Building Inspectors
Organized Labor
If you want to know what’s going on in the trades, ask a building inspector Carpenters Local 22, Plumbers Local 38, and Electricians Local 6 Building inspectors maintain the high level of standards of the building trade. Inspectors know what is being built, who is building it, which contractors are good to work for, and which to avoid. They work with both union and non-union contractors to assure that building and remodeling construction is safe, secure, and of high quality. They look out for the safety of workers, neighbors, the community, and most of all, the people who will live or work in the completed structure. When disaster strikes, anything from fires, floods, or lightning to earthquakes, building inspectors are there to make sure things are put back together in safe order. Building inspectors are particularly important in San Francisco, with it’s influx of skilled and unskilled workers from other areas and cultures. Inspectors not only enforce the standards, but they also educate and train the public in safe building practices. One of the unique aspects of the San Francisco Department of Building Inspectors is that it has specialized inspectors, including electrical and plumbing (members of Local 6 and Local 38). There are also general building inspectors, who inspect the framing and construction and make sure all the other inspections have occurred. These general inspectors are members of Carpenters Local 22. Many have backgrounds as general contractors. On the Jobsite drove around with Dennis Carlin, a general building inspector, as he made his rounds, and then interviewed other inspectors at the San Francisco Department of Building Inspections.