ICC and NFPA joint fire code effort ends
The International Code Council (ICC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have mutually agreed to end their two-year effort to jointly develop an International Fire Code. Both organizations acknowledge that they knew from the outset that there would be difficulties in developing a fire code together because of differences in their systems and philosophies.
The ICC cites as factors in the breakdown “differences as to the objectives of the ICC too substantial to result in a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship.” The ICC defines its main objective as that of producing “a single complete set of model construction codes for use by the nation`s cities, counties and states,” an objective it says “is in direct response to the stated position of the nation`s construction industry.” It adds that it sought “to partner with national organizations in the codes and standards arena in order to achieve this objective to the mutual benefit of all parties.”
“The NFPA and ICC could not reconcile their fundamental differences in philosophy, approach, and system for developing codes and standards,” explains the NFPA, which notes that it “genuinely and enthusiastically supports the goal of harmonized codes for the built environment, but we will not sacrifice the fundamentals of true consensus in order to achieve this goal.”
Paul K. Heilstedt, P.E., ICC president, sees the breakdown in the agreement as “premature” and “based on what the NFPA perceived the final result would be.” The fire service, he adds, “has been fully incorporated in the code control and developmental processes, and both processes would have been melded into one process.”
“While NFPA`s joint fire code effort with the ICC has ended, nothing precludes NFPA and ICC from working together in the future, wherever we find we share goals,” notes George D. Miller, NFPA president and chief executive officer.
The Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs, in learning about the termination of the effort, expressed its disappointment “that the organizations have found it impossible to continue working together to produce a single set of model fire safety requirements for adoption and enforcement by state and local authorities.” The Association has been actively involved in codes and standards development since 1988. Its involvement has included a working agreement with ICC member Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI) to develop, promote, and interpret the Standard Fire Prevention CodeT. Through SBCCI, representatives of the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs have participated actively in the development of the International Fire Code and will ultimately vote on the document when the ICC presents it for ratification in the fall of 1999.
Kenneth O. Burris, Jr., president of the Southeastern Association and fire chief in Marietta, Georgia, says: “Based on our experience and involvement, we believe the voice of the fire service can be heard in both the ICC and NFPA systems. It remains up to us and the governing bodies of our communities to determine whether they have listened, and then act accordingly to adopt or amend the codes which best suit our communities` needs and interests.”
“The job of coordinating code enforcement activities will be made more difficult by the split,” says Mark Chubb, fire code coordinator for the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs. “While having two fire code processes competing for the interest and support of the fire service may make it more difficult and costly to participate in code development activities, having two competing codes may help make these codes more responsive to the enforcers and users who rely upon them.” Chubb adds that he hopes the decision to terminate the International Fire Code agreement “does not undermine efforts by either ICC or NFPA to cooperate in other areas.” He concludes: “I hope that both organizations and their members can find a way to disagree about this without being disagreeable. The fire service and the public expect our codes and standards organizations to seek consensus on effective, efficient and economical ways to achieve fire safety. We think this can be achieved through both processes by different means, and had hoped that cooperation would bring out the best of both systems.”
State of Nevada acts to improve regulation of explosives plants
Companies that manufacture and store explosives in the state of Nevada will come under closer scrutiny as a result of an explosion at the Sierra Chemical Company`s TNT plant in Truckee Meadows, Nevada, in January. Four workers were killed.
According to State Fire Marshal Bryon Slobe, the governor appointed a task force that will recommend to the state legislature actions that can help reduce the incidence of such disasters in the future. The panel`s recommendations will include the adopting of codes, the passing of laws, or “whatever it takes,” says Slobe. The task force is gathering the testimonies of workers and others present at the blast site at the time of the explosion and, at press time, was expected to complete its report around the middle of this month.
At the local level, Slobe is serving on a committee formed by the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District that will recommend policies to help reduce the incidence of explosions and other related emergencies at explosives plants. Among the committee`s recommendations, Slobe reports, were that occupancies be classified according to their potential hazards, that the most hazardous plants be inspected first and more frequently (several times a year, where warranted), and that the inspection data be computerized. Truckee Meadows has already implemented some of the proposed programs, Slobe notes. Others will have to wait until funding becomes available.
