City and County of San Francisco

H-4 Inspector is an entry-level position in the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Public Safety class series.  It reports to the respective H-22 Lieutenant of the Bureau.  It is distinguished from the H-22 Lieutenant by the Lieutenant’s responsibility for supervising, counseling, and evaluating subordinates.  It is distinguished from an H-2 Firefighter in the latter’s primary responsibility for the suppression of fires, and from an H-3 Firefighter Paramedic in the latter’s responsibility for EMS tasks and the suppression of fires. 

This position has no supervision responsibilities.

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1.  In inspecting existing structures, building, and public assembly sites:  inspects particular buildings (e.g., high-rises) annually or on a scheduled basis for life safety issues; inspects buildings such as day care centers, offices, stores, apartments, and other multiple-use dwellings, hotels, factories, restaurants, and theaters for life safety issues; inspects buildings for life safety issues upon receipt of complaint from citizens, fire suppression officers, Department of Public Health (DPH), San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), Department of Building Inspection (DBI), or Human Services Agency; inspects fire safety systems, fire department elevator functions, sprinkler systems, smoke control and detector systems, fire alarm systems, and other fire safety equipment for proper installation, location, operation, and servicing; cleans and maintains equipment (such as air sampling devices) to detect flammable gases and/or toxic vapors; inspects and submits reports regarding buildings involved in greater alarms to determine if there were any fire code violations; inspects occupancies for fire clearance at request of other agencies (e.g., SFPD, Planning Department, DPH, etc.) who are issuing permits; inspects fire protection equipment associated with food preparation equipment (e.g., commercial food cookers, hood and duct systems, and hood fire suppression systems) to determine if they are in compliance with fire codes; visually inspects buildings for those factors that impact life safety to ensure that fire codes are met, there are no obstructions, egress is protected, and rated hardware and assemblies are appropriate; witnesses that required testing of life safety equipment is properly conducted by building engineers, contractors, or life safety equipment representatives; directs required testing (to industry standards) of life safety equipment by building engineers, contractors, or life safety equipment representatives; visually inspects public assembly sites in response to reports of violations to determine whether fire safety problems exist; checks occupant load permit during inspection of public assembly structures for possible fire code violations; inspects and monitors fire safety compliance at public assembly events; inspects portable fire extinguishers for type, appropriate tags, capacity, location distribution, and maintenance; determines when a particular building or structure requires a re-inspection; arranges appointments by telephone or in person for inspections; correctly and accurately completes fire inspection reports regarding required occupancy inspection, interdepartmental referrals, and public complaints; effectively plans and prioritizes daily activities; examines records of tests conducted on life safety equipment to ensure fire codes are met; observes housekeeping of building (facility) to ensure no hazardous conditions (e.g., oily floors) exist; informs building representative if additional life safety equipment is required to meet fire codes; observes during inspections when unauthorized life safety modifications have been made to a facility; conducts fire inspections at the request of law enforcement agencies (e.g., SFPD, FBI); notifies fire suppression officers of special hazards in response area, such as unoccupied buildings with transients; informs fire officers of special conditions that were noticed during inspections; etc.

2.  In inspecting new construction and major alterations:  approves final occupancy for buildings; visually inspects new structures and major alterations to ensure compliance with plans approved by DBI and SFFD plan check unit; reviews plans and blue prints on site to ensure compliance with State and City laws, codes, and ordinances pertaining to fire prevention; discusses with property owner, developer, contractor or other representative the fire code requirements and required fire safety devices to be installed, maintained, and operated; conducts preliminary visual inspections (in new construction and alterations) of fire fighting equipment and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) as it pertains to life safety to ensure compliance with fire codes; conducts periodic and follow-up inspections (as work progresses in new construction and alterations) of fire detection and fire safety equipment to ensure compliance with fire codes; visually inspects new construction or alteration sites to ensure proper life safety systems are in place and operating while construction is ongoing; discusses in pre-construction meetings with contractors, inspectors, building representatives, and other individuals, the life safety requirements, fire codes, unique circumstances, potential problems, and other life safety issues related to particular buildings; reviews plans and blue prints of new construction or alternations to reconcile differences between actual construction and the approved building plans for fire code compliance; visually inspects building construction to determine whether actual construction is consistent with fire code requirements and the approved building plans; checks to determine whether plans for new construction and alternations are followed; checks to ensure that any deviations to approved plans for new construction or alteration conform to fire code; examines building plans to ensure that fire safety devices are installed in appropriate locations; observes tests conducted by contractors or other representatives of fire detection and suppression equipment, emergency lighting, exit signs, sprinklers, etc.; directs tests conducted by contractors or other representatives of fire detection and suppression equipment, emergency lighting, exit signs, sprinklers, etc.; directs firefighters on how to perform regular inspections of hydrants, cisterns, or other water supply sources; signs off on inspections after reviewing proper documentation (e.g., job card); informs building representative of process to follow for alternate forms of fire protection; conducts final inspection of fire protection equipment and life safety systems to determine their compliance with manufacturer’s specifications and fire codes; discusses objectives, methods, and results of tests and inspections with contractors, building representatives, or life safety equipment representatives; discusses with contractor or building representative any deviations from approved building plans which were observed during building inspection; determines during inspections whether hazardous materials are properly stored; coordinates with other inspectors (e.g., building, electrical, plumbing) in inspecting new construction sites; etc.

3.  In handling complaints:  discusses complaints with complainant in person or by phone in order to determine the exact nature and description of the problem; visually inspects building for which complaint has been received to determine if there is a fire code violation; prioritizes complaints received to ensure that most serious (e.g., blocked exits or out-of-service fire systems) receive immediate attention; redirects complainant concerning non-fire safety problems on phone or in person to appropriate agency; handles phone or written referrals from fire department officials or other agencies (e.g., DBI, SFPD, DPH) regarding complaints that need to be investigated; receives complaints while serving desk duty and completes complaint data entry forms for investigation by appropriate inspector; prepares information for City Attorney, when necessary, to secure inspection warrant or other steps toward code compliance; testifies in court regarding inspection findings, and serves as expert witness in fire/life safety-related matters for City Attorney or District Attorney; writes letters to persons who have complained about a fire safety problem, detailing results and outcomes of investigations; writes letters to complainants and/or building representatives indicating how complaint is to be handled or resolved; tags systems “out-of-service” when appropriate; explains to owner or building representative the life safety problems encountered during the inspection, how to comply with fire code, and when the problems must be abated; completes Fire Inspection Tracking System (FITS) form to document how complaint was handled; answers questions from a complainant (e.g., a tenant) regarding whether a particular problem is a fire code violation and determines whether a site visit is necessary; documents inspection activities regarding complaints for possible use in litigation; etc.

4.  In handling violations:  assesses seriousness of a fire code violation in order to determine how much time should be given to correct the problem; re-inspects fire safety violations, as required, in order to determine whether required repairs have been completed; determines whether fire safety violations/citations that have not been corrected should be referred to supervisor; recommends order to abate against property to prevent sale or transfer to elude compliance with fire codes; notifies appropriate authorities whenever apartment houses, hotels, motels, or any other building is found occupied without proper permit of occupancy; requests revocation of permit of any business, enterprise, or activity that is considered a fire hazard; if immediate abatement order is not followed, requests assistance from supervisor or SFFD Battalion Chief to ensure compliance; assesses nature of complaint to determine if a Notice of Violation or citation should be issued; collects fees for SFFD permits; assesses seriousness of violation to determine if building should be evacuated or construction halted; recommends through supervisor to Fire Marshal that “stop-work” order be issued if new construction or alterations create a fire hazard, and requests that injunction be issued if work continues; writes up violations and required actions concerning fire safety investigations for use in responding to inquiries by other officials, insurance agencies, etc.; writes letters to individuals responsible for fire code violations describing the exact code violations and the actions that are required to abate the violation; fills out forms and reports necessary for alerting other agencies (e.g., local building department, State Fire Marshal’s Office, and HSA) regarding needed actions; issues citations at public assembly events if compliance is not forthcoming for problems such as blocked exits, aisle spacing, and overcrowding; issues notices of violation and/or citations for fire code violations; gathers information from complainant, building representatives, and tenants to assess whether a complaint is warranted; etc.

5.  In conducting research:  researches San Francisco Fire Code, Uniform Building Code with San Francisco Amendments, NFPA Guidelines, state codes, housing code, etc., in the process of conducting inspections and writing reports; researches records of the Assessor’s Office in person or by phone in order to determine the owner/responsible party of a building charged with fire code violations; researches building history information on computer, microfilm, and in paper files to determine previous violations, building records and current activities; maintains a comprehensive new building development file in order to provide information needed for future inspections; discusses fire codes with other public safety officials to determine which codes apply to a particular fire safety problem; provides documentation of building representative’s fire safety records and maintains files from inspections for use by the court in cases involving fire safety violations; confers with appropriate city and state agencies to ensure the validity of licenses and permits; maintains district files containing letters of correspondence and ongoing inspections of buildings until each project is completed; seeks advice when necessary from coworkers and supervisors regarding life safety issues; writes correspondence to the Fire Marshal or other appropriate person to suggest code changes, additions, or modifications; provides information on the history of a building, fire violations, complaints, and other such information for input into the computer system; etc.

6.  In performing activities related to public relations and training:  refers questions that they are unable to answer to specialists (e.g., hazardous and flammable materials, permits, high-rise, hospitals, jails, or day care centers); communicates verbally the purpose of inspections to owners and tenants in order to educate the public on safety issues; responds by phone or in person to requests from members of the public regarding fire code information; gives presentations on fire safety issues (as directed by supervisor) in order to educate the public; distributes pamphlets, reference materials, and videos in order to educate the public; verbally explains the Fire Code regulations to members of the public; writes correspondence to members of the public concerning fire code regulations; responds to the public verbally or in writing with information regarding federal, state, and City fire codes; trains newly-appointed fire inspectors in the procedures of the prevention division and in the interpretation of the various codes and bureau policies as requested by immediate supervisor; verbally presents fire safety and inspection information to other inspectors after attending seminars, courses, or special lectures; attends fire drills when requested; etc.

7.  In self development:  reads and becomes familiar with applicable building and fire codes, such as Uniform Building Code as modified for San Francisco, State Fire Marshal Handbook, and Housing Codes; reads technical documents pertaining to fire safety in order to maintain current job knowledge; reads SFFD administrative bulletins to maintain current knowledge of code changes and code interpretation; discusses fire prevention and investigation practices, procedures, etc., at conferences, seminars, and workshops; attends classes and seminars to further expand scope of knowledge; maintains firefighter skills by keeping current with fire suppression practices and procedures; etc.

Knowledge of:  the procedures to be followed when reporting a fire code violation; rights of entry for inspection of fire code violations; common, prevalent violations that are likely to exist in buildings (e.g., blocked access, illegal wiring); the operation of fire suppression equipment, such as fire sprinklers, extinguishers, stand pipes, etc.; the structure and operations of the SFFD; what constitutes a billable inspection; proper safety procedures to follow when making inspections (e.g., wearing safety equipment when necessary); the rules and regulations of the SFFD regarding conduct as an inspector and representative of the SFFD (e.g., proper chain-of-command, proper uniform); suppression procedures and fire ground tactics to ensure that life safety equipment is installed and located in a manner consistent with fire safety standards.

Ability to:  obtain information from a caller who may be emotionally upset; speak in a polite, courteous manner; reassure a caller that a problem will be resolved; communicate with persons from a wide variety of backgrounds; communicate why a violation is a problem for the violators as well as for the City; explain the limits and responsibilities of the BFP; write letters that communicate the required information concerning the fire inspection issue; describe fire inspection issues briefly and succinctly in writing; express required information in writing in a manner that presents the facts accurately; maintain a written log that provides the details required for use by others, such as supervisor; read and interpret letters, reports, and fire code manuals; comprehend and learn from SFFD manuals and fire code references; recognize life safety situations that are not in compliance with code requirements; locate fire code statutes to determine legal sources that are relevant to the complaint; select, organize, and present information in a logical order; determine which situations should be referred to a supervisor; avoid becoming involved in situations that may compromise the ethical standards of fire inspectors; stay calm in stressful situations; make decisions under pressure or in an emergency; represent and promote the professional image of the SFFD; work in coordination with all BFP personnel including other H-4s, civilian inspectors, and supervisors; and interact effectively with people from a wide variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.  Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Permanent status and successful completion of probationary period in class H-2 Firefighter or class H-3 Level III Firefighter Paramedic.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:  Ability to work in a fast paced office environment; must work in potentially hazardous and dangerous situations; work in inclement weather, from heights, in tunnels, or other risky conditions.  Positions may require specialized knowledges, skills, or abilities and qualifications depending on assignment.

Possession and maintenance of a valid California Driver license.

PROMOTIVE LINES

To:  H-22 Lieutenant, H-24 Lieutenant

From:  H-2 Firefighter or H-3 Level III Firefighter Paramedic

ORIGINATION DATE:  
AMENDED DATE:   9/21/09