(a) Appointment and term. The Board of Township Commissioners shall select a Building Inspector who shall serve until the first Monday in January of the next even numbered year or until his or her successor is appointed.
(b) Qualifications. The Building Inspector shall be a person qualified, in the opinion of the Board, and shall be informed on methods of construction, quality and strength of materials, good practice in fire prevention and on other accepted requirements for safe exit facilities and proper installation of electric wiring.
(c) Review of plans and specifications; issuance of permits. He or she shall examine all applications, plans and specifications of any proposed building or structure or alteration or addition to any existing building or structure, and shall approve them within 15 days after the same have been filed if they are in conformity with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable ordinances and State Acts with particular reference to the regulations of the State Department of Labor and Industry, and thereupon issue a permit for such building or structure, or alteration or addition. If such plans and specifications do not conform to this chapter or other applicable ordinances or State Acts, he or she shall refuse permits therefor until they are modified so as to conform to such requirements.
(d) Inspections; violations. He or she shall inspect all buildings or other construction during the course of the work and shall see that the provisions of this chapter and of the permit are carried out. He or she shall recommend to the Board or proper state authorities prosecution for any infraction or violation of applicable ordinances or statutes.
(e) Certificate of occupancy. He or she shall examine and approve or disapprove all applications for certificates of occupancy, and all plans and specifications filed in connection therewith, and shall provide for the issuance of such certificates.
(f) Classification of buildings. He or she shall inspect immediately after completion, and at least once each year thereafter, all buildings other than private dwellings, to determine whether or not their classification, either as to equipment or occupancy, has been changed.
(g) Records. He or she shall keep all applications, plans and specifications and a record of all permits, refusals, inspections, certificates and other action taken by him or her, which records shall be kept on file at his or her office and be subject to inspection during regular business hours. All such records shall become the property of the township and be under the control of the Board.
(h) Recommendations to Board. He or she shall, in addition to enforcing all the provisions of this chapter, recommend to the Board any special regulation or ruling that is, in his or her opinion, necessary to define the intent and purpose of any portion of this chapter.
(I) Stop work orders; removal of materials; revocation of permits. He or she shall have the power to stop erection or alteration of any building where the same is being carried on contrary to any of the provisions of this chapter, and to order the removal of any materials that may be unsafe or unfit for the purpose for which they are intended, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and to revoke the permit for such cause.
(j) Materials and forms of construction. He or she shall have authority, subject to the approval of the Board, to employ the services of a qualified expert or experts to determine the strength of materials or special forms of construction which it is proposed to use in any building or structure for which application for a permit is made; to determine whether any materials being used in any work are suitable for the purpose for which they are intended; to determine whether the work is being done in a substantial and workmanlike manner; and to settle other matters in dispute. After receiving the report of such expert or experts, he or she shall order such changes in the materials or work as are found to be necessary. The cost of all tests of building materials required by this chapter shall be paid by the applicant.
(k) Safety precautions during construction. Whenever the work of erecting or altering any building or structure may, in the judgment of the Building Inspector, affect the public safety, he or she shall direct that precautions be taken by the erection of suitable fences, shelters, scaffolding or other protection at the expense of the applicant.
(l) Fire escapes and appliances. He or she shall have the power and authority to inspect all buildings within the township for the purpose of determining whether the provisions of the State Acts relative to the erection and maintenance of fire escapes and appliances are properly complied with and to assist all authorized State Inspectors in taking such action as may be necessary to enforce such provisions of law.
(m) Copies of Building Code. He or she shall keep on hand at his or her office a supply of copies of this Building Code.
(n) Employment of outside inspectors. He or she or his or her assistant shall make all inspections required by this chapter. He or she may, however, accept reports of recognized inspectors in writing if he or she finds it necessary to employ outside help to properly carry out the provisions of this chapter.
(o) Reports. He or she shall report monthly in writing at the regular meeting of the Board of Township Commissioners and at such time shall report activities of the Building Department. Such report shall state in detail the names of each applicant, the permit number, the location and description in brief of the proposed construction or alteration and the amount of the fee charged and collected.
(p) Right of entry. For the purpose of discharge of his or her duties, he or she shall have the authority to enter any building at any reasonable hour.
(q) Areaways and spaces beyond building line. He or she shall see that existing areaways or open spaces that project beyond the building line are so covered or protected as to be made permanently safe.
(r) Plan reviews by Township Engineer. In any instance where plan reviews are undertaken by the Township Engineer at the request of an applicant, a fee, payable in advance, shall be charged. Such fee shall be established by the Board of Township Commissioners from time to time by resolution.
(Ord. 78, passed 2-3-1947; Ord. 580, passed 2-15-1984)