What is IBI

What Is The Inspection Bureau?

The Inspection Bureau, Inc. ("IBI") performs all of the electrical inspections and plan review for the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and all municipalities and townships within Hamilton County. IBI has contracts with 37 municipalities in the County and provides "back-up" inspection service for the Cities of Middletown and Wilmington.

IBI inspects a wide variety of facilities, including housing, apartments, office buildings, high-rises, shopping centers, sports facilities, large manufacturing facilities, office towers and all other installations. IBI conducted a total of 28,743 such inspections in 2003. The breakdown of that total is as follows: 8,742 for the City of Cincinnati; 13,826 for Hamilton County; and 6,175 for miscellaneous municipalities and townships.

In addition, IBI conducted 677 plan reviews for the City of Cincinnati, 681 for Hamilton County, and 546 for miscellaneous municipalities and townships.

IBI does its work as if it were a department of the municipality but, in fact, IBI is a totally separate, independent corporation. Thus, electrical inspections are effectively "outsourced" to IBI.

This outsourcing originally came about - and continues in force today - for two very good reasons:

(1) IBI costs not one penny. All of its operations are paid for by the electrical contractors. Municipalities do not have to hire and support an electrical department and do not expend any funds for this excellent service.

(2) Contractors love working with IBI. They praise its work, support its operations, and even approve of its fee increases. IBI is accepted by industry because of its expertise, its training, its excellent work and its personnel.

Today, in addition to electrical inspections, all plans for electrical installations must come to IBI for approval. IBI's certified plans examiners review those plans, and if they are not satisfied that the plans conform to the Code requirements, they notify the contractors or the engineers for the contractors, who make the required amendments or changes. CG&E (Cinergy) will not energize electric services until IBI has inspected and approved the installation

The Inspection Bureau: Past and Present

IBI began its operation in Columbus, Ohio in 1888 under the name of "Underwriting Association," then later, "The Ohio Inspection Bureau," and eventually, the "Inspection Bureau, Inc." While the Ohio Inspection Bureau was the electrical inspection authority for the City and adjacent areas, it also acted as an insurance rating organization.

In 1947, a federal directive required insurance rating departments to confine their work to insurance interests only. The Ohio Inspection Bureau changed it's name to Inspection Bureau, Inc. and reorganized its operations to focus entirely on electrical inspections for the City of Cincinnati and surrounding areas. This was accomplished through the combined efforts of the City, the electrical contractors, and Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company (Cinergy). Consequently, IBI was authorized by the Cincinnati Building Commissioner as the City's electrical inspection authority.