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Code Inspection for Healthier HomesTrainer Guide

Guide Overview

Using the Trainer Guide

This guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the presentation files:4_Code_PP_10.05.15.INTRO5_Code_PP_10.05.15.KEY CONCEPTS6_Code_PP_10.05.15.CODE BASICS7_Code_PP_10.05.15.IPMC AND NHHS8_Code_PP_10.05.15.CODES AND KEEP-ITS9_Code_PP_10.05.15.VIRTUAL INSPECTION10_Code_PP_10.05.15.LAWS AND ISSUES

Each slide contains a set of instructional notes. It is understood that trainers will bring their own expertise to the course, but key points to be covered are printed in bold font.

In addition, this course includes a number of trainer-led discussions and activities. Using the set of graphic cues described below, this document will guide the trainer through the sequence of events.

Graphic Cues

Open FileTrainer-led Discussion

PPT Slide Animated Slide Group Discussion Break

Course Overview

Goal of Course

The goal of this course is to provide code inspectors with the knowledge and skills to incorporate a focus on healthy homes into their work.

Learning Objectives

After completing this program, participants will be able to:

Understand key concepts related to healthy housing, as demonstrated by an ability to:

o Explain the connection between health and housing.o Describe the importance of a holistic approach.o Name all healthy homes principles, and explain three hazards

related to each. Better understand their role in the code enforcement process, as demonstrated

by an ability to:

o Describe the evolution of housing codes.o Identify two ways in which an inspection is initiated, and two

inspection approaches.o Discuss three violations that may impact health.

Understand current code requirements, as demonstrated by an ability to:

o Define and compare the IPMC and NHHS.o Assess your local code inspection program and practices.o Conduct a virtual code inspection.

Better understand landlord and tenant laws and issues related to code inspection:

o Brainstorm ways to help residents address identified hazards.o Describe the scope of residents’ and landlords’ ability to invoke

change.o Describe the legal aid referral process.

Program Timing

This is a one-day course with a suggested start time of 8:30 AM and suggested end time of 4:00 PM.

Number of Participants

The minimum number of students for this course is 8. Trainers should use their judgment regarding the maximum number of students.

Revision Date 10/1/2015 Page ii

Course Preparation

Beforehand: Collect Local Information

The more information you have related to the local community, the more relevant this course will be for your audience. To the extent possibly, you should:

Prepare a summary of the local code inspection process – you may also do this as an exercise at the beginning of the course.

Contact the manager/director of local code officials to determine if that person or another code official can provide expert advice during the course.

Bring a condensed or summary version of local health and housing codes. You can download this information at http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/healthy-homes.aspx.

Determine if the locality the inspectors are representing has a formal assessment form that they use. If so, bring a copy to the course. If not, bring a sample from another locality.

Identify a legal aid services representative to provide expert advice during the course on legal aid services and landlord/tenant laws.

Provide several copies of the state’s landlord/tenant laws. This is available online at the website listed under bullet #3.

Collect information on the top five code violations in the jurisdiction. If necessary, you can query students during the course for this information.

Collect pictures of local homes with code violations. You can ask a local organization if they can provide pictures from actual homes in their area that have been cited for code violations. You should obtain 6-7 interior and 3-4 exterior photos, for a total of 10 pictures. Make copies of the sets of pictures so that you have enough for small groups of 4-5 students each. Then, the instructor would have the code inspectors identify the potential code violations by using the local codes when applicable. If collecting pictures is not possible, use the pictures provided by the Training Center.

Use photos that depict as many code violations as possible.

Beforehand: Assemble Required Materials

In addition to this Trainer Guide and the presentation files, the following materials are required for this course:

Student Manual (one per student) containing:

o Copies of all presentation slideso Exercise 1: Making the Connectiono Exercise 2: Reviewing Your Codes

Revision Date 10/1/2015 Page iii

http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/healthy-homes.aspx

http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/healthy-homes.aspx

o Exercise 3: Virtual Inspectiono References

Flip charts and markers

Expo markers to add notes to slides if desired

Seven folders of pictures for Exercise #3: Virtual Inspection

American Housing Survey local data if possible

Key provisions of local health and housing codes

Assessment checklist that local code inspectors use (if applicable)

Day Of: Room Setup

Trainers should plan to arrive 45 minutes before the course starts to prepare the room:

Arrange tables, chairs, and training equipment in a manner that makes it easy for students to view slides and participate in group discussions.

Distribute student materials to each seat.

Write your name and contact information on a flip chart and post it on the wall.

Set out demonstration supplies so you have them available.

Set up the table with the training tools and resources.

Tape four flip chart pages on a wall to look like this chart. This is for “Exercise: 1 Making the Connection.” Don’t forget the one lower sheet because there are many hazards to list. If possible, offset the lower sheet about 6” to the left so it overlaps with the “Health Impacts” sheet. Tape the bottom corners to avoid drawing on the wall.

Revision Date 10/1/2015

Health Impacts

Hazards Fixes

Page iv

Course Agenda

Getting Started Introductions Goals and Objectives

8:30 – 9:15

Key Concepts Exercise 1: Making the Connection Let’s Get Holistic The Keep-Its Remain Standing If…

9:15 – 10:30

Break 10:30 – 10:45

Housing Code Basics Evolving Codes Unhealthy Housing Is There an Inspector in the House?

10:45 – 11:30

Code Requirements What’s In a Code? IPMC and NHHS

11:30 – 12:00

Lunch 12:00 – 1:00

Code Requirements (continued) Codes and the Keep-Its Exercise 2: Reviewing Your Codes

1:00 – 1:30

Break 1:30 – 1:45

Virtual Code Inspection Exercise 3: Virtual Inspection Review of Virtual Inspection

1:45 – 2:452:45 – 3:00

Landlord-Tenant Laws and Issues Rights and Responsibilities Legal Aid Referral Process

3:00 – 3:45

Wrap-up, Review, Course Evaluation, Adjourn 3:45 – 4:00Revision Date 10/1/2015 Page v

Getting Started

File: 4_Code_PP_10.05.15.INTRO

Slide: Code Inspection for Healthier Homes

Introduce yourself: Describe your background as it relates to HHS, healthy homes, code inspection,

training, the local community, etc.

Describe classroom logistics:

Review the day’s agenda.

Tell students how breaks, including lunch, will be handled.

Make sure students know where the restrooms are located.

Invite students to stretch in the back of the room as needed.

Explain how questions will be handled. If using notecards, explain students can write questions and comments on the cards and put them on the trainer’s table during breaks or at end of the day.

Have students introduce themselves (if class size allows):

In addition to their names, students might identify the organization they work for and their role within that organization. (With smaller groups it may be possible to add an icebreaker question such as “What is one fun fact that no one in this room knows about you.”

Slide: National Healthy Homes Training Center & Network

Briefly describe the role of the Training Center.

Slide: Goals and Objectives

Describe goals, then click to reveal each set of corresponding objectives.

NOTE: When discussing the last goal, “Understand Landlord/Tenant Laws and Issues,” point out that legal aid may not be an option in every jurisdiction, so there could be other agencies that can provide legal resources.

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Module 1: Key Concepts

File: 5_Code_PP_10.05.15.KEY CONCEPTS

Module Objectives

Slide: Understand Key Concepts

Click to reveal each objective for Module 1. Briefly discuss each.

Making the Connection

Slide: Exercise 1: Making the Connection

Introduce the activity:1. Direct students to the Exercise 1 form in their manuals.2. Draw their attention to the set of Exercise 1 flip charts you prepared before class.3. You may want to ask students to take a minute to write out two answers for each

column on their copy of the form.4. You may want to ask for a volunteer to be the scribe while you facilitate the

discussion. Explain there may be a lot of people talking all at once, but you’ll clarify what should be written down.

5. Identify health problems and related hazards: Begin by asking students to identify a home-related health problem. Have your

scribe list the first response that you hear – usually it will be asthma.

Before listing additional health problems, ask students what housing hazards might cause or exacerbate the identified problem.

Repeat steps “a” and “b” until you have a complete list. See the exercise answer key (below) for suggested answers.

Some points to consider:

✔ Lead poisoning is not a health impact but brain damage from lead poisoning is.

✔ Don’t forget injuries and death under health impacts.✔ Don’t forget damp indoor spaces under hazards.

You may want to draw lines from some health impacts such as asthma to death.

6. Identify fixes. You may want to start by seeing if the scribe would like to turn the job over to

another volunteer.


Ask the students to identify possible fixes for each problem. Students will usually throw out a few ideas, such as education.

To reinforce the point about fixes addressing multiple hazards, identify the health hazards that would be addressed by one of the principles such as Keep It Dry. Draw lines to make it clear.

Slide: Links Between Health and Housing: World Health Organization, 2005

This is a set of 11 slides that act as a single animated slide.

EXPLAIN:The link between housing and health has been studied in depth in numerous articles. The World Health Organization has reviewed the evidence on how well certain housing deficiencies have been linked to specific disease and injury outcomes in the scientific literature.

As we’ll see in the following slides, there is sufficient evidence that links housing factors to health effects such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, allergies, and adverse developmental outcomes.

Likewise, effective interventions have been shown to improve these health outcomes. These multifaceted, in-home tailored interventions include, but are not limited to, integrated pest management, elimination of moisture intrusion, removal of moldy items, active radon mitigation, smoke-free policies, residential lead hazard control, installed working smoke alarms, isolation pool fencing, preset safe-temperature water heaters, and rental vouchers.


Click to reveal the first slide.

EXPLAIN:The CDC defines “excess mortality” as “the difference between the number of deaths observed in a racial/ethnic group and the number of deaths that would have occurred in that group if it had the same death rate as the non-Hispanic white population.”

Click through the next nine slides to reveal the complete list of factors identified by the WHO in 2005 as showing Sufficient or Some evidence for estimating housing-related burden of disease. Discuss each briefly.

Some terms that may need to be defined include: hygrothermal: of or relating to a combination of moisture and heat volatile: turns to vapor at low temperatures

EXPLAIN:Alternatively, other evidence is not as strong in linking housing to the burden of disease. We would all agree that biological factors such as cockroaches, rodents and mice can increase allergies in occupants. However, insufficient evidence exists for a few factors including lighting conditions and, surprisingly, particulate matter as an association with health effects.

Click to reveal the list of factors identified by the WHO in 2005 as showing Insufficient evidence for estimating housing-related burden of disease.

Slide: What Is Healthy Housing?

Click to reveal the five components of the definition.

EXPLAIN:This is the definition of healthy housing that the National Center for Healthy Housing uses. There is no statutory or regulatory definition. Note that the definition brings in occupant health – starting with people.

Slide: Why Do We Care?

Click to reveal first bullet.

EXPLAIN:Researchers have linked indoor air pollution and other exposures in homes to acute and chronic diseases, including cancer. Today, we know that the primary exposure setting for most Americans is the indoor environment. Most of us, especially children, spend more time inside than outside. The air we breathe and things we touch inside matter. A range of health problems result from housing hazards including injuries, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, carbon monoxide poisoning, cancers, and childhood lead poisoning.


NOTE: Children and seniors are the most vulnerable populations.

Click to reveal second bullet.

EXPLAIN:Children spend most time indoors; eat and drink more than adults; are still developing; and behave differently

Click to reveal third bullet.

EXPLAIN:Seniors spend most time indoors; have breathing problems that are easily triggered; are prone to falling; overheat easily.

Slide: Why Start with People?

Usually this slide gets a chuckle from the audience. But after the chuckles die down, lead a class discussion.

DISCUSS:What role do people serve in the healthy housing process?

Allow students to share their thoughts, but then share the following:

EXPLAIN: They are a source of information about the home.

They can point out problems that occurred in the past and may only be obvious at night (like pests).

They can be difficult (HOW?), but you can develop strategies for dealing with them (HOW?)

You need to recognize a resident’s agenda. They usually have a story that they want to tell. Until they tell the story, they may not be able to listen. The story may be a battle with a landlord or frustration with a contractor. Healthy housing professionals need to listen and then ask questions.

When and how are residents likely to be difficult?

Allow students to share their thoughts, which may include “giving a biased view of an issue.” Conclude the discussion by asking students to strategize ways to get the information they need.

Slide: Health and Housing Agencies

Begin by briefly describing the components of Health and Housing.

EXPLAIN:


Research has shown over and over again that there is an overlap between health and housing, however…

Click to separate health and housing.

EXPLAIN:…within a local government that overlap is not necessary represented by how agencies are set up, so understanding the landscape of how the agencies are set up, can help you navigate providing health and housing services.

And speaking of government agencies…

Click to change color of Environmental Health.

EXPLAIN:…whereas we consider environmental factors to be part of the bubble of “Health,” and it IS often is a department within the department of public health…

Click to move Environmental Health.

EXPLAIN:…this is not always the case. So t is important to know the structure of your local government agencies, and now how to best work with them.The Environmental Health department, whether or not it’s a separate entity, can often serve as a bridge between the health department and the housing department.

Let’s Get Holistic

Slide: Epidemiologic Triangle of Disease and Injury

EXPLAIN:There are many different ways to think about the relationship between health and housing. One traditional model is the Epidemiologic Triangle. It may be familiar topublic and environmental health professionals. It is an excellent tool to use for analyzing a complex situation. It identifies three elements that combine to cause an adverse health affect (disease or injury). You might also think of this as the who, what, and where triangle of disease.

Click to reveal WHO.

EXPLAIN:The PERSON, or host, is the who.

Click to reveal WHAT.

EXPLAIN:The SOURCE is the what that can bring about changes in a person’s health. Sources of


disease and injury can be biological, chemical, and physical.

Click to reveal WHERE.

EXPLAIN:The ENVIRONMENT is where one lives – the home environment. Environmental factors we will consider include geography, climate, type of community, and factors of the home itself.

Click to reveal TRANSPORT MECHANISM.

EXPLAIN:The TRANSPORT MECHANISM is any means, direct or indirect, by which a source (what) is spread from the environment (where) to the person (who). Transport mechanisms are either (1) an insect or any living carrier which transports a pathogenic microorganism from the sick to the well, or (2) an inanimate object that transports the source to the person. A transport mechanism ties the three pieces of the triangle together.

This triangle is to you understand the connection to health and how your practices could intervene in the transport mechanism and minimize or eliminate exposure to the occupants.

In this course, we do not rely heavily on the triangle because for us the person is usually the resident and the environment is the home. With two legs of the triangle established, it is simpler approach.

Slide: Holistic Approach

EXPLAIN:Today we are introducing a different way of thinking about the home environment. We are proposing that instead of using a categorical approach, we should be using a holistic approach. This is an integrated approach that considers the people living in the home, the structure, and the potential health hazards. Considering health and housing problems together in a coordinated way is more efficient and prevention-effective.

Healthy Homes programs offer a comprehensive and coordinated approach by promoting interagency collaboration, community participation, and cross training. Your jurisdiction may not have a healthy homes program, but you can start thinking in a collaborated, coordinated manner by asking yourself two questions during your housing inspection:

1. How does this house affect the occupants?2. How does the occupant’s behavior affect the performance and function of the

house?


Slide: Why a Holistic Approach?

EXPLAIN:The Holistic Approach allows us to better understand how factors related to healthy housing are interrelated.

Click to reveal the relationships between various factors.

EXPLAIN:1. A storm—a hazard beyond anyone’s control—leads to flooding. What problems

might this cause?2. The flooding leads to mold and structural damage. What problems might this cause?3. The mold can trigger asthma.4. The structural damage may lead to an infestation of rodents and insects, which can

also trigger asthma.5. To deal with the rodents and bugs, residents are likely to start using poisons in the

home.6. If they’re not careful, residents may accidentally contaminate their own food, causing

them to ingest the poison.7. Also, small children who are in close contact with the floor and are prone to putting

things in their mouths are likely to ingest the poison. In addition to getting it through their food.

8. The structural damage is also likely to lead to problems inside the home, such as peeling paint, which can present dangers to children.

9. And may lead to injuries.10. Or even fire.

EXPLAIN:This is something to keep in mind when writing citations. It may help you take a more proactive approach to creating and maintaining healthy homes. For example, if you start with a moisture issue and the inspector issues a code citations, this may prevent the other issues from developing such as asthma symptoms, pests, lead deterioration, etc. and promote better occupant health.

This is fine, but what are the exceptions, limitations, etc. of writing citations? We’ve heard a number of them mentioned such as citing a landlord versus an elderly person on a fixed income. Also, code inspectors have indicated that often times the person responsible for the violations won’t respond until legal action begins, which often prolongs the process unnecessarily.

The Keep-Its

Slide: Healthy Homes Principles: The Keep-Its


EXPLAIN:Healthy Homes is a systems level approach. It is a comprehensive and coordinated approach by promoting interagency collaboration, community participation, and cross training.

We have few programs that look at the whole home environment and the total needs of a family. In this training, we are introducing a new way of thinking about the home environment – an integrated approach that considers the people living in the home, the structure, and the potential health hazards. Considering health and housing problems together in a coordinated way is more efficient and prevention-effective. Many of the core healthy homes principles are captured in the codes and regulations designed to protect residents.

Click to reveal each of the 7 principles, discussing each briefly.

Finally, click to reveal the question: Can you name three hazards related to each?

DISCUSS:For each Keep-It, solicit volunteers to identify at least three hazards related to each.

Slide: Remain Standing If…

NOTE: Adjust this exercise to meet class size and time constraints.

Ask all students to stand up.

EXPLAIN: (while keeping your eye open for the first 2-3 people who sit down):

Remain standing if you always wear a seat belt when you are driving a car.

Remain standing if you brush your teeth at least twice a day.

Remain standing if you eat at least 2 servings of fruit each day.

Remain standing if you get a well women’s/men’s check up as recommended.

Remain standing if you do not smoke.

Remain standing if you exercise (walking, running, aerobics, yoga etc.) at least 3 times a week.

Remain standing if you always wear a seat belt when you are a back seat passenger in a car.

Remain standing if you drink alcohol in moderation or less.

Remain standing if you wear sunscreen when in the sun for prolonged periods of time.

Remain standing if you floss your teeth every day.

Comment favorably if anyone is left standing at the end!


DISCUSS:For those of you who had to sit down after the first or second statement, how did that feel? Did you know that we’re all supposed to wear a seat belt when driving? Why do you think some people don’t follow that safety practice?

Allow students to share their thoughts.

DISCUSS:For all of us, why do we all omit things we know we should do and do things we know we shouldn’t?


DISCUSS:If all it took was KNOWLEDGE, knowing the healthiest or safest thing to do, would people smoke? Eat sugary snacks a lot? Have unprotected sex? What things influence our health other than “knowing better”?

Allow students to share their thoughts. Encourage students to identify the following:

Denial of our situation despite knowledge of the right things to do and be

Our belief that we can change the behavior whenever we want to or “have to”

Our perception of the risk to us

Our experience with trying to or actually changing our behavior

Our skills / our confidence in our skills

Our support systems (partner, family, friends, professionals, etc.)

Our environment (physical, social, cultural, emotional mental, spiritual)

EXPLAIN:It can be easy to judge others for not making good decisions, but as a healthy housing professional, it’s important to remember that there may be reasons for a resident’s behavior. Trying to understand what those reasons might be will help you communicate and find ways to encourage change.


Module 2: Housing Code Basics

File: 6_Code_PP_10.05.15.CODE BASICS

Module Objectives

Slide: Understand the Basics of Housing Codes


Evolving Codes

Slide: Housing Codes

EXPLAIN:In this lesson, we’re going to answer three basic questions related to housing codes.

Click to reveal each of the three questions. Briefly discuss but do not answer questions. Just get students thinking.

ASK:Why do we (as a society) even have building codes and minimum housing codes? Where did codes originate and when? How have codes evolved over time? What is the main reason for these codes and has this focus changed over time?

Slide: How Did Codes Originate?

EXPLAIN:The oldest recorded form of housing code(s) or standard(s) are found in the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the 6th King of Babylon and he set forth a “law code” for the Babylonians around 1700 BC. In the code of Hammurabi were 2 codes referencing construction requirements for housing.

Code 229. If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house that he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

Click to reveal second code.

EXPLAIN:Code 233. If a builder builds a house for someone, even though he has not yet completed it, if the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the wall solid from his owns means.

This early work sets forth the requirements for human safety in homes and establishes


who is responsible for the occupants’ safety.

Slide: Evolution of Housing Codes

EXPLAIN:In America codes have been written and strengthened over time, usually as a result of an event that caused injury or death to others.

For example, the great Chicago Fire of 1871 resulted in rewritten and strengthened fire and building codes. Again the main focus was to protect the health and lives of the public.

Historically, the purpose for all codes has always been public health, safety and life. Energy efficiency is now included.

This course will provide the reason that structures with minimum housing code violations can and will impact the public’s health.

Slide: Guiding Principle of Codes

Briefly discuss the guiding principle of housing codes.

Click to reveal the follow-up question to the Guiding Principles slide.

DISCUSS:Engage students by getting them to tie the guiding principle of code enforcement back to the definition of healthy housing.

Slide: What is the Main Purpose of Housing Codes?

DISCUSS:Allow students to share their thoughts. Students may give complicated or detailed answers, but guide them towards identifying the essential purpose of codes.

Click to reveal the answer: Health and Safety.

EXPLAIN:We need the codes because unfortunately not all homes are healthy and safe. So what might an unhealthy home look like?

Unhealthy Housing

Slide: American Housing Survey

Briefly discuss the American Housing Survey.

The Census bureau collects AHS data for all large metro areas. So if the code inspectors are


in a large jurisdiction for which local AHS data is available (e.g. the NY City metropolitan area), they can compare the prevalence of housing problems between their jurisdiction and nationally. However, if the inspectors are in a less densely populated area they can only look at national data.

The take away message here is that some healthy homes problems are simply a more common problem than others.

If the local AHS data is available, the code inspectors can see how it matches up with the top 5-10 code violations (next exercise). Have a copy of the most current AHS for them to look through on a break, you don’t have to provide a copy to each student. They will have the information if they want to visit the website and print it out for themselves.

Slide: What Are the Top Code Violations in Your Area?

NOTE: Instructor is responsible for collecting information for the top 5 code violations in the city where training is taking place, if available. She/he can also ask the host organization for the information.

IF POSSIBLE, given class size and time constraints, split the class into groups of 3 to 5, depending on the size of the group. Give each group 5 small index cards, and ask them to write down what they believe to be the top five code violations in their area.

Next, have pairs of groups join together, so you now have half the number of groups, and each group is twice as big. These new larger groups must then agree on a new set of top five violations from their combined lists.

Bring the whole class back together, and have a representative from each group share its list, compiling a master list for the whole class to see.

If this is not possible due to class size or time constraints, have a large group discussion on the topic.

DISCUSS: Were there a few obvious answers?

Was there quick consensus, or were there some disagreements?

Depending on the nature of the code violation, the occupant or owner may be responsible.

If you are called due to an issue on the outside of the home, is the code inspector able to perform an interior inspection? If not, would the top 5 violations be the same because of your accessibility to the interior of the home?

Use what you know about the local code violations to guide the discussion. If the local AHS data is available, the code inspectors can see how it matches up with the top 5-10 code violations identified in this exercise.


Slide: Unhealthy Homes

Encourage students to close their manuals and see if they can match the hazards in the box with the figures in the slide. Write their responses on a flip chart or on the screen, using an erasable marker.

Click to reveal the answers as you discuss the statistics.

EXPLAIN:According to the CDC, 1 in 16 homes have high radon levels; 1 in 10 homes have water leaks; 1 in 6 have structural problems; 1 in 4 have lead-based paint and 1 in 4 have a non-working smoke alarm.

Think about the connections you just saw when we discussed the holistic approach and how they all relate back to one hazard. The things we identified in the examples are basically your core healthy home principles.

Think about the conditions or behaviors that may lead to these hazards in homes. Taking a proactive, holistic approach will allow the code enforcement officer to act on certain issues as soon as possible, eliminating other hazards from occurring in the first place. Which leads to the discussion of the core principles to healthy housing, keeping the home dry, clean, ventilated, pest-free, safe, contaminant-free, and maintained.

Slide: Exterior Physical Condition

NOTE: If you can get local data, you can always use that; if not, the national data would be used.

Briefly discuss data.

Note that this data excludes multi-unit housing (so you have to subtract those homes from the denominator) and that since conditions are not mutually exclusive (e.g., one can have both broken windows and missing roofing material), the numbers in the table do not sum to 100%.

Is There an Inspector in the House?

Slide: The Call to Action

DISCUSS:What usually drives the inspection process in your organization. What gets the inspection ball rolling?


Click to reveal the two ways.


Slide: Two Approaches to Code Inspection

DISCUSS:Is the focus always the same for every inspection? Is the scope of the inspection always the same?

Allow students to share their thoughts, but try to get them to identify the two approaches.

Click one at a time to reveal the two approaches, discussing each approach briefly.

DISCUSS: Local code violations - are they issue driven or holistic in nature?

Can you look at more than the issue you are called for?

If you are called due to an issue on the outside of the home, is the code inspector able to perform an interior inspection?

If not, would the top 5 violations be the same because of your accessibility to the interior of the home?

Slide: Can You… briefly describe the evolution and purpose of housing codes.

Encourage students to think back to the Code of Hammurabi.

Give them time to discuss. For the purpose, encourage them to name the two key words: health and safety.

Click to reveal the answers.

Slide: Can You… name two interior housing problems that are common today?

Encourage students to think back to the “quiz” they took at the beginning of this lesson (Unhealthy Homes slide).

Give them time to discuss, and write students’ answers on a flip chart.


Slide: Can You… name two exterior housing problems that are common today?

Encourage students to think back to the table that listed exteriors problems found in occupied housing units in 2011 (Exterior Physical Condition slide).

Give them time to discuss, and write students’ answers on a flip chart.


Module 3: Code Requirements

File: 7_Code_PP_10.05.15.IPMC AND NHHS

Module Objectives

Slide: Understand Code Requirements


What’s In a Code?

Slide: What Should a Code Cover?

Ask students what a code should cover. Write the students’ answers on a flip chart.

Following the discussion, click to reveal the bulleted list.

How similar are the two lists?

Review the local code (if any) that NCHH gave you to give to students. You may have to do a little research to find the local code and to apply it to the course.

Slide: Model Codes for Housing?

Display this list to give students a feel for how many codes are in existence.

EXPLAIN:These are the nation’s model codes as adopted by the International Code Council. The IPMC is the most important one because it applies to all buildings. Most importantly it applies to existing buildings. When a state or community adopts a model code, they often modify it – adding, deleting or changing the requirements.

IPMC and NHHS

Slide: International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)

Briefly introduce the IPMC. If the local jurisdiction has adopted the IPMC, make sure you mention it at this time.

Click to reveal information about the adoption of the IPMC. Briefly discuss.


Click again to reveal its applicability. Briefly discuss.

Click to reveal that the IPMC is enforced by code officials. Briefly discuss.

Slide: National Healthy Housing Standard: What It Does

EXPLAIN:The NHHS is NOT a code. It is a detailed set of guidelines.

Briefly describe the four components of the NHHS.

Slide: National Healthy Housing Standard: What It Covers

Click to reveal the 7 bullet points, and briefly discuss.

If time allows, provide an example of a statute associated with each bullet point:

Duties of Owners and Occupants1.1.3. The owner shall provide occupants with at least 48 hours written notice of the planned use of a chemical agent such as a pesticide or herbicide, the date and location of application, and a copy of the warning label.

Structures, Facilities, Plumbing, and Space Requirements2.3.3. Every waste pipe shall be connected to a public sewer system, an approved private sewage disposal system, or the dwelling’s graywater system. No toilet waste pipe shall be connected to a graywater system. The drainage system shall have a cleanout.

Safety and Personal Security3.2.1. Following each change in tenancy, the locking devices on the swelling unit entry doors shall be changed.

Lighting and Electrical Systems4.2.1. Each kitchen and each room containing a toilet, sink, bathtub, or shower stall shall have at least one grounded duplex electric receptacle outlet protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

Thermal Comfort, Ventilation, and Energy Efficiency5.3.4. Basement air shall not be used as supply air for an air handling system.

Moisture Control, Solid Waste, and Pest Management6.3.2. Every dwelling, premise, accessory structure, and fence shall be maintained in good repair, free of pest infestation, and inspected for pests and building conditions that attract and support pests.

Chemical and Radiological Agents7.8.2. Smoking shall be prohibited in exterior areas less than 25 feet (762 cm) from building entrances, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.


DISCUSS:Do any of the code inspectors use a current checklist when inspecting the home? Do they have a methodical process or are they using their five senses.

If they don’t have an assessment process, how are they doing it, is it random, who taught them and why do they look for the things they are looking for? Are they only looking for the top 5 code violations? If so, they may be missing other issues.

If they currently have an assessment checklist, it would be good to introduce it here and see how it applies to healthy homes. If they don’t have one, you can provide an example from another location.

LUNCH


Module 3: Code Requirements (continued)

File: 8_Code_PP_10.05.15.CODES AND KEEP-ITS

Codes and the Keep-Its

Slide: Healthy Homes Principles

See if students can identify the seven principles.

Click to reveal complete list.

EXPLAIN:We’re going to start looking at the IPMC and NHHS in more details now, and we’re going to use the Keep-Its to guide our discussion. While a lot of this is going to be familiar to you, it will probably not be familiar to the residents of the homes you inspect. We’ve found that using the 7 Principles can make it easier for you to communicate with those residents. If you start talk in terms of Code “308.2.1 of International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 edition” you are going to lose people. But if you remind them that having a covered container for their rubbish is a good way to help keep the house clean and therefore healthy, they’re more likely to get it, even if they aren’t thrilled about it.

So, to reiterate, we present you with the Keep-It’s as a tool to use when communicating with residents.

As we go through these codes, you should be thinking about how they compare to the codes you use locally. You can use Exercise #2 in your binder to take notes.

Refer students to Exercise #2: Reviewing Your Codes.

Slide: Codes Related to Moisture

EXPLAIN:This is not the exhaustive list of codes related to moisture in either of these sources. And remember, these are just tow of many code sources available. But this gives you a sense of the type of issues covered in each.

Go through the list of codes, and discuss a few of them in a bit more detail.

ASK:Consider whether the codes for your jurisdiction cover these issues. Are there any gaps? Is the language sufficient, or can see ways to improve it?


Slide: Keep It Dry: Mold

ASK:Is mold a code violation?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal, “Mold is a hazard, not a violation.”

EXPLAIN:It is important to remember that although mold is definitely a health hazard, it is NOT a code violation mold. It is, however, the RESULT of a code violation, most likely related to moisture or inadequate ventilation.

Click to reveal message “Look for the source!”

EXPLAIN:Follow the mold to the moisture source to find the violation.

DISCUSS:How do inspectors currently detect dampness and mold? Water stains, puddles, humid feeling, condensating windows?

If it hasn’t already been discussed, you can talk about how “mold” calls are passed around and who (what department) ultimately handles these types of issues. As mentioned above, it should always be referred to as a moisture-related issue.

• Always focus on moisture issues rather than on mold (No moisture = no mold)• What happens to callers who are concerned about or mention mold?• Associated commonly with leaks or surface degradation, which are code

violations• Is this always a landlord citation, or can tenants be cited as well? Examples?• List one hazard related to moisture found inside or outside the home that may

impact occupant health?• Do your codes have a mechanism to address the hazard?• Are there additional resources or guidance you could provide to the family

before leaving the home.

Slide: Interior Water Leakage

NOTE: Replace with local data if available.

DISCUSS:What % of homes had interior water leakage in a 12 month period? 8.5%, right? Although this table doesn’t show it, the 2011 American Housing Survey tells us that most of those homes were occupied by renters (11.2%) and those living below poverty (11.0%).

Now if I tell you that these statistics are based on 114.9 million homes, how many homes does that 8.5% represent? That’s 114.9 million homes with water leakage in


2011.

Slide: Institute of Medicine 2000

Refer students to the Institute of Medicine reports in the Reference section of their Student Manuals.

EXPLAIN:At the beginning of the day, we looked at some data from the World Health Organization that showed factors for which there was sufficient, some, or insufficient evidence of a link to health.

In your binder, you have an NCHH Summary Report for that data. You also have a copy of two Institute of Medicine reports addressing the same issue. This 2000 IOM report, called “Clearing the Air,” addresses the connection between asthma and exposures in the home. It laid the foundation for the healthy homes effort.

Slide: Institute of Medicine 2004

EXPLAIN:The 2000 IOM report and this 2004 IOM reports represent the authoritative sources for research findings showing the association between asthma and biological and chemical exposures in the home and between asthma and damp indoor environments. There are a number of more recent papers published that support the IOM conclusions and provide small updates.

Some of these updates show: Stronger evidence on the association between asthma and mice Stronger evidence on the association between asthma and rats

For a complete list of updates, please refer to the addendum in your student binder.

Slide: Codes Related to Cleanliness



Slide: Keep It Clean: 5 Steps

EXPLAIN:An essential aspect of Keeping It Clean is that it be cleanable. Many surfaces are tough to clean. And corners and cubbyholes are tough to clean too. You could say that the goal is to keep it clean AND CLEANABLE.


Click to reveal first step.

EXPLAIN:People are not born knowing that they must brush their teeth to prevent decay, they must learn it. So with household hazards, they must learn how to take care of themselves. Occupants know things about the building and themselves that can be learned nowhere else. Start with the people.

Click to reveal second step.

EXPLAIN:The second step is to keep the household in a certain condition:

• limit moisture related problems,

• limit dust and allergens,

• limit pest borne disease,

• provide local exhaust ventilation and general dilution ventilation to control unavoidable air contaminants,

• provide a comfortable space by limiting hazards related to slips, falls, electric shock, drowning and poisoning.

Click to reveal third step. Discuss ways to improve ventilation.

Click to reveal fourth step.

EXPLAIN:Limit sources of contaminants like lead, asbestos, combustion fumes, VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) and radon. Note that products like scented candles and air fresheners release VOCs.

Click to reveal fifth step.

EXPLAIN:Maintain the house so it continues to provide dry, clean, comfortable and safe conditions.

Slide: Safe and Healthy Cleaning

EXPLAIN:Remind residents that keeping it clean does not mean going out and buying every cleaning product on the market. In fact, many of the things consumers are encouraged to buy for the well-being of their homes and families may actually cause health issues.

Click to reveal first bulleted list and discuss what type of products we’re talking about here.


Click again to reveal the arrow and the list of potential complications.

Ask students if they can think of any other guidelines for healthy cleaning?

Slide: Healthy Cleaning Guidelines

EXPLAIN:It is best to avoid dry dusting or sweeping. You should use a damp cloth for dusting and mist the floor for broom sweeping.

When vacuuming, it is best to use a low-emission vacuum that has a beater bar and vacuum slowly. The beater bar is the roller bar on the bottom of a vacuum cleaner that “beats” the carpet to bring up more debris for the vacuum to collect.

It is often better to use wet cleaning methods than dry dusting. It is important to use good technique and “elbow grease” when wet cleaning. In fact it may be more important than what type of product you use. Make sure that you do not contaminate the wash water and frequently change the rinse water and cleaning rags. The two-bucket system for cleaning is the best option as it utilizes one bucket for cleaning and another for rinsing.

Slide: Make Buildings More Cleanable

EXPLAIN:Here is a list of what we can do to make buildings more cleanable.

Install dust walk-off systems at entryways

Keep activities that create dust away from people.

Provide smooth, cleanable surfaces

Provide effective storage space (to help avoid clutter)

Choose flooring that is easy to clean

Use vacuums that have good filtration and can be emptied quickly and thoroughly

Slide: Codes Related to Pests

EXPLAIN:




Slide: Keep It Pest-Free

EXPLAIN:The main causes of insect accumulation are the availability of food and water and supportive living conditions. And why is this a problem?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal first bullet.

EXPLAIN:We know that pests impact health, but so do pesticides! Both are associated with a variety of illnesses and diseases. Think back to the first exercise we did this morning, Making the Connection. Can you remember some of the health issues we identified that were related to pests?

Give students a chance to respond. Answers may include any of the following:

Malaria. The foremost disease carried by insects is malaria.

Arboviruses. These diseases are caused by viruses that are biologically transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes.

Plague. Fleas are the vector for the plague (or black death), which infects man as well as rats and other rodents.

Enteric diseases. There are many bacterial diseases that are transmitted by some form of fecal contamination of food or water, either directly or indirectly.

Lyme disease. This disease is caused by an arachnid, the deer tick, which carries a bacterium called Borrelia bugdorferi.

Sleeping Sickness.

American Trypanosomiasis (trih-pan-uh-soh-mahy-uh-sis). This disease is also known as Chagas' Disease and invades the muscle cells of the digestive tract and heart, and sometimes also the skeletal muscle.


DISCUSS:We know that pests are a common problem in public housing, but who’s responsible for what? The code places responsibility on the tenant for maintaining conditions that do not attract vermin, and says the owner should establish rules requiring tenant to maintain sanitary living conditions. Let’s talk about that for a minute. Who do you think is responsible for public places vs. private places, and who is responsible for the interior of a building vs. the exterior of it?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal third bullet.

DISCUSS:As we’ve already seen, there are various codes related to dealing with pests.

Click to reveal fourth bullet and discuss.


Slide: Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

ASK:What is an infestation?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal definition.

ASK:What is extermination?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal definition.

EXPLAIN:Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the preferred method of reducing or eliminating pests in a facility. We are eliminating, generally not exterminating, pests in residences as this is safer and healthier for the occupants and has unintended benefits (moisture reduction, increasing energy efficiency). Exterminating generally implies the use of pesticides to kill such as poisons, foggers, sprays which can have unintended consequences to human occupants and pets. Broadcast pesticides or spraying can be an ineffective option because they only reach a small number of pests in a home and pests can become resistant to them.

Integrated Pest Management consists of:

Click to reveal each associated bullet point.

Eliminating harborage sites (both inside and outside)

Sealing up any gaps, cracks, or other openings where pest can enter/exit the premises

Eliminate any food and water sources (primarily referring to inside the residence, however could involve the outside as well)

Targeted usage of baits, traps, and gels to minimize pests

Note: If infestation is severe, a pest management professional (PMP) may be required to knock down populations initially)

Slide: Codes Related to Ventilation

EXPLAIN:Go through the list of codes, and discuss a few of them in a bit more detail.


Slide: Keep It Ventilated


EXPLAIN:Local exhausts are easy enough to check – are they there, do they work? Because most residential buildings assume that operation of the local exhausts, wind and stack driven air flows, and operable windows provide enough general ventilation, it is more difficult to assess general ventilation.

The simplest way to get an idea is to ask the occupant whether odors linger, windows fog during cold weather, or does the air seem stale?

Refer back to the conversation about checklists and what they are using to inspect the home.

Slide: Codes Related to Safety



Slide: Keep It Safe

EXPLAIN:Children and older adults (70 and above) tend to be the most susceptible groups for home injuries:

Adults 80+ years of age are at 20 times higher risk of death due to injury (e.g. falls) than younger individuals. When the elderly do survive a fall, they take longer to recover and often do not fully recover.

However, falls are leading cause of nonfatal home injury for children from birth through 14 and for older population.

The highest rate of injury death for 1-14 year olds is fires and burns.

For infants, the highest rate of injury death is choking and suffocation.

Slide: What Are the Most Common Causes of Home Injury Deaths?

ASK:What do you think are the most common causes of home injury deaths?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal pie chart.

EXPLAIN:As you can see falls, poisonings, and fires/burns, are the top three causes of home injury deaths. Falls account for 43% of all deaths, poisoning 34%, and fires 9%.


ASK:How similar are your local statistics to these ones? What are the top three in this area, and why?

Slide: Chemical Issues

ASK:What kind of chemical issues might be related to safety?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal first bullet.

EXPLAIN:Everyone is familiar with 2nd hand smoke, the smoke actually coming from the cigarette. Now there is 3rd hand smoke which is the off-gassing of particles and gases from an object and item that has absorbed smoke such as furniture, walls, carpet, people (clothing, hair), upholstery in cars, etc. This off-gassing is temperature related which is what causes the off-gassing.


EXPLAIN:A number of hazardous or unsafe products are routinely used for cleaning of home without reading the label and understanding the impact on health. If Code officials could recommend using a safer alternative focusing on the signal words on the label: caution, warning, danger, poison with caution being the least toxic and poison being the most toxic.

Provide examples of alternative cleaning resources that code officials could provide to occupants.

Click to reveal third bullet.

EXPLAIN:Hobbies/working from home: Code officials may encounter more hazardous conditions than they routinely would when they stumble across jobs performed inside the home such as a hair stylist or manicurist. Jobs such as these may expose occupants to toxic chemicals and fumes and lead to worsening health conditions. Same would apply to hobbies because of the products use to get their end results, pottery, stained glass, etc.

Tell students there are links to resources in the reference section of their binder.

Slide: Pesticide Labels: Signal Words

EXPLAIN:Signal words indicated the level of potential danger or harm that can occur, and in this case, it is referring to ingestion.This particular slide is focused on ingestion as the source of exposure. There may be


other associations between expected exposures and particular types of hazards.

Slide: Protecting the Code Officer: PPE

EXPLAIN:Remember Personal Protective Equipment: You need to keep yourself safe as well!

ASK:How often do you use this equipment? What other equipment do you use?

Slide: Be Aware Of:

EXPLAIN:In addition to wearing the right equipment, you need to be on the look out for unsafe situations.

Click to reveal the three bullet points, discussing each briefly.

ASK:What types of unsafe situations have you encountered in your work?

Slide: Codes Related to Contaminants



Slide: Keep It Contaminant-Free

ASK:What types of contaminants are you looking for during an inspection?

Give students a chance to respond, then click to reveal the five bullet points, discussing each briefly.

For this section, we are not specifically talking about how the hazard affects health, but rather what role the code inspector plays as far as addressing these issues. Once these issues are discussed, it would be good to mention that issues such as lead, CO, radon, chemicals, clutter and hoarding are examples of the core healthy home principles discussed early and in other healthy home courses.

What are considered special issues in the area that the training is being delivered in? For example…are chemical contaminants a “special issue”?


Slide: Flaking Paint is Code Violation

ASK:Why is flaking paint a code violation?

DISCUSS:Give students a chance to share their thoughts. Write their responses on a flip chart. Even the following are not mentioned, add them to the list:

allows rot of siding materials

allows water penetration into structure

allows vermin an access point into building

if leaded, this is poisonous, especially to the brain and body of young children.

DISCUSS: Is there additional urgency when children are in the home? Is there any way to verify landlords have provided lead disclosure information to

tenants in pre-1978 homes? Can you cite landlords for lack of lead disclosure?

If children are in the home, what moral responsibility does the code inspector have to refer the family to the local health department who could follow up for case management?

Slide: RRP: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting

EXPLAIN:While local code officials are not required to perform RRP (Renovation, Repair, and Painting) enforcement unless it’s locally adopted, you can take supportive action. You can inform contractors about the requirements and refer them to training.

The permit application can require RRP firm and renovation certification numbers for work done on pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities. Unsafe practices can be stopped through local codes or referrals to EPA for federal enforcement.

Those enforcing the rule may be the state health department.

Click to reveal the first bullet point.

EXPLAIN:In order to disturb in homes built prior to 1978, each company that receives compensation for their renovation work must register as a lead-safe certified firm with the EPA or enforcement state. This includes large companies and solo practitioners, general and subcontractors, and landlords and property management companies. The EPA registration certificate is good for five years; individual states require renewal anywhere from annual to every five years.


Click to reveal the second bullet point.

EXPLAIN:Each lead-safe certified firm must have at least one EPA-certified renovator supervising the job site, ensuring that correct lead-safe work practices are being followed. To become a certified renovator, students must attend an EPA-approved training session and pass an exam every five years (some states require recertification every three years).

Click to reveal the third bullet point.

EXPLAIN:Among the most important lessons taught in RRP training are to isolate the work area, so that no dust escapes to other areas of the house or apartment; to contain dust while working, using plastic sheathing, sticky mats, ZipWalls, et cetera; and to clean up the work area thoroughly for debris and dust, using HEPA vacuums.

Click to reveal the fourth bullet point.

EXPLAIN:Once the work is complete and the area appears to be clean, the RRP rule requires a cleaning verification test to ensure that only trace amounts of construction dust remain. Each certified renovator receives a laminated cleaning verification card depicting the minimum allowable residue on a dust wipe pad.

Click to reveal the fifth bullet point.

EXPLAIN:If audited by the EPA, the renovation firm will need to prove that they educated their customer about lead poisoning and how it relates to the work they’ll be doing. Renovation firms must give each client a copy of Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home and document that it was received by the client.

Slide: Asbestos

ASK:What is asbestos?

Give students time to respond, then click to reveal definition.

Click to reveal second bullet point, and discuss briefly.

ASK:What are the health issues associated with asbestos?

Give students time to respond. Answers should include: mesothelioma, asbestosis, respiratory/breathing problems, lung cancer, etc.


ASK:What experiences have you had in dealing with asbestos?

Give students time to respond. Note that common places for asbestos are insulation (such as pipe and boiler insulation), siding, floors roofing shingles and popcorn ceilings.

ASK:Are there code requirements related to asbestos and if so, how often are they cited?

Give students time to respond, then explain.

EXPLAIN:Although there are health issues related to long term exposure, asbestos is largely exempted by the federal rules for a single family home. There would be no code violation in finding friable asbestos. In fact, even disposal of friable (easily crumbled) asbestos is exempted from the federal regulations for single family homes.

Click to reveal third bullet point.

Note that disposing of asbestos should be done by an accredited asbestos inspector.

ASK:Codes inspectors inspect single family homes as well as multi-family dwellings. Is their responsibility different when it comes to multi-family dwellings? What is the law?

Give students time to discuss.

Slide: Carbon Monoxide: It’s Alarming!

EXPLAIN:Known as "the silent killer," Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that comes from the incomplete burning of fuel. Just about anything you might burn in or around your home -- whether it's gasoline, wood, coal, propane, natural gas or oil -- can produce carbon monoxide in the right conditions. Without enough ventilation, the gas can build up to deadly levels. And it doesn't take much fuel to be dangerous: Even small tools like chainsaws can release enough CO to make you sick.

Click to reveal the statistics related to smoke detectors, then click to reveal the statistics for carbon monoxide alarms.

EXPLAIN:2011 AHS data says that 41.6% of homes have working carbon monoxide detectors (their term) and 92.9% of homes have a working smoke detector.

ASK:What do you think is going on here?


Give students time to discuss briefly, then click to reveal the answer.

EXPLAIN:It has to do with smoke alarms being part of the code and carbon monoxide alarms not being part of the code.

Slide: It’s the Law

Trainers should always verify if the state they are teaching in requires CO alarms to be installed. If it is the state law, is the law retroactive for existing homes or does it apply to new homes only? Ask if local codes call for hard wiring of CO alarms.

NOTE: Laws tend to change. Per the National Council of State Legislatures: “As of August 2015, 29 states have enacted statutes regarding carbon monoxide detectors, and another 11 have promulgated regulations on CO detectors.“

Unfortunately this map is already out-of-date. There was not a new map available when this document was printed, but trainers should check online prior to training to see if they can find a current map.

Slide: Carbon Monoxide in the Home

Discuss this diagram, which illustrates the variety of potential sources for carbon monoxide in the home.

Slide: Carbon Monoxide Alarms

ASK:How many of you have a working carbon monoxide alarm in your home?

EXPLAIN:Proper placement of a carbon monoxide alarm is important. If you are installing only one carbon monoxide alarm, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends it be located near the sleeping area, where it can wake you if you are asleep. Additional alarms on every level and in every bedroom of a home provides extra protection.

Install a battery-operated CO alarm in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.

Homeowners should remember not to install carbon monoxide alarms directly above or beside fuel-burning appliances, as appliances may emit a small amount of carbon monoxide upon start-up. A alarm should not be placed within fifteen feet of heating or cooking appliances or in or near very humid areas such as bathrooms.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms should not be thought of as a REPLACEMENT for proper use and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances. It is important for students to know that


the technology of CO alarms is still developing, that there are several types on the market, and that they are not generally considered to be as reliable as the smoke detectors found in homes today. Some CO alarms have been laboratory-tested, and their performance varied. Some performed well, others failed to alarm even at very high CO levels, and still others alarmed even at very low levels that don’t pose any immediate health risk. And unlike a smoke detector, where you can easily confirm the cause of the alarm, CO is invisible and odorless, so it’s harder to tell if an alarm is false or a real emergency.

Slide: Radon

ASK:What is radon and why is it harmful?

Give students time to respond, and discuss briefly.

Note how radon levels can vary from house to house and how bare soil and crawlspaces can increase levels.

Click to reveal first bullet point.

EXPLAIN: Although it is a building code rather than property maintenance code, the code inspector has a moral responsibility to handle radon issues.

This illustration is useful to help you understand the mitigation process rather than focus on legal issues.

Discuss, referencing the diagram.

Click to reveal second bullet. Discuss.

Slide: Passive Sub-Slab Depressurization System

EXPLAIN:This slide is taken from EPA’s webpage at www.epa.gov/radon/construc.html

This system should be used for new construction. EPA does not recommend a passive system for existing sub-slab construction.Five important steps in a passive system:

1. Put a gas permeable layer beneath the slab or flooring system to allow soil gas to move freely underneath the house.

2. On top of the gas permeable layer, put plastic sheeting to help prevent the soil gas from entering the home.

3. Seal and caulk all below grade openings in the foundation and walls to reduce soil gas entry into the home.

4. Install vent pipe – 4 inches preferred – from gas permeable layer to roof to


safely vent radon and other soil gases to the outside.5. Install junction boxes to make wiring and installation of a vent fan for an active

system easier. Active systems are recommended for existing homes.

For systems in crawl spaces, cover the floor with poly sheeting, lay a perforated collection pipe below the poly sheeting and connect the pipe to a radon vent riser. It is also important to close openings between the crawl space and basement or crawl space and the living areas. The recommended installation is a T- joint at the bottom of the stack with corrugated pipe running in both directions.

Please note that the pipe (stub up) must be connected to a vent pipe that goes through the interior of the house and vents to the outside. Otherwise, it is not a passive system and radon is vented in the house instead of outside or creating a situation where the pipe (stub up) could be misused for something else such as a commode. Vent pipes passing through the house are required to be labeled.

Slide: Codes Related to Maintenance



Slide: Keep It Maintained

ASK:What types of things are we talking about when we say, “Keep it maintained”?

Give students a change to answer, then reveal the three bullet points.

Encourage students to share their own stories on this topic.

File: 9_Code_PP_10.05.15.VIRTUAL INSPECTION

BREAK

During break, set up for the Virtual Inspection

Distribute the seven Virtual Inspection folders around the room. Place them so that groups of students can rotate from site to site to review, discuss, and take notes on the pictures enclosed.


Virtual Code Inspection

Slide: Exercise 3: Virtual Inspection

Introduce Activity1. Explain that you have set up seven “inspection sites” around the room. At each site

is a folder containing pictures of houses with one or more code violation. To facilitate this activity, the pictures are grouped into the seven Keep-Its, although of course they won’t have this luxury in the real world.

2. Explain that you will be dividing the class into seven groups. The groups will rotate from site to site, conducting their inspections.

3. Direct students to “Exercise 3: Virtual Inspection” form in their manuals, and explain that as they conduct their inspections, they are encouraged to take notes on the form in their manual. Remind students that this forms represents just one example of the type of checklist that might be used during an inspection.

4. Or, since they have copies of these pictures in their manuals, they might want take their notes there. If you use the pictures in your manual, be sure to note not only the code being violated, but also who is responsible for addressing the issue.

5. There are more examples of some violations than others, but they’ll only have a set amount of time at each site. Try to get through as many pictures as you can, but don’t worry if you don’t get through everything.

6. Stress that they will have five minutes at each site.7. Describe how the flow of the rotation; i.e., how should groups move from site to site.8. After all groups have visited every site, we’ll reconvene to discuss our findings.

Conduct Activity Divide the class into groups, and assign one group to each site.

Encourage each group to remember what site they are starting with; they will be responsible for reporting their findings for that site to the class later.

Keep track of the time, and sound some type of alarm when it is time for groups to rotate. Circulate around the room to see how students are doing and to answer questions.

Review Activity Ask students to return to their seats.

Display the first “Moisture” slide, and ask a representative from the group that visited that site first to report on their findings. Invite others in the class to make other observations. Go through all “Moisture” slides one-by-one, as time allows.

Repeat for each of the seven sites.

When all sites have been reviewed, ask students if there are any additional comments they’d like to make.



Module 4: Laws and Issues

File: 10_Code_PP_10.05.15.LAWS AND ISSUES

Module Objectives

Slide: Understand Landlord/Tenant Laws and Issues


Dealing with Identified Hazards

Slide: What Do You Do When…

ASK:

What do you do when you notice hazards outside the scope of your inspection?

Give students time to respond. Encourage them to think about what they do when they’re sent to inspect a single issue, but see problems related to another issue.

Click to reveal the first bullet, and discuss the question.

Click to reveal the second bullet, and discuss the question.

Rights and Responsibilities

Slide: NHHS Requirements Related to Landlords

Remind students that sometimes the problems they see are not necessarily the residents’ fault or responsibility.

Click to reveal NHHS Req 1.1. Discuss briefly.

Click to reveal NHHS Req 1.1.1. Discuss briefly.



Slide: Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ULRTA)

EXPLAIN:The following slides are primarily based on the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA).

URLTA was completed by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) in 1972.

The complete text of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act can be found at http://www.uniformlaws.org/shared/docs/residential%20landlord%20and%20tenant/urlta%201974.pdf

http://www.uniformlaws.org/shared/docs/residential%20landlord%20and%20tenant/urlta%201974.pdf

http://www.uniformlaws.org/shared/docs/residential%20landlord%20and%20tenant/urlta%201974.pdf


http://www.nchh.org/Portals/0/Uniform%20Law%20Commission%20-%20URLTA.pdf

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