Israel Berger & Associates (IBA), a recognized consulting and inspection group
specializing in building envelope technologies, is the first Special Inspection Agency to meet the
New York City Department of Buildings requirements for accreditation through the International
Accreditation Service (IAS) AC291 Special Inspection Agency Accreditation Program.
Along with its adoption of the 2003 International Building Code®, the New York City
Construction Codes now include a requirement that all special inspection agencies must be
accredited by IAS or an equivalent accreditation agency by July 2010. “The IAS accreditation
program provides a comprehensive process for assessing organizations involved in special
inspections and many building departments rely on it to verify that inspection agencies are
competent and qualified to work in their jurisdictions. Ultimately, accreditation is an important
step in the process of making communities safe for the public,” said Chuck Ramani, IAS
President.
Walter Martinez, a principal at IBA and the Director of Special Inspection, said, “We’re
very proud to be the first special inspection agency in New York City to complete the IAS
AC291 accreditation process. We began the process in response to the requirements outlined in
the New York City Construction Codes and we are committed to supporting the Department of
Buildings’ policies concerning the qualifications of Special Inspection Agencies and the
certification of inspectors which are critical to public safety and property protection. We’ve gained much more than an accreditation certificate during the process, particularly in the area of
record keeping and record management.”
IAS assesses a special inspection agency’s inspection procedures, the competence of its
inspection staff, and its reporting procedures. The IAS accreditation program is based on the
requirements of the International Building Code® and the applicable portions of ISO/IEC
Standard 17020, General Requirements for the Operation of Various Bodies Performing
Inspection. The process of accreditation begins with the inspection agency’s submittal of a
quality management system manual. Once the manual has been reviewed and approved, an onsite assessment is conducted at the agency’s office to determine if the agency’s quality system is
effectively implemented and to interview staff. Assessors and subject matter experts also
conduct field assessments at construction sites to evaluate inspectors to determine if they are
technically competent.
Martinez adds, “During the evaluation process, we had an opportunity to put in place
some industry best practices. IAS helped us improve our processes by identifying areas where
improvements can be made. Overall, the accreditation process has been extremely valuable to
our inspectors and the company.”
Israel Berger, President and Marc Weissbach, Chief Operating Officer of IBA issued this
joint statement: “We commend Walter Martinez for his efforts in achieving this very important
recognition from IAS. The accreditation process conducted by IAS was thorough and rigorous.
The process will improve the quality of services we provide to our clients and standardize the
level of service that should be expected in our industry”.
As part of the AC291 accreditation, IAS will perform periodic on-site evaluations at IBA
to keep the accreditation in good standing.
IBA received IAS accreditation in the following areas covered by the New York City
Department of Buildings: steel construction (welding, high-strength bolts, cold-formed steel
construction); concrete construction; masonry construction; wall panels, curtain walls, and
veneers; exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS); through-penetration firestop systems,
concealed draftstop and fireblock systems. To view the IBA Certificate of Accreditation, click
here.
About IBA
IBA provides services to property owners, architects and construction managers at all
stages of design and construction, from conception to completion. In the New York City area,
the firm also specializes in on-site special inspections and Local Law 11 service which requires
periodic inspections of buildings of at least six stories above the basement by professional
engineers. IBA can be reached at 212.689.5389 and at www.ibany.com.
About IAS
IAS accredits special inspection agencies, inspection programs for metal building
manufacturers, fabricator inspection programs, testing and calibration laboratories, inspection
agencies and building departments. A recognized accreditation body since 1975, IAS is a
nonprofit, public benefit corporation and a subsidiary of the International Code Council. IAS is
one of the leading accreditation bodies in the United States and a signatory to several
international mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs). For more information about IAS, visit
www.iasonline.org.
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