(1) The Department is authorized to make inspections including the requiring of reports and the taking of samples as necessary to perform tests to determine compliance with this Title and regulations adopted under it. For this purpose the Department is authorized to enter and examine any establishment, institution or private residence at all reasonable times and the owner or person in charge shall give the Department free and unhindered access for the purposes of such inspection.

(2) Where the Department is satisfied that any other governmental or private agency or industry requires compliance with standards which are at least equivalent to comparable City standards, that their inspection service is effective, that an acceptable level of compliance is maintained and that such compliance is required by inspectors approved by the Department, it shall accept the result of such inspections in lieu of making its own inspections.

(3) It is the policy of Council that the Department shall cooperate with state and federal inspection agencies; that duplication of inspection shall be avoided wherever feasible and consistent with the protection of the public health of the City; and that reciprocity between, and augmentation of, existing inspectional services shall be encouraged.

(4) Except as provided in § 6-501(2) and (3), all inspections authorized by this Title shall be made by the Department, unless the Mayor, with the approval of the Administrative Board, transfers the duty of making all or any of such inspections to the Department of Licenses and Inspections in accordance with the provisions of Section 8-412 of the Charter.