Welcome to the ACIA!
Our Association was incorporated in 1959 to promote educational opportunities, share information about construction and inspection, and to promote standards of knowledge and conduct for all construction inspectors regardless of their area of expertise or employment. To promote these goals, the Association has established various committees and programs.
The ACIA's Board of Registered Construction Inspectors was created as a semiautonomous entity of the Association in 1984 to establish a program to set minimum standards for general engineering inspectors, general building inspectors, public works inspectors, and for different categories of specialty inspectors. The RCI Board receives and processes applications for registration, conducts examinations and registers construction inspectors who successfully meet all the requirements provided for in the Rules and Regulations of the RCI Board. Registrations may be renewed by payment of a $75.00 renewal fee and verification of the registrants having completed a minimum of thirty-six units of continuing education.
The ACIA's Education Committee develops and conducts educational seminars throughout the year on a wide variety of topics of interest. Recent seminars produced ranged from Concrete, Reinforcing Steel, Seismic Bracing, Plumbing, Grading and Paving, Wood Framing; to Toxic Waste and Fire Protection along with others. This committee provides continuing education programs to help our Registered Construction Inspectors meet the RCI Board's requirements for renewal of their registrations.
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Written by David Karina, Assoc. AIA, RCI, CSI, CDT
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Repealing the Field Act in any way, shape or form is not good for the life/safety of the school children of California.
Many school districts span more than one city jurisdiction, to transfer permit and inspection responsibility to local agencies would create a potential bottleneck for plan submittals, plan checks, back checks, inspections, fire & life safety, structural safety and the list goes on. How much continuity between jurisdictions exists? How long would it take to transfer data and to train these agencies to the specific requirements for school construction? Where will they acquire qualified staff from?
Removing continuous inspection by inspectors specifically trained and certified by DSA to inspect schools and replacing them with part time inspections not certified for Title 24 is a recipe for certain disaster when it’s California’s time again for a large earthquake. That time is inevitable, morning, noon or evening, or during a major event. |
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Written by David Karina, Assoc. AIA, RCI, CSI, CDT
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On February 18, 2010, legislation was introduced to the California State Senate that appears to propose shocking changes regarding the 77 year successful history of the Field Act.
SB 1227 proposes to transfer the duties of the Department of General Services with regard to design and construction of school buildings, as defined to include buildings used for elementary, secondary, and community college purposes, to the building department of the “appropriate local jurisdiction”.
SB 1227 proposes to repeal numerous sections of both the California Education and Government Codes while amending other sections. |
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Written by Gerald Schafer, RCI
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The ACIA recently began accepting online "self-study" credits as CEUs acceptable for RCI renewal purposes, up to 12 units in a three (3) year period.
The website www.aecdaily.com offers over 100 construction and inspection related classes online for free.
If you are having problems getting enough Continuing Education Units to complete your RCI renewal requirements, this is your chance to catch up at your convenience at no cost to you.
Just be sure to print out your completion certificate at the end of the class for proof of attendance. |
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Written by David Karina, Assoc. AIA, RCI, CSI, CDT
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ACIA has notified the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal-EMA) that they are prepared to access their data base of certified SAP Evaluators in the event volunteers are needed. ACIA has received many calls inquiring if Cal-EMA certified SAP Evaluators will be needed in response to the recent earthquake in Haiti.
Cal-EMA has not yet been contacted which in turn means that ACIA and the other partnering organizations have not been contacted for evaluators.
This disaster once again illustrates the reality of the devastation that earthquakes can unleash regardless of geographic location.
In its continuing preparation, ACIA is scheduling a series of training and certification classes for Cal-EMA Safety Assessment Program Evaluators for 2010 in efforts to assist local jurisdictions when the need arises.
The first of these classes will take place in February. Please check with your local ACIA chapter or contact ACIA at 626.797.2242 to register. Your local communities may need you in the future. |
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Written by David Karina, Assoc. AIA, RCI, CSI, CDT
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By now it’s common knowledge that the current economic recession has not overlooked the construction inspection industry and has left many inspectors impacted by its continued development.
One fact remains however which is that this recession, like others before will eventually end and the economy will recover. It is the astute inspectors who recognize these challenging times as the perfect opportunity to develop valuable new skills that will provide inspectors with the advantage they will need once the economy recovers and the next construction boom begins.
For years now many entrepreneurial individuals have taken advantage of the system by offering their version of inspector exam prep classes. Sounds like a great idea but what do these classes really teach the candidates other than how to apply for and take the exam? As a result the market is now overrun with inspectors who have passed an exam based on obtaining a minimal passing score but have little or no knowledge of contract administration. This lack of knowledge can lead to potential issues for everyone, owner, designers and yes, the inspector.
Today’s professional construction inspector’s knowledge base needs to exceed that of verifying construction compliance with approved documents. They also need to have a firm grasp of contract administration and document control. |
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Written by Dale Lacasella
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The Division of the State Architect will be at the Green California Schools Summit and Exposition December 10th and 11th in Pasadena, California, and they invite you to Booth 311/411: “Passport to Grid Neutral and Green Schools”
This resource booth will be an Interagency informational booth sponsored by the Division of the State Architect. The following agencies will be available to talk with you and provide information on how to build a California school in challenging times, and ideas on how to make it green, and even grid neutral. |
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