_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTAINER HOUSING BREAKTHROUGH:
Standardized Inspections!
A standardized container certification to assist building inspectors.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It's Here! Standardized, Government Backed Container Inspections For The Housing Industry!
This is possibly one of the most important breakthroughs for the housing industry and the "Green" construction movement globally!
This is a standardized inspection and certification for ISBU containers which includes structural safety reports, toxicity reports and
a unique tracking code that government inspectors, lenders and insurance underwriters can finally trust.
The name of this new certification is SIR which will be administered by International Equipment Inspections, Inc. (IEI), a newly
formed organization comprised of experienced industry professionals and a network of experienced, trained and certified inspectors
already known to the shipping container industry. Marvin K. Johnson was recently named CEO of the Florida based IEI, and is also
the CEO of Intermodal Support Services, Inc. with 150 employees and 33 offices throughout North America. He will be organizing
the implementation of the SIR certification program.
Who will this benefit?
Building contractors, architects, engineers, building inspectors, lenders, insurance underwriters, consumers and ISBU container dealers.
Why was a standardized inspection needed?
Due to the confusion among building inspectors and government agencies, both in the U.S. and globally, there was a need for a
concise and standardized inspection that was relevant to the use of shipping containers (ISBU) for prefabs, building construcion,
disaster relief and storage units. [ See report ]
Since most used and recycled containers have the CSC plates removed by the shipping companies and dealers there was need for a
credible and relevant inspection and ID specifically for these containers.
What is the SIR?
"SIR", the short name for Structural Integrity Report is a new government backed, structural and environmental (toxic) inspection
that certifies each ISBU container to be safe for use a construction or storage modules. The SIR is a standardized report to assist
building inspectors, architects and engineers when ISBU containers are being used in the construction of homes, buildings or as
storage units.
Soon after we published our first edition of the “Getting Approved Report” we began getting feedback and interest from many agencies,
corporations, and organizations regarding many of the sales, permitting, and construction issues.
The main topic for the ISBU Association was “how can we standardize container inspections and certifications to better address the gaps
between the shipping container trade, container dealers, and the inspectors including government, architects and structural engineers”.
After negotiating the needs and possible solutions, numerous conversations and meetings were held between certain organizations, trade
professionals and governmental agencies to formulate a simple, solid inspection, report and certificate that building inspectors, architects,
engineers, lenders, and insurance underwriters can have ultimate confidence in.
After several weeks of discussions and final approvals, the Structural Integrity Report (SIR) was created as the solution, and IEI was created
to provide its immediate implementation with a credible, well known, well trained and respected national inspection network.
Key Points of the Structural Integrity Report (SIR):
• Structural strengths
• Safety inspection
• CIN Code base
• Environmental Security (toxic residues)
The report encompasses a visual inspection by a qualified inspector with knowledge of the CSC (Container Safety Convention) criteria, the
Institute of International Container Lessors guide to equipment inspections (IICL-5), the Department of Defense Guide to Container Inspection
for Commercial and Military Intermodal Containers and its guide to Convention for Safe Container ( CSC ) Re-inspection of modular causeway
systems, ISOPAK Components.
The report provides city inspectors, developers, banks, architects and any interested parties with a guide line of what constitutes a structurally
sound and safe ISO container in regards to the CSC requirement under a re-inspection of its structural integrity.
The report is a record of the containers condition at the time of the inspection and that the units purchased are free from any structural
deficiencies in any primary structural components as per CSC and IICL guidelines. While containers might have structural deficiencies not affecting
their use in static domestic storage; units to be used in a shelter configuration may rely on the structural integrity of primary components. The
value to the local inspectors and builders is knowing for certain that the containers they received have been inspected to the structural integrity
of its intended marine capacity.
While the stresses, racking, and pressures on the containers in their marine capacity would normally be much greater then the loads associated
in the shelter configuration, knowing that the components have not been compromised is important to the professions using the components
in their projects.
The inspection goes further to highlight any visible and transferable toxins, hazards or residues in the containers; allowing for rejections of units
prior to purchases. There is no known method available to inspectors to ensure that toxins, at some point in time during the containers maritime
use, had come in contact with any hazardous materials. Under all circumstances it would be I.E.I's position that container floors should be taken
out of any units considered for a shelter project. What can be verified is that there are no transferable residues or odors in containers at the
time of the inspections/purchases of containers for shelter use.
Local inspectors may not be familiar with ISO containers. ISO containers are built for enormous stress and pressures and their viability as a component
with-in the construction industry is slowing being recognized. The ISBA is working hard to promote information in regards to containers and there
usefulness outside of the shipping world. There is still a need for a qualified inspector to check unit conditions for the benefits of: architects,
engineers, designers, builders and local inspectors.
It is important to know that when containers are used, the primary components at the time of the inspection meet the marine industries most
stringent conditions; the Container Safety Convention Regulations, better known as ( CSC ).
For further information or if you would like to have a report on the condition of containers that you are considering to purchase you may contact
Mr. Marvin Johnson and his staff at IEI who are administering the SIR certifications:
www.sircertifications.org
www.intlinspections.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Related reading: To better understand the entire approval process and structural code comparisons between ISBU containers and standard building please see the version 4.0
"Getting Approved Report". [ Link ]
Editors note: We want to thank Mr. John Stangel of Container-It (North America Maersk distributor) for assisting the ISBU Association in contacting and mediating with the various
organizations and government agencies necessary to create the SIR inspection.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tags: shipping container, sir, construction, lenders, permits, inspections, prefab, isbu
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2010 ISBU Association International. All Rights Reserved.
