So you want to buy a used house you find it then the paper work starts before you can occupy it.
Radon test -yes
Lead Paint test- yes
Asbestos test- yes
Occupancy permit - some times
Electrical and plumbing inspection- yes
Fire Inspection -some times
So why then can a used house be converted to a Group Home or Personnel Care Home and the above inspections are not done or required?
That's a very good question
To open a Group or Personnel Care Home you have to follow DPW regulations as well as state building codes but this is where it gets murky.
Even thou you are required to have a fire alarm system they are often put in as well as emergency lighting and exit lights with no inspections. all the DPW inspector does is ask if they are working they leave it up to local inspectors to handle and often local inspectors have no idea these systems have been put in and homes have opened up until the first call for police or fire happens and then all the shit hits the fan. Or the inspectors never do show up as community's enforcement of codes does not happen especially in rural areas they could care less who does what in there community.
DPW does check water temperature and all staff have proper training and a bunch of other paper work but when it comes to safety matters they do not inspect these items.
They also do not require a lead paint test or asbestos test in old homes which are converted to group or personnel care use.
I know this goes on because I do work in Group and Personnel care homes and thou I will not work in them unless my work is inspected I know many other contractors who say and do nothing until they are caught.
Why is this done because organizations which run these homes want to sneak in and avoid hassles of zoning hearings even thou thy have to be allowed to operate .
its a shame but it goes on all the time .
I have personally turned in a Barber group home which was being snuck into Peters Twp. in Washington County
when I saw the slob work being done by contractors and owners did nothing to insist it be corrected.
they got all mad I insisted on an inspection its the law and its a liability thing you have it or I do not do the work period where talking about putting lives on the line. But the DPW and home owners could care less. yes the DPW inspectors come in check all the paper work then leave and often in homes with bad wiring and non working fire systems and emergency lighting and structural deficiencies radon, lead paint and asbestos and it happens all the time .
many code officials and Fire marshals know of the problems with how inspections are being done in these homes and all are worried there is going to be a massive amount of fire deaths at one of them due to failure to properly enforce codes but every ones hands are tied until state gets off its ass and acts.
in the mean time if you have a loved one in a group or personnel care home all you can do is hope the operators and local officials are doing the right thing . Many are but many more are not.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Scummy Tactics by Slob Fire Extinguisher Servicing Company's to be aware of.
It happened one day at Penn Hills Fire station 224 # where I once belonged one of the members lounging at the station hears the door bell ring and its the local Fire Extinguisher service guy. Say's he is there to service the fire extinguishers
and he is let in. The only problem he was not suppose to be the one doing it he just told a story to the member who let him in at the time we contracted with a different service . He does minimal service and leaves a week later a bill comes in and the board is trying to figure out where this company came from and why they did service. Well it ends up the member let them in not knowing this company has nothing to do with the servicing of extinguisher at the station.
I wanted them to take this company to court and file fraud charges against them but they would not do it they where afraid the fire company's credit rating would be dinged and besides this company had mob connections supposedly . What bull shit these guys bought and they went and paid the bill after myself and other members told them not to and file charges. Needless to say I have other customers that do use this company with questionable tactics and they have all been switching to some one else after I started checking their fire extinguishers and found they where not being properly serviced. I filed complaints with local fire Marshals etc. and of course no one does a dam thing as usual.
The only defense you have against company's who operate in such a scummy manner is to fire them and not allow them on the premise.
Make it clear to your employees to call you first before they let any technician in to do any kind of work if they are not known. This goes for alarm company's , filter changing company's etc. there are many slob servicing company's out there doing shoddy work and using unethical tactics to do work by tricking an unknowing employee to let them in the door.
If the technician is not to be there inform them to leave if they refuse call 911 and have them removed for trespassing .
Do not allow scummy servicing company's to get away with shoddy work and fraudulent billing.
and he is let in. The only problem he was not suppose to be the one doing it he just told a story to the member who let him in at the time we contracted with a different service . He does minimal service and leaves a week later a bill comes in and the board is trying to figure out where this company came from and why they did service. Well it ends up the member let them in not knowing this company has nothing to do with the servicing of extinguisher at the station.
I wanted them to take this company to court and file fraud charges against them but they would not do it they where afraid the fire company's credit rating would be dinged and besides this company had mob connections supposedly . What bull shit these guys bought and they went and paid the bill after myself and other members told them not to and file charges. Needless to say I have other customers that do use this company with questionable tactics and they have all been switching to some one else after I started checking their fire extinguishers and found they where not being properly serviced. I filed complaints with local fire Marshals etc. and of course no one does a dam thing as usual.
The only defense you have against company's who operate in such a scummy manner is to fire them and not allow them on the premise.
Make it clear to your employees to call you first before they let any technician in to do any kind of work if they are not known. This goes for alarm company's , filter changing company's etc. there are many slob servicing company's out there doing shoddy work and using unethical tactics to do work by tricking an unknowing employee to let them in the door.
If the technician is not to be there inform them to leave if they refuse call 911 and have them removed for trespassing .
Do not allow scummy servicing company's to get away with shoddy work and fraudulent billing.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
A message from God Lightning does Strike twice at this Church and a good reason to install Lighting Arrestor System.
For many years this was one of the largest churches in the Presbyterian Synod in the Pittsburgh region Built in early 1900's it has stood solid as a rock till the 1980's when the steel mills went down in the region and people started moving away by late 90's the church was struggling and finally in 2014 after shutting down and merging with another church the old church was sold to a very large Non Denominational Church group who has spent much time lovingly restoring and cleaning it . The church was open about a month when a horrific summer storm rolled thru on a Sunday morning in late July and one of its steeples was hit by Lightning destroying it and putting a hole in roof and leaking storm water into the church luckily no one was injured but they have a mess on their hands which a restoration contractor is cleaning up an where I will have to do some fire alarm replacement where Horn's and strobes got water soaked.
Needless to say the non denominational group plans on installing a lightning arrestor system after this incident which is actually the 2nd time the church was hit after it happened seems couple old parishioners told them the church was hit once before.
Needless to say you have to ask why the original owners of the church did not install the lightning rods in first place as many churches have them. But you would be surprised just how many do not have them as well.
They cost around $5-30.000+ to install depending on size of building but they are well worth the cost .
Lightning can and will hit any time and anywhere it pleases. The rule of the highest structure getting hit is an old wives tale . This church sits lower than rest of the hill its on and the original church goers probably felt safe they would never get hit again how wrong they where but you know how church committees work if you have ever been on one
Ironically a Catholic Church about a mile away was hit a week later by lighting which caused damage to its organ.
 |
| Damaged left tower |
Needless to say the non denominational group plans on installing a lightning arrestor system after this incident which is actually the 2nd time the church was hit after it happened seems couple old parishioners told them the church was hit once before.
Needless to say you have to ask why the original owners of the church did not install the lightning rods in first place as many churches have them. But you would be surprised just how many do not have them as well.
Lightning can and will hit any time and anywhere it pleases. The rule of the highest structure getting hit is an old wives tale . This church sits lower than rest of the hill its on and the original church goers probably felt safe they would never get hit again how wrong they where but you know how church committees work if you have ever been on one
Ironically a Catholic Church about a mile away was hit a week later by lighting which caused damage to its organ.
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