# Placarding after fire damage



## Inspector 102 (Mar 30, 2010)

Does anyone place placards on a property after it has been damaged by a fire to indicate that permits are required and to contact the building department prior to repairing the property. It seems that more times than not the owner starts repairs prior to dicussing anthing with the building department and gets it all wrong from the start. Looking for language used on placard of anyone using such a tool. Thanks


----------



## jar546 (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

yes


----------



## jim baird (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Standard "unsafe building" language should work fine.


----------



## JBI (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

If I placard it, the card says '*Unsafe*' and '*Keep Out*'.

If the damage is minor and isolated AND I get to talk to the owner/occupant a placard _may_ not be necessary.

If the damage is more extensive and/or I can't find the owner/occupant the palcard goes up before the Fire Service is gone.

Had one just recently that had to be vacated, met with the owner the next day. She was on-board with the needing a permit, the contractor she selected however was not. Had to issue a Stop Work Order, she was not happy with him - me she has no problem with. He had already replaced the windows and removed the labels... something to hide?

Her new contractor has been very easy to work with.


----------



## FyrBldgGuy (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Even though the basis of the program was for earthquakes I found the ATC-20 program for assessing and placarding to be very useful.  In the past I have used it for fire, tornado and other events.

http://www.atcouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=80#atc-20


----------



## fatboy (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Yes, we we placard using the "Unsafe Building" sections in the both the IBC  and IRC has. Post all entrances, so it is pretty tougn to not see. Small enough jurisdiction that we can keep an eye on them and make sure nothing get repaired without permmits.


----------



## Alias (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Standard placards - usually _Unsafe for Human Occupancy_ or _Keep Out_.

The last three out of four here in the past two years have been very bad, in the most recent the owner lost his life.  I am pretty sure all involved woodstoves or fireplaces.  The one that didn't burn badly started when a toddler pulled a lit stick out of the woodstove and turned into the Christmas tree.  Oops...... :roll:

Sue, lost on the frontier


----------



## FredK (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Yes, no and maybe.

Unless the fire/accidents(car into building) happens during work time we may never hear anything from the Fire District until days later if at all.

During anytime we're there and determine it's unsafe we post it as an "Unsafe Building" and photogragh the tag(s) as to where they were placed.  If the owner or his rep is there we take the time to explain the bld permit process to them.

A few times the local fire crew is nailing back stairs(?) and saying they are ok to walk on.  I alway wonder they get that thinking from.   For me, I post it as unsafe until the engineer gives me a report.

If we never hear from the fire dept we may never know of what burned until someone wants a permit.  Usually the Fire Dept pulls the electric meter so the owner/renter comes in wanting power back on and then we find out what happened.  One day it may change.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage



			
				FredK said:
			
		

> Yes, no and maybe.If we never hear from the fire dept we may never know of what burned until someone wants a permit. Usually the Fire Dept pulls the electric meter so the owner/renter comes in wanting power back on and then we find out what happened. One day it may change.


Fred, you got it,

We have a fire district here, the fire district does not notify the City of a fire. A city employee will say "did ya see the fire down off of fourth street? or do they have a permit? I called a neighboring fire district, there is no protocol to notify the building inspector in their procedures.

I worked for a city when a car ran through a department store and the Fire Chief called me in to look at a structual issue because he did'nt want to make the call. I'am not an engineer nor do I play one on TV, proceed at your own risk!


----------



## Oldfieldguy (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

One can also apply IFC Section 311.5.


----------



## FM William Burns (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

We inform our Bldg. Dept. and they place their placard on a remaining surface.

If necessary I place our PLACARD on it

You want $5,000 call me if you know who did it


----------



## Alias (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Last one I had, there was crime scene tape installed.  One of the local volunteer firemen boarded it up, then the fire marshal posted the signs for me.  I did not want to get too close especially because they found the body of the owner.  ugh...........

Sue, on the snowy frontier


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Mar 30, 2010)

Re: Placarding after fire damage

Oldfieldguy,

That is a new 2006 I-code! Have you seen these placards use?

I would like to look at one of these rascals :shock: , 24"x24", may not fit in my smart car's trunk, I mean my 1998 merc. :lol:


----------



## beach (Mar 31, 2010)

Inspector 102,

I do "Post Incident Structural Assessment and Evaulation" inspections when needed, usually after a fire, TC into buildings, etc, I have all the forms and placards that I made in Word. I can e-mail them to you and it shouldn't be a problem to change them around to suit your needs.....


----------

