New-York tribune., 1916-02-26
NEW INSPECTION METHODS
The Fire Commissioner Explains
Proposed Improvements Bill.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Owing no doubt to the fact that Only
summary instead of the bill itself was be-
.ore you, your editorial OF to-day entitled
Better Building Inspection was eyicenily
written under the misapprehensiOn that the
new building inspections bill provides TIA:
the rev Board of Standards and Appeals
shall issue building orders and have force
OF inspectors and that the building supern-
tendents are to sit in review upon their own
orders. While it is true that the building
superntendents under this new bin are %
be members of the Board of Standards and
Appeals, they are such for the purpose o,
making building standards only. and they vii
not sit or have a vote upon any appeal.
AS to the Board of Standards and Appeals
that body as provided for in the new bill IS
not to be an administrative body at all, bs.
only a standard making body and court o.
review, and consequently it will neither NAM
tail a force of inspectors nor issue any or
ders. In addition 20 adopting standards and
rules and regulations it will decide appeal,
from orders of the Fire Commissioner and
building superntendents, and so far as pos.
siblc such decisions will be IN the form o.
binding and permanent precedents
The two principal inspection forces 70 oe
maintained for buildings outside OF tenement
houses, will be those of the building super
intendents, which will inspect actual con-
struction work while in progress, and tn0''
of the Fire Department, which VIII lnspee.
all buildings, except tenements, to see u.'
they are provided with the necessary eA.S'
fire extinguishing appliances and otne' Wv
protection as required by the labor Law, ''
building code and the rules and regulA'iUS'
OF the Board of Standards and Appeals NV
Fire Department will continue TO issue '''
ders for the correction Of conditions IN ei'
listing buildings, and in addition Will IN i'''
ure exercise similar power with respee' !"
factory buildings.
In a word, the bill eliminates the s'A',
Labor Department from the enforcement y. "
fire prevention and safety requirements -
factories in the City of New YORK and iSH,.
fers that power, so far as relates 70 u,e ~
pervison of actual construction, 10 tne oui'..
ing superintendents, and, so far as relates -
tn. enforcement of fire protection ana eA-s
in existing factories, TO the FIRE pep'.,
ment. When the Fire Department ISSUES =
order for Az alteration in factory or -. .
other building a copy Of the order wiz -. :.
sent to the building superintendent, u S
borough where the building is loeate'' -. :.
the building superintendent Will see 'lA' o,
work is done in accordance with lS"'
this arrangement a single structural insp..
ton is to be made TO answer the pulpS.,,,
of both departments, the Fire Depsi...
under the new plan accepting the eef''-s. i.S.,s
Of the building superintendents that 'ns W.. ~.
in its structural features complies WIZ
listing laws and standards.
The bill seeks TO confne the Fire Oep
ment and Building Bureau IN ISSUING 80.
to specific requirements OF law 0iDII 0aST',y
and standards, thus avoiding the pos''U.',y, pv.'.,
of different and varying requiremen" 80 II
made Of building owners. The b0a,.
Standards and Appeals is designed 20 s-T .sss,,
the legal mechanism whereby requiIs-'.s,, .,,.
of orders will be made uniform ana 'Ds 20.
eral administration Of the building avs -. .,.
monized. The bill, while by no means .s.,, p.
feet, is long step in advance .ysoN oi ssoN
conditions. kObE"i
New York, Feb. 81, 1916.