How a Fire Escape Inspection Works
From the first phone call to the certification in hand, the process is straightforward. Here is what to expect when Oyster Fire Escape Inspections inspects a fire escape on a New Jersey property.
1. Schedule
Call Oyster Fire Escape Inspections at the number on this site. we confirm the property address, the type of fire escape (drop-down ladder, party-balcony, full-facade), the number of landings, the building use (residential multi-family, commercial, mixed), and whether there is an active deadline (code violation, insurance renewal, real estate closing). A written quote follows within one business day, and the on-site inspection is typically scheduled within a week.
2. On-Site Inspection
On the scheduled date, the inspector performs a structural visual examination of every component: stringers, treads, landings, handrails, balusters, attachment brackets, drop-down ladder mechanism, counterweight assembly, and the masonry or structural connections. Conditions are photographed and logged with location notes. Tenant access is coordinated in advance where the inspection requires entering apartments to reach upper landings or windows.
3. Load Test (if required)
When the inspection cycle, the AHJ, or the property's history requires it, a load test is performed in accordance with IFC §1104.16.5: 1,000 pounds per landing or five times the design live load, whichever is greater. The test verifies the structure carries the load without permanent deformation. Procedure, instrumentation, and results are documented and become part of the final report.
4. Written Report
Within 5 to 10 business days of the on-site work, the property owner receives the written report: building identification, scope of work, methodology, photographic documentation, deficiency log with severity classifications, load test results (where applicable), and the inspector's signed certification. A copy is provided in a format suitable for submission to the AHJ and to the insurance carrier.
5. Repair & Re-Certify (same crew)
If deficiencies were identified, Oyster Fire Escape Inspections prices the repairs as a fixed, itemized scope tied to the deficiency log — welding, anchors, treads, drop-ladder mechanisms, scaling and paint. The same crew performs the work, photographs every item before and after, re-tests where required, and issues the updated certification. That updated report is what gets submitted to close out the AHJ violation or satisfy the underwriting condition — and we carry it through until it's accepted.
§·· / Schedule
Call Oyster: 877-745-0614
Calls answered live during business hours. Written quote within one business day. One crew from inspection to certification.
Mon to Fri 7 AM to 6 PM Eastern. Saturday by appointment.