SiC BLAST – So Many Codes, So Little Time

So Many Codes on a Project – Which One to Apply?

Regardless of whether you are providing special inspections on soil, concrete, masonry, structural steel, sprayed fire-resistant materials, MEP, etc., it can be difficult to figure out which particular referenced building code to apply on a specific project site. The construction documents may state a specific building code and they may not – even if the construction documents do state the building code to use, they may designate the WRONG edition (publishing date) of that particular building code. When this code dilemma strikes – THINK chapter 35 of IBC.

Chapter 35, “Referenced Standards”, of the IBC code book lists an unbelievable number (hundreds) of referenced standards and codes adopted by IBC in their entirety. Chapter 35 will not only list the appropriate referenced code but it will also issue the appropriate published edition date that should be used. The IBC approved edition date of the code listed in Chapter 35 MUST be used and only the building official can issue a variance of that particular code edition and date. While chapter 35 does not list specific special inspections, many of the referenced codes and standards (ASTM) that comprise chapter 35 DO stipulate specific special inspections and tests. The table below reflects the appropriate referenced building code and edition date to use on your project depending on which edition of the International Building Code (IBC) that the jurisdiction, the project is located in, has adopted.

IBC Chapter 35, General Comments. Chapter 35, entitled Referenced Standards, contains a comprehensive list of all standards that are referenced in the IBC code. Once a standard is incorporated into the code through the code development process, it becomes an enforceable part of the code. When the referenced code is adopted by a jurisdiction, the reference standard or code is also a part of that jurisdiction’s adopted code.