2018 Accessibility Codes Adoption in PA
On June 15, 2019, the new 2018 Accessibility Code provisions were officially published in the PA Bulletin by the PA Dept. of L&I thereby adopting Chapter 11 and Appendix E of the 2018 IBC as well as other accessibility provisions in the IPC, IEBC, & ISPSC. The PCCA requires the adoption, in the year of their issuance, the accessibility provisions of the most recently published edition of the ICC codes and any other accessibility requirements without change. The new code requirements took effect upon publication in the PA Bulletin (June 15, 2019). PENNBOC’s recent email to you on this adoption incorrectly listed June 1 as the effective date.
Public Comment & TAC Volunteers Sought for 2018 I-Codes Review
The Dept. of L&I is seeking public comment on the 2018 International Code Council codes. The public comment period opened on June 13, 2019, and will last 120 days, closing on October 10, 2019. You can submit your comments via their online form HERE.
Additionally, if you are interested in lending your industry expertise to RAC’s review of the 2018 I-Codes, you can apply for an appointment to a UCC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) by submitting an online application (deadline: Friday, July 12, 2019). Complete the TAC Participation Form & upload your resume HERE.
Take a Look at ICC’s 2018 Codes Online
If you don’t have 2018 I-Code publications immediately available to you, you can access the ICC “free-view” online HERE.
Products Incompatible with CPVC Sprinkler Piping
From the American Fire Sprinkler Association: As with any piping material, there are certain chemicals that can be detrimental to CPVC. CPVC materials can be damaged by contact with chemicals found in some construction and ancillary products such as thread sealants, antifreeze solutions, fire stop materials, etc. It is important to verify the compatibility of materials we use that come in contact with the CPVC system to ensure long-term performance. Lubrizol on August 21, 2017 updated its FBC System Compatible Program to include several new incompatible products. This update added the following fire-stopping systems to its incompatible list: Hilti’s CP506 Smoke and Acoustic Sealant; No Nonsense Limited’s “No Nonsense Intumescent Acrylic Sealant” Sealant; and, Everbuild’s EVERBUILD FIRE Fire Mate Sealant C3.
Zurich, the global insurer, issued a publication discussing the issues surrounding the CPVC sprinkler pipe failures. Read it here: Zurich CPVC Sprinkler Pipe Failures – May 2017.