Construction Inspections

Construction should not begin before the review process is completed. Substantial fines or penalties will be made if any utilities are placed in the ground prior to their construction permit approvals; and construction which violates codes or standards will be required to be removed.

At least three site construction progress visits (progress inspection, above ceiling inspection, and final inspection) must be arranged with Division of Health Facilities Construction staff by the architect or contractor. Progress inspections will be made as often as desired by request of the owner, construction manager or job superintendent. Please plan and allow 2 weeks notice for any inspection. It is far to the advantage of all concerned that sufficient inspections be made. It is not required that the architect be present, but it helps.

Final Construction Inspection

At the final inspection, DHEC will check all of the items in the appropriate checklist and exercise all of the systems. The DHEC final inspection is NOT to be used as a substitute for the architect's "punch list" check or as a substitute for the items on this checklist being checked by the contractor. If at the final inspection it is obvious that this has happened, the final inspection will be terminated.

We come for the final inspection when the architect or owner requests the inspection. When we come, we expect the building to be finished including the "owner installed" items. The building is to be clean, and ready to occupy by the owner.

If the project is a NEW hospital, a nursing home, an ambulatory surgery facility, or a ICF-MR, the Division of Fire and Life Safety must make an inspection if the owners want to obtain reimbursement from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) before the Licensing inspection.

Upon satisfactory completion of the Construction inspection, a completion letter will be issued to Health Licensing indicating that the project construction is accepted as ready for occupancy. The owner must arrange for a visit by the Division of Health Licensing prior to patient/client occupancy. Licensing will not visit until the Construction Division has indicated acceptance of construction.

There is a list of documentation that is required at the final inspection and before close-out of the project. The project will not be approved without this required documentation furnished. To aid in compiling the required documentation, a checklist is furnished. On this form, put the dates of the letters of certification. The letters of certification must indicate that the systems 'have been tested and found to be operating satisfactorily' It is NOT acceptable that they just say "the systems have been installed according to code". In the notebook furnished to DHEC at the final inspection, the certifications should be 'copies'. The originals go to the owner.

The certification notebook will contain the following as appropriate:

  1. A complete description of the project. In the case of projects that have a CON number or CON exemption number, The Description must match the description on the CON/CON Exemption Application.
    • If only a portion of the project (i.e.: a Phase) is being requested for considered for licensing with this inspection, a description of the area to be considered must be listed below the full description.
    • The Description(s) is to include CON number (or exception number), area designation(s), square footage, work completed, and approximate cost. This will be compared to the CON application (or Exemption) for consistency.
  2. Certifications on the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. If an air balance was required either by the specifications or because of the type of facility, that must be included also.
  3. Certifications of the electrical systems.
  4. Bacteriological test of the water. This is required even when the water system is supplied by "city" water. We are looking for coliform count.
  5. Flame spread documentation on curtains, carpets, and other items required to have a flame spread rating by the Standard Building Code.
  6. Certificate of Occupancy from local officials
  7. Certification of the fire alarm system using NFPA-72 Forms and 3rd party certification, if applicable. All components must have been tested prior to our coming for the final. The system must be up and running, not on test, and the automatic notification of the fire department fully functional.
  8. Certification of the kitchen hood extinguishing system, if any.
  9. Where sprinklers were installed, a copy of the Sprinkler Specification Sheet, Sprinkler Plan Approval Letter, and Sprinkler Certifications (found in NFPA 13).
  10. Certification of Elevators, if any.
  11. Certification of Nurse Call System, if any.
  12. Certification of Emergency Generators, if any.
  13. Certification of Reduced Pressure Backflow Preventor, if any.
  14. Certification of Medical Gas System, if any.
  15. Test results of Dialysis Water Treatment, if any
  16. Approval letter of Radiation Shielding Plans, if applicable.
  17. Certification of Radiation Shielding system, if applicable.

Other documentation which must be furnished if regulations require: