SUMMARY:

The Building Safety Inspector is responsible for the overall day to day Building Safety inspection operations of the Benton County Building Safety Department. These building inspections are conducted throughout unincorporated Benton County and requires extensive travel. The Building Safety Inspector performs inspections on all new residential and commercial construction and facilities, and their uses, to conform to housing, health, safety, and property laws.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

Receive administrative direction from the Chief Building Inspector and Director of Building Safety.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Receives and reviews building and development plans submitted to the inspector’s office, reviews drawings to ensure conformance to building, electrical, and plumbing ordinances.

Resolve disputes arising from building inspection service utilizing sound building principles and applicable codes as required.

Assist builders and the general public in understanding and complying with applicable building codes and division policies.

Performs all field inspections as required by the codes including footings, slabs, frames, electrical, and HVAC inspections; inspects utility lines, inspects preliminary and final plans for completeness and accuracy to code specifications.

Researches code questions for proper interpretation.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Be able to travel to training classes/conferences.

Regular and reliable attendance.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge of:

• All aspects of building safety and their relationship to building inspection; International Building Code and other applicable state and federal codes.
• Principles, practices and methods associated with developing building standards, plan check and building inspection.
• Engineering principles, concepts and procedures as applied to building inspection.
• Construction methods and materials.
• Public contact skills.

Ability to:

• Read, understand and interpret construction blueprints, plans and specifications.
• Inspect and analyze standard building construction and to identify code violations.
• Solve complex building inspection and code-related problems.
• Work effectively with builders, contractors and the general public.
• Explain County practices and objectives to appropriate public and private agencies, organizations and individuals.
• Establish and maintain systems needed for control of work quality and quantity.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
• Stand, bend, sit, kneel, lift, reach and move about quickly and safely on construction projects and business office work locations.
• Pick-up, manipulate, move, raise and lower heavy materials, equipment, and supplies; to climb ladders and scaffolding; to climb onto, walk on and get off of roof structures; to get in and out of tight spaces within approved safety limitations.
• Get on and off, or in and out of County equipment; operate the full range of equipment that is typically required of the class without special aides.
• Read handwritten, typed or machine generated text, graphical and statistical material without aides other than eyeglasses and, or contact lenses.
• Absorb data, learn and apply procedures required to perform the full range of tasks required by typical duties of the class.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:

Education/Experience: High School diploma or general education degree (GED). Some experience in a building or construction trade is preferred.

License or Certificate: Possession of a valid Arkansas State Driver's License and obtain a state certification as a residential and commercial building inspector based on the ICC Building Codes, within one (1) year of obtaining position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The following list contains the essential function required of a person filling the Building Safety Inspector position. This description is intended to describe the kinds of task and level of difficulty being performed by the person assigned to this classification:

• Must be able to operate County owned vehicles in both day/night time conditions and all weather and road conditions
• Must be able and willing to work extended hours, weekends, late nights and holidays when necessary.
• Must be able to squat, bend over at the waist, perform other physical movements necessary to traverse property, in wooded, grassy areas, non-paved roads, construction sites and undeveloped lands.
• Must be able to climb ladders or crawl in tight spaces.
• Must be able to regularly stand and walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, use hands to handle or feel objects and talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close distance vision and the ability to adjust focus, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.
• Travel by foot across all types of terrain found in Benton County to access areas under construction in all outside weather conditions.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Majority of the time is spent working indoors or in outdoor weather conditions. May encounter wet conditions, fumes, chemicals, moving mechanical parts, high precarious places, and other hazards when making site visits. Regularly encounter road conditions that cause vehicle vibration. There is no “typical” noise level as it changes from quiet to very loud depending on the property. Work may be performed during day/night time conditions.