Front Page News for the Inspector

The goal of the Inspector is to...

Remember that you are the last line of defense in order to have a quality finished project. The people that fund the projects, the engineers, and our posterity, all depend on the inspector's attention to detail.
Familiarize yourself with the best construction practices.
This, in conjuction with cost control will result in the 'Best return on the Dollar'.
There are so many things to know it may seem overwhelming at first. Technical knowlege and skills are required. It is not learned overnight and don't be ashamed to ask questions of your peers. No one knows everything.
The City of Lee's Summit's Public Works Department has an inspection staff to ensure quality construction

Helpful links:
Public Works Accreditation**Design and Construction Manual**Personnel Policy
Inspection Philosophy,Daily & Pay Quantity Diaries** APWA Standard Drawings City of Lee's Summit Emergency Operational Plan
 

 

The City of Lee's Summit has two distinct types of specifications that sometimes overlap. The Developement of private property often expands and improves public infrastructure. Those improvements are governed by the City of Lee's Summit Design and Construction Manual. The City's manual is largely comprised of the APWA specifications, with a few exceptions that has been noted.

The Developement Inspector has many duties that are distinct from the typical CIP inspector. The Developement Inspector prior to construction, must insure that the plans have been approved by the City, inspection and engineering fees have been paid(issuing the permit in CityView), the land disturbance permit has been approved and any outstanding issues have been resolved. The documentation of field observations (see example) are tracked on the City's software called CityView. Entries can be done in the field on the City issued "Toughbooks".
The CIP type of construction is the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), which uses monies from taxes to improve public infrastructure. Those construction projects are bound by specific contract. The specific contracts do refer to project specifications, such as: The D&C Manual, APWA, MoDot, ACI, or other organizations.

The CIP inspector's duties vary. Besides the observation of construction, this inspector also tracks items such as wage rates, item quantities, time and materials, and progress.

Public Works Construction relies on technical information, visual inspection, materials testing, policies and procedures to name a few.
This information is intended to guide the Construction Inspector in achieving a high quality of confidence when conducting his duties and responsibilities.

Overall quality control of contractual items is a absolute must. This quality can only be as good as the individual commitment that each inspector puts towards performing his/her role. Communication is very important, no one person can account for the hundreds of individual questions affecting the quality of the project and the interpretation of the plans and specifications. An inspector needs to utilize his resources and tap into his knowledge base of City Engineering Staff.
Due to the isolation to a specific project for an extended amount of the time, don’t feel removed from your colleagues. Use them to discuss and assist in resolving issues.

Don't Believe all the Quotes You See on the Internet

''Abraham Lincoln"