Quick Summary
- Insurance carriers and engineering firms can upload proprietary loss prevention standards and FM Global data sheets as PDFs, these are then applied to every review automatically
- Custom standards are checked alongside applicable building codes in the same review pass, producing a unified findings report
- Account libraries store standards for reuse across projects, upload once, apply everywhere
- Building code selection by jurisdiction ensures compliance is checked against the correct adopted codes for each project location
- Internal QA checklists, owner standards, and specification requirements can all be uploaded as custom review standards
Building codes set a minimum. Every serious construction and insurance organization has standards that go beyond those minimums, proprietary requirements shaped by decades of loss experience, operational expertise, and client-specific risk tolerance. The gap between code minimum and organizational standard is exactly where the most preventable losses occur. InspectMind's custom standards capability closes that gap.
Why Custom Standards Matter for Insurance
A commercial property carrier reviewing construction plans for a food distribution warehouse isn't just asking "does this meet IBC?" They're asking: does this meet our rack storage standards? Are the sprinkler densities consistent with FM Global DS 8-9 for rack storage at this commodity class? Does the floor slab design meet our forklift loading requirements?
None of those questions are answered by checking the building code alone. They require the carrier's own standards to be applied to the review, consistently, systematically, on every submission.
The Standards Gap Problem
When risk engineers manually review plans, they rely on memory and personal notes to apply proprietary standards. A senior engineer who has internalized FM Global DS 8-24 for data centers applies it differently than a junior engineer working from a reference document.
The result is inconsistency, the same submission reviewed by two different engineers produces different findings. Custom standards in InspectMind make the application of proprietary requirements systematic and consistent across every reviewer and every submission.
How to Upload Data Sheets and Standards
Uploading custom standards to InspectMind is straightforward. The system accepts any PDF document, from a single-page internal checklist to a 200-page FM Global data sheet with appendices.
Upload Process
- 1Navigate to Account Library.
In your InspectMind account, open the Standards Library section. This is where all account-level custom documents are stored and managed.
- 2Upload the PDF.
Drag and drop or browse to upload your standard. Name it clearly (e.g., "FM DS 8-9 Rack Storage v2023" or "Internal DC Standards Q1 2025") so it's easy to identify when selecting for a review.
- 3Tag by occupancy or use case.
Tag each standard with the occupancy types or project categories it applies to. This makes it easy to select the right standards when starting a new review.
- 4Select at review time.
When starting a new plan review, select which standards from your library should be applied. The AI then checks the submission against both the building code and your selected custom standards.
What Gets Checked: Building Codes Plus Your Standards
Every InspectMind review starts with a baseline of applicable building codes, selected by jurisdiction (state/city) so the correct adopted code version is used. Custom standards layer on top of that baseline, adding your organization's requirements to the same review.
Building Code Baseline
- • IBC (selected edition)
- • NFPA 1, NFPA 13, NFPA 72, NFPA 101
- • NEC (NFPA 70)
- • ADA / ANSI A117.1
- • State-specific amendments
- • Local jurisdiction adoptions
Your Custom Standards (Examples)
- • FM Global data sheets by occupancy
- • Carrier loss prevention standards
- • Internal underwriting checklists
- • Owner design standards
- • Specification section requirements
- • Jurisdictional authority supplements
Examples of Custom Standards in Practice
The range of proprietary standards used in real reviews illustrates how flexible the custom standards capability is:
FM Global Data Sheets
Insurance carriers using FM Global property standards upload specific data sheets relevant to each occupancy category, DS 1-0 for general construction, DS 5-32 for data centers, DS 8-9 for rack storage, DS 2-8N for cold storage. Each review applies the relevant data sheets alongside the building code.
Carrier Loss Prevention Standards
Carriers with proprietary requirements, sprinkler density matrices, occupancy separation requirements, roof construction specifications, upload internal documents that go beyond code. The AI applies these consistently across every submission, not just when an engineer happens to remember them.
Owner Design Standards
Large property owners: hospital systems, university campuses, retail chains, have their own design standards that architects and engineers are required to follow. Uploading these standards allows QA reviews to check compliance before submission to the authority having jurisdiction.
Internal QA Checklists
Engineering firms with their own QA protocols upload internal checklists as custom standards. Every plan review then runs the firm's standard QA checklist automatically, replacing the manual checklist process entirely.
Account Library: Upload Once, Apply Everywhere
The account library is the central repository for all custom standards in an organization's InspectMind account. Standards are stored at the account level, available to every user on the team. Once uploaded, they don't need to be re-uploaded for each review, they're selected from the library.
Library Management Features
- Version management, upload updated data sheets without losing previous versions
- Occupancy tagging, organize standards by building type, risk category, or project type
- Default selection, set standards that are automatically applied to all reviews of a certain type
- Team visibility, all team members see the same library, ensuring consistent standard selection
- Review history, every review records which standards were applied, for audit and documentation
Building Code Selection by Jurisdiction
Custom standards sit on top of a correct building code baseline. InspectMind's jurisdiction-specific code selection ensures the AI is checking against the right adopted codes for each project location, not a generic national standard that may differ from local adoptions.
Jurisdiction-level code selection accounts for:
- IBC edition adopted by state or local jurisdiction. Many jurisdictions are one or two code cycles behind the current IBC. Reviews use the correct adopted edition.
- State-specific amendments. California, New York, Florida, and other states have significant amendments to model codes. These are applied automatically when the correct jurisdiction is selected.
- Local ordinances. Some jurisdictions have local fire code amendments, accessibility requirements, or zoning overlays that affect plan review.
- Energy code selection. ASHRAE 90.1 vs. state energy codes vs. California Title 24, the correct energy standard is applied by jurisdiction.
The Layered Standards Model
Think of the review as three layers applied simultaneously: (1) the jurisdiction-specific building code baseline, (2) referenced standards incorporated by the building code (NFPA, ANSI, ASTM), and (3) your organization's custom standards and data sheets. Every finding in the report is attributed to its source, so engineers know whether an issue comes from code, a referenced standard, or a proprietary requirement.
Apply Your Standards to Every Review
Upload your proprietary loss prevention standards, FM Global data sheets, or internal QA checklists to your InspectMind account. Every review will then check against your requirements automatically, no more relying on engineer memory to apply your standards consistently.