Do you get inspected?

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7,690
Location
Outside the beltway
My shop is between two towns and I get inspected by the county fire Marshal, in the 13 years at this location I've they have dropped in twice. The last time I was asked to buy a fire prof locker for the 55 gal drum of lacquer thinner.

The tread talking about fire alarms got me thinking of all the shops who have had fires in the DC metro area. Reg's are a good thing. Keeps you honest and aware of the impending hazards.

Shops which have or work with allot of Chemicals should have 3 most essentials idems;
Fire alarms
sprinkle system
fire prof lockers
 
I'm only about 99% paranoid. ;)
Any g'bmnt types come around without a warrant or friendly smile, they will get a rude goodbye.
It's an Ozark tradition, leave folks alone on their own place.
 
Frank my grandfather had a still down in your neck of the woods many many years ago. I know what you mean

But I do ware a smile , leave my doors open to anyone with a shot gun always near by. LOL
 
Shops which have or work with allot of Chemicals should have 3 most essentials idems;
Fire alarms
sprinkle system
fire prof lockers

Dave, I have been thinking a lot lately about getting a flammable storage cabinet and a oil waste can. They are pricey little buggers though. Still they are probably worth it. I just have a little shop (attached garage), but my small collection of paints, solvents, finishes and stains are a hazard.
 
I'm only about 99% paranoid. ;)
Any g'bmnt types come around without a warrant or friendly smile, they will get a rude goodbye.
It's an Ozark tradition, leave folks alone on their own place.

The most frightening sentence in the english language...."We're from the Government, We're here to help".
 
Frank you really make me laugh "99% Paranoid".:rofl::rofl::rofl: "An Ozark traddition to leave folks alone". Could you come and tell that to my NN preferably with one of those black power guns and full dress. They will think they are about to be invaded. First by an old country boy with a long grey beard that could be mistaken for something else, then by an apparition from the past armed with a historical rifle. It might just scare them into moving.:rofl::rofl:

Dave thanks for the post. After having managed to get my dream shop the last thing I want to happen is to loose it due to some hazard, accident etc involving fire. Even if the insurance guys paid out handsomly which I doubt, I just would not want to rebuild it all again.

I have been thinking of this aspect and have an idea to use a half size metal stationary cabinet and seal it up well with some mods.
 
It would be interesting to see what actually "right" they have to come on your property and check for such things.

Here the Game Wardens abuse their power by quite a bit. I read the regulations on what they can and cannot do, and I would say that 90% of what they do is actually consider trespass by law. They continue to do it because most of the people are afraid to stand up to a person "in power". I'm not. I have nothing to hide, but right is right and wrong is wrong. Simply saying, "can I see your warrant", typically sends them packing. I farm right and do things accordingly and they should as well. If they would like to waste their time, waste the judges times and come back with paperwork in hand, they are going to be sorely disappointed, but if they think they can just ride around on my land and do some snooping...sorry that's trespass.

To answer your question though, yes my house and shop is inspected every year by the State Fire Marshall. That is because I am a foster parent and that is part of the requirements. I have no issue with this since I am the one that decided to be a foster parent and have a contractual, and moral obligation to be safe and compliant. That's not a privacy right that's lost, it is a voluntary situation I allow by agreeing to being a foster parent. Hopefully I don't sound like a hypocrite by saying all this.
 
Frank you really make me laugh "99% Paranoid".:rofl::rofl::rofl: "An Ozark traddition to leave folks alone". Could you come and tell that to my NN preferably with one of those black power guns and full dress. They will think they are about to be invaded. First by an old country boy with a long grey beard that could be mistaken for something else, then by an apparition from the past armed with a historical rifle. It might just scare them into moving.:rofl::rofl:

Dave thanks for the post. After having managed to get my dream shop the last thing I want to happen is to loose it due to some hazard, accident etc involving fire. Even if the insurance guys paid out handsomly which I doubt, I just would not want to rebuild it all again.

I have been thinking of this aspect and have an idea to use a half size metal stationary cabinet and seal it up well with some mods.

Rob
Actually, some of my buddies did visit yer country in the years following 1776 and delivered some very unmistakable messages. ;) Borders would be different today if they hadn't made the trip.
 
Rob I've heard of 3 major fires to refinishing shop in the DC area. Most are coused by fan sparks. Some basic rules; no electical tool or plugs in the stripping area, no trach cans or saw dust and rags near a grinder, no smoking in the shop, no hang overs allowed, no ruff house, turn off all equipment at night.

Any others you might think of?
 
A cabinet shop I used to work at in Dundalk, Md burned to the ground back in september of 2006. Fortunately everybody was gone for the day. The building was a total loss even before the first fire truck made it on the seen and they were less than a mile away.
 
Thanks goodness In my neck of the woods we do not have such inspections for private homes. We have enough intrusions into our lives the way it is. However commercial establishments particularly if you have large amounts of patronage such as bars, restaurants, daycare centers etc. do get fire protection inspections by city and or country fire marshals. Most certificate of occupancy regs for commercial properly require passing the fire codes.

Being a home inspector for the last 12 years I see lots of bad stuff in peoples garages and surprised I don't see more fires. We just need to use good practices with our flammable and combustible materials. Use good ventilation. do not use in garage with open flames such as water heaters. Do not store any combustibles or flammables near a water heater or other source of ignition. and always store your combustibles and flammables in appropriate containers. Smoke detectors are not a bad ideas and frequently checked appropriate fire extinguishers are always a good idea. Cleanliness is not a bad idea keeping dust and wood debris to a minimum. Basically we just need to use common sense.

Good Luck

Alan
 
It would be nice if the fire marshalls were consistent. I've had them show up at a jobsite one day and tell me one thing and come back the next and tell me thats not what they want but now I need to do this:doh:. Can't fight it cause then they just make your life miserable:(.
 
A cabinet shop I used to work at in Dundalk, Md burned to the ground back in september of 2006. Fortunately everybody was gone for the day. The building was a total loss even before the first fire truck made it on the seen and they were less than a mile away.

Alan,

Yep. The stories and pics from that one are still up: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/9772367/detail.html

The place is only about 20 miles from here...

Whenever I hear people saying "we don't need the municipality looking over our shoulders", I smile and think of these sites: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/info/0,,20211283,00.html

Nope, I don't want them coming in checking up on what I'm doing, but I sure am glad they're checking up on my neighbor, so his house doesn't burn down and take mine with it. And I'm sure Kumar feels the same way! ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
We haven't had our house inspected, but we get yearly brush clearance inspections from the Fire Department. I've never seen them when they do it (they appear to be drive-by inspections), but we would get a notice letting us know if they think we haven't cleared enough. I haven't gotten a letter, but some of our neighbors have. They also periodically check our street for illegally parked cars. We're in a fire zone, so one side of the street is off-limits to parking on "Red Flag" days when the fire danger is extraordinarily high.
 
Alan you were not far from me then either. I've had the fire inspector in here twice is 13 years. I don't mind them coming in, I know I am one of the only shops fully compliant. They just keep me honest.
 
Dave, in the little over three years I worked there I don't ever remember a visit by the fire marshal. Its a shame cause the owner was a good person to work for. I'd probably would have still been there if I didn't have an opportunity to advance myself in another career. I guess things happen for a reason.
 
Fire Marshal

Gentlemen,

I work as a fire marshal in DC, Dave where is your shop? I'm suprised you've only been inspected 3 X in 13 years. We inspect all commercial shops WITH spray booths annually, if they do not have a spray booth and no other VOC Chemicals or Haz-Mat permits then they only get inspected at opening and change of occupant or change of use.

We require all shops to pay a 200.00 annual permit fee for a spray booth and to get the permit a fire marshal must perform an inspection where we then get the right to inspect otherwise no permit and I get an admiistrative warrant to inspect your property under the guise of looking out for the communitys safety.

Anyways, since Im a part-time proffesional woodworker/cabinetmaker I 'm usually to busy BSing with the guys to look around much, I really just point stuff out to them looking out for thier buisness not coming of as a fire nazi (and believe me they are out there).

Want to know anything else, or if I can help you out let me know.

Scott
 
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