The Inspections Department is an integral part of our company. Fall arrest and tie-back anchors (for window washing systems and fall protection equipment) must be inspected annually in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the Department/Ministry of Labour.
Our mission in this Department is two-fold:
- To develop first-hand experience and maintain an expert team of Inspectors in this highly specialized field, thereby ensuring smooth information exchange that may affect liability or safety on buildings.
- The Department must report on safety issues that may affect the professional high-rise worker and the public.
In order to meet this mission statement, the Department proactively promotes annual inspection programs, which include:
- Deficiency inspections,
- Compliance inspections, and
- Rigging inspections;
They are all supported by the Department/Ministry of Labour’s (DOL/MOL) input through their site inspections and published guidelines. This collaborative involvement allows the agency (DOL/MOL) and all contractors using the equipment to work more harmoniously and safely.
The Inspections Department consists of dozens of professionals, including trained inspectors, compliance specialists, testing technicians and professional engineers. The Department also upgrades existing systems when needed, working closely with system designers and operational teams.
It also calls on the expertise of almost 150 skilled members from various Departments, including AutoCAD designers, and manufacturing and installation, as required on a job-to-job basis.
Besides the general staff listed above, this Department includes and relies on five other major components:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
responsible for formulating policy and providing the Inspections Department with first-hand compliance information. This executive direction is derived from the CEO’s experience dealing with the DOL/MOL and is personally guided by the removal of Stop Work Orders (SWO) on buildings. In addition to direct supervision, the CEO provides overall executive direction and broad administrative supervision for this Department.
Compliance Specialist (CS)
reviews, routes, and tracks hazardous or potentially hazardous safety and structural conditions. The CS’s staff is on call to respond to SWO issues, other safety and rigging issues, or emergencies. They can flag system conditions normally sited by DOL/MOL Inspectors or other sources, such as building inspections or technical auditors. The CS evaluates all conditions, including site conditions, drawings, inspectors’ reports, and roof and condition photographs.
Subsequently, a “flag report packet” may be created, describing the type of upgrade or repair that may be needed (which may also include changes to the certified drawings or require a DOL/MOL response report for removal, review, and approval).
In-House Maintenance Technicians & Skilled Installation Personnel
perform repairs to address flagged conditions. Flagged repairs may include structural or other safety issues, such as repairs to roof anchors, davit arms, safety tethers or locks, or other components damaged by corrosion or impact.
The maintenance and installation staff will perform the required corrective repairs to help rehabilitate worn or defective components whose failure could affect long-term service (such as heat shrink, mastic, cap flashings, or remedial rust repair work).
Professional Engineering and Design Group
provides technical expertise in normal engineering practices and principles, including reviewing the structure, preparing calculations, and writing job-specific test prescriptions. The team also supplies invaluable engineering declarations for unsafe conditions that may affect the system.
The Professional Engineering Group member will make recommendations for immediate remediation, thereby assisting the CS in facilitating a proper solution. The Professional Engineering group also provides technical expertise in the procurement and development of system and product design, supporting various areas of the division, including the supervision of installation and inspection services.
Administration Management & Invoicing Group
provides essential administrative and inspection process support, including tracking of each activity within the division. The Senior Administration and Finance Group oversees and administers all administrative functions for the division, acting as liaison with the inspectors and technicians, including, but not limited to:
- Reviewing reports for completeness to ensure compliance and functionality is clear
- Reviewing lists of equipment to ensure they match drawings for quality control purposes
- Tracking documents and publishing control documents to our web-based customer portal
- Monitoring staff and supervising repairs flagged by inspectors or compliance specialists
- Scheduling work performed by Pro-Bel installers or other contractors and producing mandated modification and repair reports on all activities
- Managing the status of each warranty claim and ensuring products are tracked and replaced through our Pro-Bel case system
- Ensuring all on-site inspections are performed on time and that the field conditions are recorded
The Inspections Department’s management takes a proactive approach to educating Building Owners and Property Managers, as well as training workers and contractors in the safe use of equipment for roof work.
This professional Inspections Department will ensure a smooth yearly inspection process. Each highly specialized area is designed to deliver the essential services necessary to provide the expert service our clients and industry expect.
To ensure critical safety measures and due diligence on your rooftop, please contact Pro-Bel for annual inspections, testing, safety assessments, rigging inspections, or site training.
