Control the information taught, control the outcome of claim

Control the information taught, control the outcome of inspection reports.

My first inspection class was carpet in 1992 at FCITS. 

Sorry young bloods, that is 1992, not 1892.

There were just two schools, FCITS and IICRC. The two owners were friends and were friendly competitors

. 

The instructors spent days covering manufacturing defects and misspecification of carpet. 

Manufacturers' time was limited to address the student inspectors to be;  and their 'talk" was always for us to tell the truth. If they had a problem, they wanted to know. 

Back then, we were told that we, the inspectors, were their quality control managers "in the field". Not so today. 

The late Tim Smith (founder of FCITS), back when there was only a few of us inspectors and we “ran routes”, would put me to work when going through Dalton teaching afternoon classes. 

We tried at our first seminar in Dalton to have manufacturers teach inspection classes. Some did great, some good, some ok, and some, downright bias bad. 

Some manufacturers' representatives were upset because inspectors asked questions, questioning some of their "teachings". I was told I should stop inspectors asking questions. 

Damnit! they were supposed to be educational classes like we were having at NCSU and later, Va. Tech. Students  are supposed to ask questions in a class. They said no, even if they were blatantly spreading false information, we were told to accept it and report the lies in our reports. 

One non-paying quest from a mill stood up, he had attended one of our university classes,  told the inspector students the professors were wrong about splits and checks in solid and engineered wood. That checks in wood only happened in a home. Nope, they mainly happen in drying process or manufacturing process with engineered wood. 

Why the lie? Spread misinformation to inspectors to use the nefarious information to deny claims. Again, he was a non-paying guest who had requested, because of his status at a major manufacturer, to attend as our guest. He asked for a free attendance so he could attack our classes, Think of that? I sent out an email correcting his lies, which was not welcome by him. The thing is, a large segment of inspectors in attendance said they would only use his information because he worked for a major mill. Use the lie for more work from the mills. 

Control the information, control the outcome of inspection claims. 

In other words, they knew it was a lie and we proved it was a lie. The sad and disappointing result was a segment of the attending students were going to use the false information to keep getting work from the mills. To hell with being honest and doing the right thing, and some wonder why retailers and installers hate inspectors so much. 

We teach the truth and only the truth. 

Tarkett representatives were the first to do installation classes for us on the right and wrong installation methods. Later, Mohawk did one and for a few years; and Shaw and Tarkett did those types of classes for us until the pandemic. They were good classes to show us installation issues.  

Robert Blochinger, in charge of the IICRC Inspector Program, had an interesting article this month in their monthly newsletter about this same topic. We suggest reading it. 

Here is the story that explains it all. I attended a five-day kiln drying class with kiln drying operators. You know, the people who actually dry the wood we use for our wood floors. A national organization informed me, after I applied for continuing education credits, they objected to the kiln drying class and, in the future, would tell me what classes, the topics, and what was to be taught. Well, telling an old hippie anti-establishment boy that was just waving a red flag in my face. If anyone wants to deny what I just wrote, I'll be glad to take a polygraph test that will show I am telling the truth. 

Who was teaching the kiln drying classes? Wood scientists who trouble-shoot for the kiln dry operators when they have problems drying wood, That is right, PhD wood scientists who work in the wood industry helping kiln drying production. That is actually a specialty in that field. 

Again, I was told, no kiln drying classes for flooring inspectors. 

They did not want that knowledge taught. 

Why? 

Control the information, control the outcome of inspection reports.

So, what did I do? I arranged for about 12 of us to take the next five-day kiln drying class on NCSU’s Extension Department schedule. Yep, sure did. And any other events? Yep, sure did. 

The question you must ask yourself is, what kind of education do I want if I am to become an inspector? 

What type of inspector do you want examining your claims?

What type of person are you as an inspector? Again, what type of inspector do you want examining your flooring complaints? 

Will you, as an inspector,  take classes that are possibly mis-leading? Are you the type of person who knowingly will accept money for misleading reports? 

Retailers, contractors and installers, why are you not taking classes that protect you, your profits? 

We old timers, who in so many ways help developed this trade starting in the mid 1980s,  see so much that has changed, and frankly for the last few years not for the betterment of our trade.

We can try to make things better by supporting schools that have experienced inspectors as instructors, who teach the truth.

Several years ago, a retired quality control manager contacted us interesting in teaching. We asked him several questions that he answered honestly. He had been the production and quality control manager at a carpet mill.

He stated, there are more than a few reasons a carpet can develop wrinkles manufacturing related. Two days later, he called, said he was told his pension might be “in jeoparded” if he revealed too much, and withdrew. Oh well. 

What is this really about? 

When a national organization buys one of the oldest inspection schools, and that organization is supported by the flooring manufacturers, and their instructors are not inspectors, who know the correct examination techniques, we must ask, who is supporting this?  What is the intent and purpose behind this? 

Are the days of the “Independent Inspector” truly dying as we old timers who started this trade, developed it and were proud to be labeled “Independent”, die off? 

Looks that way. 

Differing opinions are welcome and will be presented if offered. 

Send your responses to “ selvalee@mac.com ”

Control the information taught to inspectors, control the outcome of claims reports.