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Florida House committee backs stronger building code. A House panel recently gave its stamp of approval to a bill that would bring the hurricane provisions of the Florida Building Code in line with the latest engineering standards. The bill continues to exempt the 12 Panhandle counties—the territory hit hardest last year, by Hurricane Ivan—from the state standards, a move supported by builders and opposed by homeowner insurers. The bill specifically deals with protecting buildings against high winds and wind-blown debris. For more details from the Palm Beach Post, go to http://www.palmbeachpost. com/business/content/business/ep aper/2005/03/16/a2d_insure_031 6.html.
Florida county bans contractors. The Broward County Central Examining Board of Building Construction Trades banned nine individuals from getting contractor’s licenses for the next 10 years. The applicants were accused of falsifying reference letters. All nine applicants had their paperwork processed by a business that charged them as much as $1,000 to submit the documents, promising they would get the licenses in return. Cayman Islands government urges building above code requirements. Planning Department officials want residents rebuilding after Hurricane Ivan to comply with or exceed current codes. Officials also are reviewing the island’s building code to see how it compares to the IBC. They are looking for reasons why structures failed to help people avoid the same mistakes when they repair and rebuild.
Michigan Association of Home Builders (MAHB) wins injunction against state Department of Labor and Economic Growth. MAHB is against proposed revisions to the Michigan Uniform Energy Conservation Code similar to Chapter 11 of the 2003 International Residential Code. MAHB says the new regulations would price first-time homebuyers out of the market. Tennessee jail violates fire codes. The Scott County Sheriff’s Department has to move 66 inmates out of the county jail after the state Fire Marshal’s Office said the facility did not meet fire codes. The jail violated occupancy, fire alarm and sprinkler regulations.
GEORGIA REVISIONS
April 11-16
ICC
ePARTNERS
ICC
Vision and Mission Statements
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Welcome
to ICC ePartners
Dear Industry Partners,
WTC 9/11 investigation
could result in new generation of building and fire codes I-Codes adoption
helps create jobs in S.C.
Member-Get-a-Member
campaign deemed successful. Regions update:
Training and Education delivers more than 116 days of training in February. Contracts included the Ohio Board of Building Standards, Eli Lilly, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the Metro Mayors Caucus of Illinois, Cirque de Soleil in Canada, the University of Wisconsin, Los Angeles County, the Mississippi Development Authority, and AIA Pennsylvania.
ICC begins development of Disaster Response Inspector Certification Program. Initial development is in progress to identify the scope and standards of practice specific to this profession. Once completed, development of the training and certification components will be undertaken through ICC-appointed training and certification committees made up of individuals with demonstrated disaster response experience. Electrical examinations begin in Wyoming. Contractor Examination Services and the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety signed a letter of agreement for ICC to provide master, journeyman and low-voltage electrician exams. Ohio begins computer-based testing. Per ICC’s contract agreement, all preparations have been made to begin offering computer-based testing in Ohio starting this month. Fire Plans Examiner Certification now available. The exam covers administration, occupancies, hazardous material, fire protection, egress and safety. The references for this exam are the 2003 IFC, 2003 IBC, NFPA 13 Installation of Sprinkler Systems and NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code. The new Fire Plans Examiner certification also will serve as a component of the Fire Code Official certification. ICC begins new certification program in Minnesota. ICC and the Association of Minnesota Building Officials (AMBO) have agreed to work together to develop a new ICC-sponsored professional certification. The Minnesota Commercial Plumbing Inspector program will promote professionalism in code administration. The intent of AMBO and ICC is to complete initial development of examinations during 2005 and make them available no later than January 2006.
International Business Plan gets Board of Directors approval. The plan identifies specific countries/regions as part of ICC’s focus for 2005.
ICC, SEAOC sign agreement to publish, market and distribute Seismic Design manuals. ICC and the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEOAC) have signed an agreement to publish, market, and distribute the third edition of Seismic Design Manual volumes I, II, and III based on the 2006 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) and ASCE 7-05. This volume set features a broad base of problems addressing both structural and seismic issues in numerous examples. Adopted by university courses as required course text and used as reference material at SEAOC and ICC seminars, Seismic Design Manual, volumes I, II, and III are a valuable resource for structural and civil engineers, architects, code officials and students. James Lee and Rick appreciate your feedback on this enewsletter. Please send your comments to Dominic Sims, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233), ext. 5267. For more information on ICC’s Strategic Partners, Supporting Organizations and Participating Organizations, click here. To make sure you continue to receive ICC ePartners in your inbox (not sent to bulk or junk folders), please add jwitt-rweiland@iccsafe.org to your address book. ICC and its affiliates and subsidiaries respect your right to privacy. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here. ©2005 International Code Council, Headquarters; 5203 Leesburg Pike, Suite 600; Falls Church, VA 22041 USA |
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Shortage
of building inspectors creates backlog in Florida county. About half
of Charlotte County, Florida’s, homes were damaged by last year’s hurricanes
and roof repairs are being hampered by poor workmanship and a shortage
of inspectors. Some homeowners have had to wait more than two months for
an inspection and 45 percent of the roof repairs have failed inspection.
Charlotte County has five roof inspectors and there currently are 3,500
roofs awaiting inspection.
Mobile
home debate in Florida leads to uninspected repairs. Thousands of
the state’s mobile homes damaged by hurricanes last year are not getting
proper inspections because state law is unclear on who is responsible
for issuing permits for the work. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
regulates mobile homes as vehicles but says local building departments
are responsible for permitting and inspections. But building officials
in 17 Florida counties refuse to issue permits or inspect work because
they say the DMV is responsible. Building officials also say they aren’t
trained in how to inspect mobile homes because their construction is regulated
by the federal government and not the ICC-based Florida Building Code.
Antrim
County, Michigan, gets its building department back. The state Construction
Code Commission recently voted to allow the county to resume inspections
and enforcement. The duties were taken away last summer in response to
multiple violations of state law by the department and a backlog of more
than 7,500 permits. The county’s former building department director faces
charges of corruption by a public official and violating state building
codes. 
A
South Carolina company credits the state’s adoption of the IBC for helping
it grow. Atlantic Building Components & Services says that as a result
of the new code, it created a structural division to design an entire
structure. The division has seen an annual growth rate of more than 100
percent over the last two years.
ICC
Fire Service Certification is recognized by “ProBoard.” The National
Board on Fire Services Professional Qualifications, a.k.a. the ProBoard,
has announced its recognition of ICC’s new Fire Plans Examiner Certification,
in addition to its longstanding recognition of ICC Fire Inspector I and
Fire Inspector II certifications. This accreditation attests to the highest
quality of service of ICC for these important fire-service credentials.
Individuals who achieve ICC certification in any of these three levels
receive not only a listing in ICC’s prestigious Certification Registry,
but are also listed on a national “ProBoard” Registry which is widely
recognized by state license boards and fire academies throughout the U.S.
Cirque
de Soleil turns to ICC for training to improve its code compliance and
decrease its permitting costs. An international touring company with
permanent theaters in Las Vegas and Orlando and temporary structures located
throughout the world, Cirque de Soleil contracted three days of training
on the International Building Code and International Fire Code.
Training was conducted by one of ICC's veteran instructors, Dan Smits,
to Cirque’s architects, draftsmen and set designers. By all measures,
the training was a tremendous success, with comments from the participants
such as, “Finally, training that was worth it.” 
ICC
develops Wildland Fire Program. The program will be led by Dan
Bailey (pictured), who will work with local, state and federal agencies,
associations, and the fire and building industries to tackle the urban-wildland
interface fire issues. Dan is the former program manager for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s Wildland Urban Interface/Firewise
Programs.