bolting and anchoring
1705.12.3 wind-resisting components: periodic inspection of roof covering, roof deck and roof framing connections, and exterior wall covering and its connections to diaphragms and framing

Lesson 12 taught that the design wind speed comes from the ASCE 7 maps and local amendments, and Lesson 15 put clips, straps and roof fasteners at the heart of the envelope. This is where the two meet inspection. On a Gulf Coast project, find V and the exposure category on the structural drawings first, then check whether the statement of special inspections lists wind resistance. If the site is near either threshold and the statement is silent, ask the design professional in writing.

Worked example. Two quick checks. First, a Group B building has V of 145 mph. In Exposure B that is under the 150 mph threshold, so 1705.12 does not apply by its own terms. The same building in Exposure C is over the 140 mph threshold, so it does. Second, a compacted fill has a maximum dry density of 118 pcf at optimum moisture (ASTM D1557). The exception in 1705.6, for sites where Section 1803 does not require fill procedures reporting, asks for in-place dry density of at least 90 percent of that. Ninety percent of 118 is 106.2 pcf. A field test of 104 pcf falls short, so the fill is reworked and retested.

In the field

A GCHS-managed rehab adds a second-floor community room to a one-story clinic, with a new steel beam, field welds and an engineered reinforced masonry wall. On the approved drawings, find the statement of special inspections first. It should list the steel welding and bolting (1705.2) and the masonry (1705.4) and name the agency. Before each item is covered by fireproofing, a ceiling or finishes, confirm the special inspector has been scheduled and that a report exists. A weld covered before it was inspected cannot be inspected afterward, and the building official's frame inspection does not replace the special inspector's report. Ask the contractor for the inspection schedule, and keep every report in the project file.

Course review

The review below walks the six modules in order and repeats the numbers used most often. It teaches nothing new, and every value carries the same hedges as its lesson. Where a lesson said to check the adopted code, do the same here.

Module 1: Administration and Occupancy (Lessons 1 to 3)

Every project starts with which code binds, what needs a permit, and what the building is used for. Lesson 1's dated check found that Texas Local Government Code Section 214.216 makes the 2012 IBC the default floor for municipal commercial building codes and that Houston's 2021 codes apply to applications submitted after January 2, 2024. Always ask the jurisdiction which edition and amendments apply.

Key numbers: Lessons 1 to 3

Exempt from a permit (105.2): one-story detached accessory structure not over 120 sq ft; fences not over 7 ft; retaining walls not over 4 ft
Application abandoned after 180 days (extensions up to 90 days each); permit invalid after 180 days without starting or after 180 days of suspension (extensions up to 180 days each)
Section 110.3 lists twelve required inspections; no use or change of occupancy without a certificate of occupancy (111); existing buildings point to the existing-building code (101.4.7)
Ten groups: A, B, E, F, H, I, M, R, S, U. Assembly under 50 people is Group B; an accessory assembly room under 50 people or under 750 sq ft is not Group A
Group E: six or more people through the 12th grade, or day care for more than five children older than 2-1/2. I-1 is more than 16 residents; R-4 is more than 5 but not more than 16. R-2 is more than two dwelling units
Accessory occupancies: 10 percent of the story in total. Separated occupancies: ratios of actual to allowable area add to not more than 1. Incidental uses: 10 percent, with furnace rooms over 400,000 Btu/h and laundry or waste rooms over 100 sq ft on Table 509.1
Public parking garage is S-2 with 7 ft clear height; a high-rise has an occupied floor more than 75 ft above fire department vehicle access

Module 2: Building Planning (Lessons 4 and 5)

Construction type sets the hours, and type with occupancy and sprinklers sets the height and area. There is no Table 602 in the 2021 IBC; exterior wall ratings by fire separation distance are in Table 705.5.

Key numbers: Lessons 4 and 5

Five types (602.1), split into twelve Table 601 columns: IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IV-A, IV-B, IV-C, IV-HT, VA, VB
Table 601 primary frame: IA 3 hr, IB 2 hr, IIA, IIIA and VA 1 hr, IIB, IIIB and VB 0 hr. Exterior bearing walls are 2 hr in both IIIA and IIIB
Table 705.5 needs no rating at 30 ft or more of fire separation distance; a bearing wall takes the higher of Table 705.5 and Table 601
Type IIB height (Table 504.3): 55 ft nonsprinklered, 75 ft sprinklered
Allowable area: Aa = At + (NS x If). Frontage needs 25 percent of the perimeter on open space of 20 ft or more, and If is never over 0.75 (Table 506.3.3). The worked store gave 55,250 sq ft sprinklered and 17,750 nonsprinklered
Mezzanines: one-third of the room's floor area, with 7 ft clear above and below. For a sprinklered multistory building, confirm the area column with the adopted code and the building official

Module 3: Fire Protection (Lessons 6 to 8)

Four wall types, four finish classes and a list of sprinkler triggers cover most of the module. Keep the wall types straight: fire walls make separate buildings, fire barriers separate parts of one building, fire partitions are the lighter version, and smoke barriers block smoke.

Key numbers: Lessons 6 to 8

Fire walls: 3 hr for B, M and S-1 (2 hr for F-2, S-2, R-3 and R-4; 4 hr for H-1 and H-2), extending 30 in. above both roofs
Shafts and interior exit stairs: 2 hr connecting four stories or more, 1 hr connecting fewer. Fire partitions and smoke barriers: 1 hr
Doors: 3 hr in a 3 hr fire wall, 1-1/2 hr in a 2 hr enclosure, 20 minutes in corridors and smoke barriers. Firestop needs an F rating at least equal to the wall, and a T rating in floors
Finishes: Class A flame spread 0 to 25, Class B 26 to 75, Class C 76 to 200, smoke-developed 450 or less. Floors: Class I is 0.45 W/sq cm or more, Class II 0.22 or more. Fabric hangings: 10 percent of the wall or ceiling
Sprinklers: A-1, A-3, A-4 and E over 12,000 sq ft or load 300 or more; A-2 over 5,000 sq ft or load 100 or more; F-1, M and S-1 over 12,000 sq ft, over three stories, or over 24,000 sq ft combined; Group R and Group I throughout; no occupancy trigger for Group B. NFPA 13R only for Group R of four stories or fewer and 30 ft or less
Manual alarm: Group A load 300 or more; B and M combined load 500 or more; R-2 with more than 16 units. Standpipes: four or more stories, or 30 ft from fire department vehicle access. Extinguishers: 1,500 sq ft per rating unit in ordinary hazard, 2-A minimum, 75 ft travel

Module 4: Egress and Accessibility (Lessons 9 to 11)

Lesson 9 does the planning math and Lesson 10 covers the parts a person touches on the way out. Lesson 11 decides where accessibility applies and how many features are needed; the technical criteria live in the referenced A117.1 standard, and Texas projects also answer to TAS.

Key numbers: Lessons 9 to 11

Occupant load factors (Table 1004.5): business 150 gross, sales floor 60 gross, classroom 20 net, assembly 15 net at tables, 7 net chairs only, 5 net standing, apartments 200 gross, warehouse 500 gross
Width: 0.3 in. per person on stairs and 0.2 in. on other components, or 0.2 and 0.15 with sprinklers and a voice alarm system. Exits: 1 to 500 people need two, 501 to 1,000 need three, over 1,000 need four
Exit separation: one-half of the diagonal, one-third when sprinklered. Travel distance for A, E, F-1, M, R and S-1: 200 ft, or 250 ft sprinklered. Group B: 200 ft, or 300 ft with NFPA 13
Corridors: 1 hr rating over a load of 30 when nonsprinklered; 44 in. wide for most uses; dead ends 20 ft, or 50 ft with NFPA 13 in listed groups
Doors: 32 in. clear and 80 in. high, with no 48 in. maximum leaf width in 2021. Stairs: 44 in. wide (36 in. under a load of 50), 7 in. maximum riser, 11 in. minimum tread, 80 in. headroom, 12 ft maximum rise per flight
Ramps: 1:12 slope, 30 in. maximum rise per run, 60 in. landings. Handrails 34 to 38 in. high. Guards over a 30 in. drop, 42 in. high (36 in. in R-3), 4 in. sphere. Stair lighting 10 foot-candles; emergency power 90 minutes
Accessibility: the referenced standard is A117.1, 2017 edition; at least 60 percent of public entrances; 51 to 75 parking spaces need 3 accessible, with 1 van space per 6 accessible; Type A units 2 percent (min. 1) in R-2 over 20 units; Type B in every unit of a structure with four or more; toilets and lavatories 5 percent; two drinking fountains where provided

Module 5: Structural (Lessons 12 to 14)

Loads come from ASCE 7-16 with Supplement 1, and a design is only as current as the edition the jurisdiction adopts. The Gulf Coast adds wind speed and windborne debris, and the Houston area adds expansive clay.

Key numbers: Lessons 12 to 14

Risk Category III includes assembly over 300 and Group E or I-4 over 250 (Table 1604.5). Live loads: office 50, corridors and lobbies 100, light storage 125, roofs 20 psf; partition allowance 15 psf unless the live load is 80 psf or more
Hurricane-prone: V over 115 mph on the Gulf coast. Windborne debris region: V of 140 mph or more, or 130 mph within 1 mile of the coast with Exposure D. Large missile within 30 ft of grade, small missile above
Expansive soil only if all four tests are met: plasticity index 15 or more, over 10 percent passing the No. 200 sieve, over 10 percent finer than 5 micrometers, and expansion index over 20
Presumptive bearing (Table 1806.2): 1,500 psf clay to 12,000 psf crystalline rock. Footings at least 12 in. below undisturbed ground and 12 in. wide; grade slopes 5 percent away for 10 ft. The worked column: 60,000 lb on 1,500 psf needs 40 sq ft
Editions: ACI 318-19, TMS 402-2016 and TMS 602-2016, AISC 360-16, NDS-2018. Fastening schedule is Table 2304.10.2 (Table 2304.10.1 in the 2018 IBC)
Treated wood: joists closer than 18 in. and girders closer than 12 in. to exposed ground in a crawl space; framing within 8 in. of exposed earth against a foundation wall; siding within 6 in. of earth or 2 in. of concrete steps. Section 2308 limits include three stories in Seismic Design Categories A and B

Module 6: Envelope and Special Inspections (Lessons 15 and 16)

The envelope lesson layers the wall: veneer, water-resistive barrier, drainage and flashing. Anchored veneer tie spacing and air space come from TMS 402 Chapter 12, so this course states no number for them. This lesson then added the inspection layer that checks the structural work.

Key numbers: Lessons 15 and 16

At least one layer of water-resistive barrier behind the veneer (1403.2); flashing under 1404.4; masonry veneer flashing and weep holes not more than 10 in. above finished ground (1404.4.2)
Roof covering class (Table 1505.1): Class B for Types IA, IB, IIA, IIIA, IV and VA; Class C for IIB, IIIB and VB
Asphalt shingles: 2:12 minimum slope, double underlayment from 2:12 up to 4:12. The underlayment table splits at 140 mph. Scuppers not smaller than 4 in. in any dimension
Reroofing is Section 1512 in 2021 (1511 is rooftop structures); a recover is not permitted where the roof already has two or more applications
Special inspections are in addition to Section 110 inspections; the owner hires the agency; the statement of special inspections goes in at the permit; reports go to the official and the design professional in charge
Structural observation triggers: Risk Category III or IV, high-rise, Seismic Design Category E over two stories, or a requirement by the design professional or the building official
Wind-resistance special inspection: Exposure B at 150 mph or more, or Exposure C or D at 140 mph or more (1705.12)

The practice exam

The practice exam is the next step. It draws 60 questions, weighted by each topic area's share of the question bank, with a 120-minute time limit. It is a practice tool GCHS built for its own staff development. On an actual project, the locally adopted code, not this course, governs.

Practice questions

1. On a new community clinic where the owner and the contractor are different parties, who employs the approved agency that performs special inspections under 1704.2?

The contractor, so the agency can schedule around the work
The building official, who assigns an agency to each permit
The owner or the owner's authorized agent
The material supplier whose product is being inspected

2. What must the statement of special inspections prepared under 1704.3.1 identify?

What needs special inspection or testing, the type and extent of each, and added seismic or wind items
The contractor's schedule of values, change order log, and the project payment application record
Only the inspections the building official performs under Section 110, with the fee and schedule for each visit
The names and license numbers of every subcontractor and each special inspector's employer

3. A one-story Group B community building has isolated spread footings fully supported on earth, in a building three stories or less above grade plane. How does 1705.3 treat special inspection of concrete for those footings?

Continuous special inspection is required at every pour, whatever the footing type, soil, or number of stories in the building
It is required only when the concrete strength is over 2,500 psi, as for any spread footing
It is required only in Wind Exposure Category D
Special inspection is not required, since isolated spread footings of such buildings on earth or rock are excepted

4. A special inspector finds reinforcing steel placed differently from the approved drawings and tells the contractor at once. The contractor does not fix it. Under 1704.2.4, what happens next?

It is held for the final report and not raised until the special inspections are complete
It is reported to the building official and the registered design professional in charge
The special inspector issues a stop work order under Section 115 and notifies the contractor's surety
The item is dropped, since the contractor was already told

5. Which building is a listed trigger for structural observation in 2021 IBC 1704.6.1, without any request from the design professional or the building official?

A Risk Category IV fire station
A one-story Risk Category II warehouse where the design wind speed is 150 mph
A two-story Risk Category II office in Seismic Design Category D
A three-story Risk Category II apartment building 40 feet tall

6. A building will be in Wind Exposure Category B with a basic design wind speed of 145 mph. Does 1705.12 itself require special inspections for wind resistance?

Yes, because 140 mph or more triggers it in every exposure
Yes, but only for structural wood
No, because in Exposure B the threshold is 150 mph or greater
No, because wind special inspection applies only in Exposure D

7. A permit was issued for a fellowship hall addition and the foundation was started, but the church then stopped work for lack of funds. Under 105.5, after how many days of suspension is the permit invalid unless a written extension was granted?

90 days
180 days
270 days
365 days

8. A gymnasium without spectator seating in a small commercial building was designed for an occupant load of 40 and classified Group B as a small assembly tenant space. The owner adds equipment and the design occupant load becomes 60. There is no food service. How is the space now classified?

Group B
Group M
Group A-2
Group A-3

9. A one-story Group B building has 24,000 square feet on its story. Under 508.2.3, what is the most floor area that all accessory occupancies together may occupy, if each also stays within its own nonsprinklered Table 506.2 value?

2,400 square feet
4,800 square feet
1,200 square feet
12,000 square feet

10. A one-story Group M store of Type IIIA construction has an exterior bearing wall 12 feet from the lot line. Table 705.5 gives 1 hour for this distance and type. What rating must the wall have when Table 601 is also applied?

0 hours
1 hour
2 hours
3 hours

11. A one-story sprinklered Group M store has open space of 20 feet or more along 66.7 percent of its perimeter, and the smallest counted open space is 25 feet. What frontage factor If does Table 506.3.3 give?

0.33
0.42
0.50
0.63

12. A shaft enclosure connects three stories above grade in a Group B building. What fire-resistance rating does Section 713.4 require?

3 hours
2 hours
1/2 hour
1 hour

13. A Group E school building is not sprinklered. Using Table 803.13 as taught in Lesson 7, what class of interior finish is required in its corridors?

Class B
Class A
Class C
No class is required

14. A 4,500 square foot storefront becomes a Group A-2 restaurant with a calculated occupant load of 120 on the level of exit discharge. Are sprinklers required under 903.2.1?

No, because the floor area is under 5,000 square feet and the restaurant is on the exit discharge level
No, because Group A-2 is triggered only above 12,000 square feet
Only if the building has more than three stories or a basement
Yes, because an A-2 fire area with an occupant load of 100 or more triggers them

15. A community room of 2,100 net square feet will be set with rows of chairs only, no tables. Using Table 1004.5, what is the occupant load?

16. Floor to floor in a Group B community office is 11 feet 4 inches. Using a 7 inch maximum riser, what is the fewest number of risers the stair can have?

17. An office park has a single parking lot of 130 spaces. Using Table 1106.2, how many accessible spaces are required, and how many of them must be van accessible?

4 accessible, 1 van
5 accessible, 2 van
6 accessible, 1 van
5 accessible, 1 van

18. A church campus building contains a sanctuary with an occupant load of 350. What risk category does Table 1604.5 assign to that building?

Risk Category III, since the assembly load is over 300
Risk Category II, since churches are standard assembly buildings
Risk Category IV, since a church is an essential facility
Risk Category I, since a church is a low hazard to human life

19. A column on a small community building carries 60,000 pounds and bears on class 5 clay at the presumptive value of 1,500 psf. What is the minimum footing bearing area?

30 square feet
40 square feet
60 square feet
90 square feet

20. An existing roof on a community hall has two layers of asphalt shingles, and a bid proposes a third layer over them. What does 2021 IBC 1512.2.1.1 say?

It is allowed if extra fasteners are used to reach the deck through all three layers of shingles
It is allowed if the deck is inspected first and found sound under both existing layers
A recover is not permitted over two or more applications, so replace it down to the deck
It is allowed if underlayment for 140 mph or more is used

Glossary

Special inspection: Inspection of construction that needs the expertise of an approved special inspector, done in addition to the building official's Section 110 inspections and paid for by the owner.
Special inspector: A qualified person who works for or is hired by an approved agency and is accepted by the building official.
Statement of special inspections: The document prepared under 1704.3 that lists the work needing special inspection or testing and the type and extent of each; it is submitted as a condition of permit issuance (1704.2.3).
Statement of responsibility: A written statement from a contractor building a main wind or seismic force-resisting system, a designated seismic system or a listed component, submitted before that work starts (1704.4).
Continuous special inspection: The inspector is on hand the whole time the work is under way.
Periodic special inspection: The inspector visits from time to time to look at work that is under way or already done.
Structural observation: A registered design professional's visual review of the structural system to see that it generally follows the approved drawings, required only for the triggers in 1704.6.1.
Final report: The closing report under 1704.2.4 that documents all required special inspections and tests and the corrections of discrepancies, sent to the building official at a point agreed before work starts.

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