In 2003, the International Code Council began the process to make log structures just as safe as those built of brick and mortar.

STANDARDS UPDATES
There's No Place Like a Safe Log Home
More and more homeowners are enjoying log cabin homes as a quaint throwback to pioneer days combined with the comforts of modern day living. The International Code Council Board of Directors observed this trend more than a decade ago and in 2003 began the process to make sure these log homes were just as safe as those built of brick and mortar. The Code Council gathered experts from all fields to form the ICC Consensus Committee on Log Structures, which operates under ICC’s ANSI-accredited standards development process. In August 2011, ICC 400-2012: Standard on the Design and Construction of Log Structures received final approval from ANSI as an American National Standard. Click to continue.

A Decade of Work for Bleacher Safety
The 2012 edition of ICC 300: Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands is referenced in the 2012 International Building Code and International Existing Building Code for the construction of and alterations and additions to bleachers and grandstands. The standard reflects more than a decade of work by a variety of professionals following a startling number of bleacher related accidents in the 1980s and 1990s. Click to continue.

CODE DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Next cdp ACCESS Webinar Slated for September 5
The cdp ACCESS Steering Committee is conducting a series of online presentations to provide opportunities for Code Council Members and other stakeholders to gather information and input on how to best expand participation in ICC's code development process.

The next webinar will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Eastern on September 5 and will be hosted by ICC Board of Directors President Bill Dupler (pictured during a previous webinar) and Steering Committee Chair Wally Bailey. Register here. Questions and comments can be submitted beforehand and during the webinar.

View an overview presentation on the cdp ACCESS initiative as well as past webinars.

When completed, Bridgestone's Off the Road Radial tire plant in Aiken County, South Carolina, will be one of only three LEED certified tire manufacturing plants in the world.

ICC PLAN REVIEW SERVICE
ICC Helps Local Building Department Streamline Plan Review Process, Reducing Costs and Red Tags
The Aiken County, South Carolina, Planning & Development Department contracted with the Code Council to provide plan review services for Bridgestone's construction of one of the largest Off the Road Radial (ORR) tire plants in the world, as well as the expansion of an existing passenger tire plant that covers 2.7 million square feet. When completed, the ORR plant will be one of only three LEED certified tire manufacturing facilities in the world. Overall, the $1.2 billion project is the largest capital investment in South Carolina history.

"The evaluation of these unusually large structures required collaboration between the designers, fire protection consultants, Aiken County and ICC's Plan Review staff," said Doug Connell, Team Leader for the Code Council's Architectural & Engineering division. "Together, we ensured that the phased design-build schedule was met with minimal disruption, while assuring that the design complied with code requirements."

For more information on ICC's Plan Review Services and technical resources, click here or call 888-ICC-SAFE (888-422-7233) ext. 4309 or ext. 5226.

Final Action Agenda available by September 10. The Final Action Agenda, which includes the schedule for the Group A Final Action Hearings October 22-28 in Portland, Oregon, will be available for download by September 10. Public comments in response to committee actions during the Group A Code Development Hearings in Dallas were due August 1.

Registration remains open for the Code Council's 2012 Annual Conference and Group A Final Action Hearings in Portland. Don't miss the opportunity to participate in the development of the 2015 I-Codes, attend training sessions, participate in Membership Council meetings and network with peers.

Make sure you can vote in Portland. The ICC Board of Directors has instituted a new Electronic Voter Designation System to further enhance the code development process. The online tool documents information about Governmental Member Voting Representatives to address concerns that have been raised about voting eligibility at recent hearings. Make sure you can vote on code changes at the Final Action Hearings, Board elections and other ICC business at the 2012 Annual Business Meeting in Portland.

ICC Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters (IS-STM) will hold telephone conference September 27. The purpose of this meeting is for the IS-STM committee to consider Task Group recommendations on public proposals that have been submitted for ICC 500-2008-ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters. Read the meeting notice. If you wish to be placed on the “interested party” list for the development of this standard, contact the ICC Secretariat David Bowman. Interested parties will be notified by e-mail of activities related to the ICC 500 standard.

Staff Code Opinions are an exclusive benefit for ICC Members. Annually, the Code Council responds to more than 69,000 requests for Staff Code Opinions. These opinions, which are issued verbally and in writing, are not intended to influence the code official and do not represent the official position of ICC. The final authority of code opinions is the responsibility of the code official. For more information, click here.

ICC has processed 548 Committee Interpretations since 2002. Committee Interpretations are processed in accordance with ICC Policy CP #11. Requests approved by the ICC Interpretation Committee represent the official position of ICC; however, the final authority of code interpretations is the responsibility of the code official. Since August 29, 2002, ICC has received 548 requests for Committee Interpretations. Of those requests, 213 have been posted on the ICC website, 316 were not processed (either a staff opinion was issued or it was beyond the scope of a code opinion), 10 were unresolved, and nine are currently under review.