Under the directive of Mayor Richard Kos, the City of Chicopee Building Department is working to inspect all of the City’s 413 (four-hundred thirteen) multi-family structures as soon as practicable. The Building Department is focusing its efforts on the inspection of structures containing more than 8 dwelling units and hopes to have all of those inspections completed by the end of FY 2018.

These inspections will look at life safety in the common areas of structures such as warning systems and the ability to reasonably get out of the building. Inspectors’ checklists include looking to make sure units have proper exit signage, egress lighting, and adequate smoke and heat detectors. They will also be checking the existing condition of stairways and handrails.

 “In addition to being required by Section 110.7 of the Massachusetts State Building Code, periodic inspections will help ensure greater compliance with required life safety systems in multi-family structures, increasing the level of safety for occupants,” said Building Commissioner Carl Dietz.

Section 110 of the Massachusetts Building Code prescribes inspection of multi-family properties at a minimum of every 5 years.

The 2018 budget request from the Building Department will include $5,000 of overtime to supplement the amount of time available for inspections of this nature.

Inspections began in early April. Additional funding will become available in July to support the inspection process.

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