s020319 #3 Reporting construction defects or deterioration although no failure
Identifier: s020319 #3
Date: 08/01/2002
Question
Many items I report as concerns are construction defects or deterioration that have not yet caused the items to fail. Am I going beyond the SoP or fully within the SoP? These items are not at the end of their service life and are not safety issues.
Response
3. An inspector is within the reporting duties of SoP section 2.2 if he/she judges a system or component as unsafe (see glossary definition), not functioning (see #1 above), NEAR the end of its service life (per 2.2.B.1), at the end of its service life (per RFI s991109-3), or defective to a significant degree (per RFI s991109-3) which might include, in his/her professional opinion, a construction defect or deterioration. However, if the inspector judges defective construction or a deteriorated item to be safe, functioning, not near or at the end of service life, and not defective to a significant degree, then reporting per section 2.2 is neither required nor prohibited.