A ‘Code’ of Conduct: Inside Lee Clifton’s Inspirational and Comprehensive Contributions to the PMG Industry

Charles “Lee” Clifton’s extensive and positive impact on his colleagues in the plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas (PMG) industry earned him the 2023 International Code Council’s PMG Leadership Award. As the former Principal Inspector for the City of Los Angeles, Clifton has built a career marked by the sharing of knowledge.

Dominic Sims, Code Council CEO, praised Clifton’s achievements, stating “Lee’s 45 years of experience has made him a true industry expert within the field. He’s an enthusiastic champion of the Code Council’s PMG Codes, and has worked tirelessly, traveling the world, to not only promote local adoptions of the International Codes but also educating many along the way.”

Clifton’s dedication to his craft, the building codes and the community has roots in his early years, laying the foundation for his lifelong commitment.

A Fulfilling Career in the PMG Industry

As a young boy, Clifton learned much about the plumbing practice from his father, who owned William E. Clifton Plumbing Inc. in Sun City, Florida. He worked in the business part-time for his dad until graduating high school.

“My dad emphasized the importance of honesty, integrity and doing things the right way in the plumbing business,” Clifton shared. “Those were important lessons that I have carried with me throughout my career.”

Soon after high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard where he served as a Machinery Technician for four years. Following the service, he joined the United Association of Plumbing and Fitting Apprentice Program in California, completing his apprenticeship in 1982 and going to work as a union plumber for the next few years.

But his life took a different turn in 1986, at the age of 26, when he took a job with the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety, where he was assigned to the Mechanical Bureau, Plumbing Section. In this role, he performed inspections of commercial and residential buildings and, within two years, was promoted to Senior Plumbing Inspector—a job that subsequently gave him great visibility into the importance of codes.

“I learned very quickly how codes help establish minimum safety and health standards in buildings,” Clifton continued. “They level the playing field for contractors who are trying to do quality work.”

He had the opportunity to inspect some of the largest and most complex buildings in the Los Angeles Area, from Dodger Stadium to the Los Angeles Convention Center. He was also involved in the organization and monitoring of the Gray Water Pilot Project resulting in recommendations for changes to the code based on reported findings.

However, it was his experience with the Special Inspections Task Force as a representative of the Department of Building and Safety that fully shaped his commitment to PMG and its purpose.

 “As a city inspector and as part of this task force,” Clifton said, “I had the opportunity to see the best and the worst of the city in terms of construction. That experience gave me a very clear picture of what needed to be done to raise the bar if given the opportunity.”

After four years on the Special Inspection Task Force, Clifton was assigned as the Senior Plumbing Code Training Officer, tasked with organizing, preparing and presenting plumbing inspection lessons for different inspection groups. He worked closely with the Chief Plumbing Inspector and Chief Building-Mechanical Inspector to address the needs of their respective sections.

“I supervised, assigned and evaluated inspectors, coordinating the modernization of the Plumbing Section by organizing the inspection districts to make them adaptable to the Plan-Check Inspection System that was to go online,” Clifton explained.

By June 2002, Clifton was the Principal Inspector for the Los Angeles Housing Department, Code Enforcement Division—a job he held until becoming Director in 2007.

“I worked very closely with the Chief Inspector in implementing a systematic code inspection program,” he shared. “Through systematic inspections, this program guarantees that those who reside in rental units in Los Angeles have a safe, livable space which meets the city and state codes for habitability.”

He was well equipped for this position, not only based on his experience as an inspector and plumber but also on his work outside the job.

Supporting the PMG Industry Through Education Experience

With a clear focus on industry education, Clifton has always looked for ways to support the industry he loves. In his early 30s, he began teaching plumbing code classes at the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC)/Greater Los Angeles Area’s Vocational School. At the age of 42, he was the Training Director of the school, with duties that included hiring and evaluating instructors and working with them on their teaching techniques.

After completing his time at the vocational school, Clifton opted to share his knowledge as a plumbing career instructor and safety committee chair for the North Orange County Regional Occupational Program in Fullerton, California. He was directly involved in the planning, organizing and directing of the first Backflow Testing Course to be offered by the North Orange County Regional Occupation Program.

He was approached by his friend and colleague Jay Peters, the executive director of PMG for the Code Council at the time, who invited him to help grow the plumbing and mechanical program. Those experiences and his work with the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety captured the attention of Peters who asked him to take on the PMG Membership Council Governing Committee.

“I remember asking him, ‘What is the job description for the position that you are trying to fill?’ He said, ‘Lee, there isn’t one. You are going to write it.’”

At the time, the Code Council’s PMG Membership Council Governing Committee consisted of five code professionals, and while its overall mission was clear, the way to achieve success needed support. The group was to act as a liaison between its council and the Code Council Board of Directors, providing feedback and recommendations to the board regarding various services, helping build and improve relationships with stakeholders, and acting as an advocate for areas of professional or technical interest important to the members.

Through his leadership, Clifton restructured the membership council, working closely with individuals such as Sara Yerke, prior Code Council Senior Vice President of Government Relations. His goal was to engage more members and make PMG a more valuable resource to better promote education, outreach and advocacy for the trades. For Clifton, the council was a way to give back, to share lessons learned and develop safer building environments.

Development of the CodeNotes Resources

During his tenure, the council grew its membership by 30 percent. A key reason for that growth was Clifton’s emphasis on education and outreach. Early in his work with the PMG Group, Clifton saw a need for concise, targeted training resources for inspectors based on his experience working in the field and with training programs.

“When I worked for the Los Angeles Housing Department, we had a program that we called tailgate training, essentially short sessions on a critical topic,” Lee explains. “It was a program that helped inspectors educate workers on key compliance issues without an extensive time commitment. I believed that same idea could help inform and engage Code Council members on code changes and requirements.”

Soon after, he helped the Code Council’s PMG department launch the ground-breaking CodeNotes, a series of free topical guides covering the latest innovations adopted by the International Codes® (I-Codes) to serve the needs of industry professionals. Topics range from backflow devices and protection of water supply to gas pipe sizing based on the International Fuel Gas Code® and International Residential Code®.

A Building Code Champion

From his day job as an inspector with the City of Los Angeles to his many hours of work with the Code Council’s PMG council, Lee has significantly advanced the mission of safer communities through higher industry knowledge and standards.

He has worked tirelessly, traveling the world, to not only promote local adoptions of the I-Codes, but also educating many on their benefits along the way. After 13 years with the Code Council, Lee retired in 2020—but he’s not done.

He continues to be an active participant in the Code Council’s PMG Membership Council Governing Committee and puts in long hours developing the PMG CodeNotes resources which cover the latest innovations adopted by the I-Codes.

To view the Code Council’s published CodeNotes resources, click here.

To learn more about the Code Council’s annual awards, click here.