Do you put up CAUTION signs during an inspection ever?

[Patrick T. Naughton]

I am also certified OSHA and individuals are to be especially cautious due to the fact OSHA does not cover individually owned business. The thinking is with no employees the owner is probably going to protect himself because he has no recourse if an injury puts him out of business.
As far as protecting an opening where injury could be possible by others who are not inspectors there should be a standard and some markings...lets face it, people are oblivious and natural selection has been replaced with law suits.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

In 32 years and inspecting in at least 10 states I've NEVER done it, never heard of it being done, and can't help but think that anybody suggesting it or even thinking it should have been done is 2 beers short of a 6-pack.

By the way as a builder / contractor of residential housing and having done that in at least 6 states we've NEVER done that on a NEW construction site (Example: the basement is poured; the house is framed; there is a cut-out in the floor for the stairwell, which is not there yet; and there is 1 LONELY 2x4 around the opening to the floor 10 feet below).

MORAL of the story - WALKER beware OR do as 60 year olds were taught by dear old dad - Learn to tuck and roll ..... It will make a man out of you.

[Wayne B. Wilson]

I had one gal weighing only 100 Lbs at the most . Follow me into the attic with out me knowing when i heard a pop I turned and seen her standing between the truss . I calmly asked her to step onto the lumber which she did. Then ask me why a had a scared look on m face. LOL i just said you almost ended up back in the living room the hard way.

[pdoane]

Originally Posted by gromicko

I have been supoenaed to testify in a case where a home inspector left the access hatch of a crawlspace door open and went down inside. The buyer came along and walked right into the hole. He broke his arm in several places. Big lawsuit.

I'm meeting with a CAUTION sign manufacturer in a few minutes and will have signs available for members to buy. I'll make the receipts indicate exactly what the signs are for. Save your receipt.

Nick,
Can you post more about this law suit? I'd like to read the particulars about it if you don't mind. THANKS!

[James E. Braun, CMI]

My friend Ray had a day off from his job and asked me if he could go along on an inspection. I gave him an outlet tester and showed him what to look for (he is a city boy, not too mechanically inclined). Later I opened the crawlspace hatch and he looked over and responded how scary it looked. About five minutes later I hear a bad crash so I looked over and it was Ray laying in the bottom of the crawlspace. I said Ray what in the heck are you doing, he said I fell through the crawlspace hole when I was walking over to check an outlet. I told him that that was none too smart, he agreed. The next day he woke up sore and went to the hospital and they said he cracked his ribs. The really bad part is that it hurt when he laughed but he could not stop laughing about it when he told me about his trip to the hospital.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by dbowers

In 32 years and inspecting in at least 10 states I've NEVER done it, never heard of it being done, and can't help but think that anybody suggesting it or even thinking it should have been done is 2 beers short of a 6-pack.

By the way as a builder / contractor of residential housing and having done that in at least 6 states we've NEVER done that on a NEW construction site (Example: the basement is poured; the house is framed; there is a cut-out in the floor for the stairwell, which is not there yet; and there is 1 LONELY 2x4 around the opening to the floor 10 feet below).

MORAL of the story - WALKER beware OR do as 60 year olds were taught by dear old dad - Learn to tuck and roll ..... It will make a man out of you.

When I was about 10 years, me and a bunch of my friends was playing tag before religion class one night. It was dark and my friend Doug, a wiry goofy redneck kid, was running through the main floor of the newly framed church hall and then he just vanished. We thought that Doug was just playing a joke and soon the teacher called us into class so we just went followed the teacher into the classroom. A few minutes later Doug showed up and the teacher asked him where he was at. He said it was dark and he did not realize the floor sheathing was only about half way installed and fell clear down to the basement. He did not get hurt. But he was the best tree climber in my small town and I imagine to be that good of climber you would have to fell out of a few trees.

[RAY THOROMAN]

Originally Posted by dbowers

In 32 years and inspecting in at least 10 states I've NEVER done it, never heard of it being done, and can't help but think that anybody suggesting it or even thinking it should have been done is 2 beers short of a 6-pack.

By the way as a builder / contractor of residential housing and having done that in at least 6 states we've NEVER done that on a NEW construction site (Example: the basement is poured; the house is framed; there is a cut-out in the floor for the stairwell, which is not there yet; and there is 1 LONELY 2x4 around the opening to the floor 10 feet below).

MORAL of the story - WALKER beware OR do as 60 year olds were taught by dear old dad - Learn to tuck and roll ..... It will make a man out of you.

I love the ''tuck and roll'' saying.... tell it to my boys all the time


Would General Liability not cover something like this?

For me, I don't have the time or want to spend money on caution signs, flares, tape, smoke, barricades, locks, and all that hooha.

But it could be a profitable business sellin' this stuff

[ccurrins]

Originally Posted by rthoroman

Would General Liability not cover something like this?

For me, I don't have the time or want to spend money on caution signs, flares, tape, smoke, barricades, locks, and all that hooha.

But it could be a profitable business sellin' this stuff

I can see it now. Blue and white Nachi Inspector tape with a 3'X5' sign posted in the front...."Nachi Inspector On Site, Everyone Else Is just Looking Around".

[Russell Spriggs]

Smart money says, go to www.signs365.com and have them print up $5 signs, "CAUTION: Inspection In Progress By"
and print your ad info below.
Place it in the yard and make money off it for a coupla hours.

Hhhmmmmm . . . . .
Good idea, thanks . . . .

[Nick Gromicko]

Peter Doane writes:

Nick,
Can you post more about this law suit? I'd like to read the particulars about it if you don't mind. THANKS!

The suit is filed in your state of Washington. Stern v. Clark, King County No. 08-2-18857-4 SEA, Trial Date: November 16, 2009. I'm sending someone over to get a copy.

[pdoane]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Peter Doane writes: The suit is filed in your state of Washington. Stern v. Clark, King County No. 08-2-18857-4 SEA, Trial Date: November 16, 2009. I'm sending someone over to get a copy.

Thanks Nick

[Nick Gromicko]

http://www.nachi.org/documents/inspector-stop-sign.pdf

[Kevin M. Leonard]

Originally Posted by gromicko

http://www.nachi.org/documents/inspector-stop-sign.pdf

I know there was a law suit and that is a serious matter but I think this is a bit much Nick. I don't mean any offense but this is too funny.

I think the sign should also have a red flashing beacon to get everyone's attention & an audible that Say's "Warning---Warning ---- Stay Back----Inspector at work" for those that are vision impaired.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

In my younger drinking days, I use to work in restaurants. The only jobs I could keep hungover. One night, I was night managing and a fat lady customer fell while the floor was being mopped. She threaten to sue the restaurant. The lawsuit did not go far because I had some regular customers witness she fell on top of the wet floor sign. Sad but true.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Interesting discussion. I used to work in Cleanrooms, most of the work we did was under raised floors. When a panel fo the floor was removed we were supposed to barricade the opening as the fall could be anywhere from 20 inches or so to twenty feet. Every now and then there were accidents.


The HI that left a floor hatch open in a walking area will loose the lawsuit.

http://www.buildersmutual.com/cd/wal..._openings.html

http://www.osha.gov/doc/jobsite/#Figure%2012



http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owad...ARDS&p_id=9715