I do agree that the situation as its presented would dictate whether or not a rational approach to enlightenment is prudent. I wasn't there to watch the circles being drawn/measured on the floor. I wasn't able to read any body language and I didn't hear the conversations first hand. This inspector may very well have fit into the type you described below. I was arm-chair quarterbacking based on the information given. So I apologize for stating that an opportunity for education should have taken place with an AHJ that clearly wouldn't have received it well if at all. However if the situation did present itself as such, I would have hoped some constructive criticism and education took place.
My point however is that IF such an opportunity exists to educate those on either side of the table I would expect it to happen. And if the inspector I was supervising had a problem with it, I would definitely talk to them about it. I guess I've just look though things from a customer service POV for too long and when a potential educational moment arises to take it. I always explain to a customer WHY something is the way it is and not just WHAT it is. Once they understand the WHY things go a lot smoother. I also want to say that I do appreciate those that have been in the business (or any business for that matter) developing a sense of humor about this stuff and I understand the need to vent in a non lethal way. Trust me I do. PS- Ron, if there is anything I can do to help with the situation you described, sincerely, please let me know. I would be more than happy to work with you. Steve -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve Leyton Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 9:40 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: How would you address this? I'd like to basically second what Ron wrote earlier. But even from "your side of the counter", you have to appreciate that after a few years in the biz, some of us have developed a sense of what is and then again what is definitely NOT a teachable moment. Several years ago I got a call from a plans reviewer - I cannot even remember the jurisdiction but it was an out of town project for us and I'd never submitted to this FD. This fine fellow was beside himself and wanted to talk to whomever prepared the calculations for this project. I don't remember if it was me or a subordinate but I took the call. He wanted to know if I was the license holder - I was not. He wanted to know if we had an FPE or NICET IV on staff - we did not. I asked him what his issue was and he told me that he was contemplating a complaint to the state license board because we clearly had no idea how to calculate a sprinkler system. Understand that these were software-generated worksheets he was looking at. His issue was that the end sprinkler required 18.3psi and we were only flowing 21.something at the second, and only 27.something at the third on the lines, and so on. Any idiot should know that we'd need at least 54.9 (18.3 x 3) at the third sprinkler in order to meet the demand established at the end sprinkler. I tried to explain to him how it worked and then it occurred to me that the unthinkable had happened: I was at a complete loss for words. I did not have (at that time at least) the communication or technical skills to explain it to him. But beyond that, he was "that guy" that threw out his encyclopedia because he already knew everything. The harder I pressed to explain hydraulics to him, the angrier he became and then he told me that he had heard enough. If someone as dimwitted as me was the design manager of a contractor that would submit such rubbish, he knew we'd never obtain his approval and the conversation was officially a waste of his time. We hung up, I redialed the front line of his fire prevention bureau and requested to leave a message for either the Fire Marshal for the Chief Officer in charge of prevention. I ratted the guy out, I was promised a different reviewer and we got great service after that. But I also received a call from the guy outside of work telling me what an a-hole I was for not having the nads to settle my issues with him personally like a man. Sometimes, you have to make a judgment call to stay in a resolution-based state. Or have Ken Wagoner call them on your behalf - that's often entertaining, at least. Steve L. _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
