Playing with Fire

Back in May I got to listen in and learn a lot about the labeling of fire-rated glazing when I attended a meeting of the International Code Council’s (ICC) Code Technology Committee (CTC). At that time, the CTC agreed that it would recommend to the ICC board that the committee be allowed to form a task group that would research “marking standards for the rating of fire-resistance and fire protection glazing.” The ICC board is scheduled to address this topic during a meeting this weekend and I hope to have an update for you on Monday as to whether yet another group will be trying to find a way to label these products that suits product manufacturers and properly informs the code officials.

This is a topic we’ve reported on at great length in the past (see Ellen Roger’s very informative article on the labeling system in this April 2006 issue). And in fact, I’ve been asked a couple times in the past two weeks, while interviewing industry professionals for a related article in our August 2008 issue of USGlass, if anyone is really still interested in this topic. Maybe that’s the attitude of manufacturers no longer interested in continuing the discussion (and hey, that’s not commentary on anybody as I’ve heard it from several corners!) but so long as the topic continues to be brought up at industry meetings, I feel that we owe it to our readers to continue covering this discussion.

I’ll admit, I’m new to the intricacies of this labeling system. But the one thing I’ve heard from each and every fire-rated glazing manufacturer with whom I’ve spoken is that the intent of the label is to make things easier for building code officials. Clearly some companies and/or individuals feel the existing label accomplishes this goal, while others do not. Maybe now we’re going to find out if the building code officials feel the need to change this label; not necessarily Monday when the ICC board determines whether or not to establish a task group to research this issue, but perhaps if such research is undertaken code officials will step forth and offer their input.

In the meantime, I’d like to have your input on this issue. Have you heard input from building code officials stating that they find this system confusing? Or is all quiet on the fire-rated glazing front? Send me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com; rest assured, your name won’t be thrown in print without your express permission, but I would appreciate hearing input from the individuals affected by this issue.