A recent ANSI "Accessibility Codes and Standards" workshop in Arlington, Virginia, emphasized codes a as a "first line of defense" and indicated codes are moving forward faster than federal regulations designed to address accessibility issues. Code Council Chief Operating Officer Dominic Sims kicked off the May 24 event as the Workshop Chair by emphasizing ICC's "long history in the area of accessibility." The centerpiece of the workshop featured a panel with Code Council experts, along with representatives of the U.S. Access Board and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The workshop is part of three workshops in the ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel series, which will be consolidated into a single ANSI report.

Code Council Senior Staff Architects Kim Paarlberg and Jay Woodward were joined in the first panel, addressing development, interaction and coordination of federal rules, codes and standards, by Cheryl Kent, Special Advisor for Disability Policy at HUD, and Marsha Mazz, Senior Technical Assistance Coordinator at the U.S. Access Board. Mazz said, "I like to look at the building codes as the first line of defense and federal guidelines as the safety net."

Paarlberg indicated that the International Building Code goes beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements regarding fire safety evacuation, coverage of churches and private clubs, elevators regarding fire service access and occupant evacuation, and additional ramp safety features such as guards in addition to handrails. She also emphasized the value of uniform approaches to people with disabilities regardless of where they are located. The IBC includes the incorporation of ICC/ANSI Standard A117 regarding accessibility within its model code language.

The panelists explored the tension between federal regulations and codes, including where codes go beyond federal requirements. Mazz said, "The state of the art — building codes and standards — is moving forward. The truth is that the federal process is slow and may be holding people back from making progress." She works with the Architectural Barriers Act, which is a law that applies whenever federal construction dollars are used. Mazz also suggested areas for further discussion regarding gaps between federal regulations and the IBC, including owner responsibility, vertical access, and transient lodging/dwelling units.

A second panel on interpretation of private sector guidance and public sector regulation featured Chief Building Official Shahriar Amiri of Arlington County, Virginia, and American Institute of Architects Consultant Mark Mazz. Amiri emphasized that code officials need clarity from all sources to maximize the ability to enforce measures that provide needed accessibility conditions.