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Construction and Building Inspectors Occupation Detailed Description

Construction and Building Inspectors career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Construction and Building Inspectors

The main tasks and work activities of Construction and Building Inspectors are to test electrical equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning, inspect plumbing systems or fixtures, inspect work sites to identify potential environmental or safety hazards, record operational or environmental data. In general, for the Construction and Building Inspectors, speaking, active Listening, reading Comprehension, critical Thinking and other 17 skills are required.
Construction and Building Inspectors Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Construction and Building Inspectors jobs. 21.74% of Construction and Building Inspectors have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 34.78% of Construction and Building Inspectors have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
21.74%
Post-Secondary Certificate
34.78%
Some College Courses
4.35%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
17.39%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
21.74%

Tasks and Work Activities of Construction and Building Inspectors

  • Inspect bridges, dams, highways, buildings, wiring, plumbing, electrical circuits, sewers, heating systems, or foundations during and after construction for structural quality, general safety, or conformance to specifications and codes.
  • Maintain daily logs and supplement inspection records with photographs.
  • Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
  • Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.
  • Measure dimensions and verify level, alignment, or elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes.
  • Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
  • Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
  • Train, direct, or supervise other construction inspectors.
  • Conduct environmental hazard inspections to identify or quantify problems, such as asbestos, poor air quality, water contamination, or other environmental hazards.
  • Evaluate project details to ensure adherence to environmental regulations.
  • Inspect facilities or installations to determine their environmental impact.
  • Monitor construction activities to ensure that environmental regulations are not violated.
  • Sample and test air to identify gasses, such as bromine, ozone, or sulfur dioxide, or particulates, such as mold, dust, or allergens.
  • Conduct inspections, using survey instruments, metering devices, tape measures, or test equipment.
  • Confer with owners, violators, or authorities to explain regulations or recommend remedial actions.
  • Approve building plans that meet required specifications.
  • Examine lifting or conveying devices, such as elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, hoists, inclined railways, ski lifts, or amusement rides to ensure safety and proper functioning.
  • Estimate cost of completed work or of needed renovations or upgrades.
  • Evaluate premises for cleanliness, such as proper garbage disposal or lack of vermin infestation.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Test electrical equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
  • Inspect plumbing systems or fixtures.
  • Inspect work sites to identify potential environmental or safety hazards.
  • Record operational or environmental data.
  • Evaluate construction projects to determine compliance with external standards or regulations.
  • Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
  • Monitor construction operations.
  • Measure work site dimensions.
  • Evaluate projects to determine compliance with technical specifications.
  • Verify alignment of structures or equipment.
  • Authorize construction activities.
  • Direct construction or extraction personnel.
  • Train construction or extraction personnel.
  • Test air quality at work sites.
  • Inspect completed work to ensure proper installation.
  • Communicate with clients about products, procedures, and policies.
  • Inspect industrial or commercial equipment to ensure proper operation.
  • Estimate construction project costs.

Skills and Abilities for Construction and Building Inspectors

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Visual Color DiscriminationThe ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Adjustable widemouth plierse.g. Adjustable widemouth pliers
  • Adjustable wrenchese.g. Adjustable wrenches
  • Air samplers or collectorse.g. Air sampling devices
  • Air sampling pumpse.g. Air sampling pumps
  • Air velocity and temperature monitorse.g. Air velocity and temperature meters
  • Air velocity and temperature monitorse.g. Airflow meters
  • GFI circuit testerse.g. Arc receptacle testers
  • Scalese.g. Architects' scales
  • Surface thermometerse.g. Asphalt thermometers
  • Levelse.g. Automatic levels
  • Axese.g. Axes
  • Borescope inspection equipmente.g. Borescopes
  • Carbon monoxide analyzere.g. Carbon monoxide detectors
  • Single gas monitorse.g. Chlorine meters
  • Circuit testere.g. Circuit analyzers
  • Multimeterse.g. Clamp-on multimeters
  • Gas detectorse.g. Combustible gas detectors
  • Portable data input terminalse.g. Computerized data collectors
  • Concrete or cement testing instrumentse.g. Concrete strength measurers
  • Building and ConstructionKnowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Engineering and TechnologyKnowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.