Israel Berger & Associates (IBA), a recognized consulting and inspection group specializing in building envelope technologies, is the first Special Inspection Agency to meet the New York City Department of Buildings requirements for accreditation through the International Accreditation Service (IAS) AC291 Special Inspection Agency Accreditation Program.
Along with its adoption of the 2003 International Building Code (IBC), the New York City Construction Codes now include a requirement that all special inspection agencies must be accredited by IAS or an equivalent accreditation agency by July 2010. “The IAS accreditation program provides a comprehensive process for assessing organizations involved in special inspections and many building departments rely on it to verify that inspection agencies are competent and qualified to work in their jurisdictions. Ultimately, accreditation is an important step in the process of making communities safe for the public,” said IAS President Chuck Ramani.
Walter Martinez, a principal at IBA and the Director of Special Inspection, said, “We’re very proud to be the first special inspection agency in New York City to complete the IAS AC291 accreditation process. We began the process in response to the requirements outlined in the New York City Construction Codes and we are committed to supporting the Department of Buildings’ policies concerning the qualifications of Special Inspection Agencies and the certification of inspectors which are critical to public safety and property protection. We’ve gained much more than an accreditation certificate during the process, particularly in the area of record keeping and record management.”
IAS assesses a special inspection agency’s inspection procedures, the competence of its inspection staff and its reporting procedures. The IAS accreditation program is based on the requirements of the IBC and the applicable portions of ISO/IEC Standard 17020, General Requirements for the Operation of Various Bodies Performing Inspection. The process of accreditation begins with the inspection agency’s submittal of a quality management system manual. Once the manual has been reviewed and approved, an on-site assessment is conducted at the agency’s office to determine if the agency’s quality system is effectively implemented and to interview staff. Assessors and subject matter experts also conduct field assessments at construction sites to evaluate inspectors to determine if they are technically competent.
Martinez adds, “During the evaluation process, we had an opportunity to put in place some industry best practices. IAS helped us improve our processes by identifying areas where improvements can be made. Overall, the accreditation process has been extremely valuable to our inspectors and the company.”
IBA President Israel Berger and Chief Operating Officer Marc Weissbach issued this joint statement: “We commend Walter Martinez for his efforts in achieving this very important recognition from IAS. The accreditation process conducted by IAS was thorough and rigorous. The process will improve the quality of services we provide to our clients and standardize the level of service that should be expected in our industry.”
As part of the AC291 accreditation, IAS will perform periodic on-site evaluations at IBA to keep the accreditation in good standing.
IBA received IAS accreditation in the following areas covered by the New York City Department of Buildings: steel construction (welding, high-strength bolts and cold-formed steel construction); concrete construction; masonry construction; wall panels, curtain walls and veneers; exterior insulation and finish systems; and through-penetration firestop systems, concealed draftstop systems and fireblock systems. To view the IBA Certificate of Accreditation, click here.
IBA provides services to property owners, architects and construction managers at all stages of design and construction, from conception to completion. In the New York City area, the firm also specializes in on-site special inspections and Local Law 11 service, which requires periodic inspections of buildings of at least six stories above the basement by professional engineers. IBA can be reached at 212-689-5389 and at www.ibany.com.
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