In this month's issue of The Investigative Engineer, we review the long anticipated adoption of The International Fire & Building Codes. Building and fire codes have been developed and evolved to ensure public safety. In the area of fire investigations and forensic engineering, the applicable codes become vital when establishing not only the origin and cause of fires but in determining the extent of the fire, or establishing if it may have been prevented or minimized.

As part of his practice with Godfrey & Lapuyade, P.C., James A. Johnson says that he will always explore fire & building codes when defending a claim because they are a "good avenue of defense and it is not unusual to establish code violations that occurred in the process of assembly, manufacturing or construction".

The International Codes are being adopted in many State and local jurisdictions throughout the United States this spring. The core set of international codes is comprised of the IFC (International Fire Code), the IBC (International Building Code), the IMC (International Mechanical Code), the IPC (International Plumbing Code) and the IRC (International Residential Code). They are the result of many years of difficult, and at times controversial, discussions among four major code publishers in the U.S.

The International Codes published their first edition in 2000. They are soon to be governed by the International Code Council. They are designed to be companion codes. What they are is a compilation of many of the existing fire & building codes used throughout the U.S. The old code groups included: ICBO, BOCA and SBCCI. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) contributed toward this process but still desired to retain its portions of applicable fire & building codes. We are currently seeing widespread adoption of the International Codes in many areas of the U.S. They have several advantages. The most important is that architects, engineers, code officials and fire investigators can refer to a single set of codes representing the latest technological advantages in the construction, prevention and fire suppression industries. Some pockets of the U.S. will still continue to use some NFPA and the ICBO codes.

These codes are revised every three years after members of the public, those in industry/trades and the enforcement officials change them in open hearings. Local jurisdictions have the ability to amend portions of these codes to suit their local needs or political situations. The NFPA codes still serve as important guidelines on specifications of specialized applications. For example, the International Fire Code may require a particular occupancy to install fire sprinklers, but the details on the sprinkler installation and design will be found in the applicable NFPA code.

How is this relevant to the Fire Investigator? A Fire Investigator who desires to do a thorough job in investigating an incident needs to find out under which codes the structure was constructed. This is one small but important component of a complete investigation. Determining which code was in place at the time of construction and during fire inspections may reveal the following:

• Which type of construction was required?
• Were area or occupancy separation walls required and in place?
• Was a sprinkler, standpipe or fire alarm system required?
• What amount of combustion air was required for specific heating appliances?
• Were there any outstanding or repeat fire code violations, which may have contributed to the start or extension of the fire?

Part of a complete investigation may include obtaining copies of fire and building department inspections. Reviewing these may yield important clues as to why a fire started or explain the dynamics of the fire spread during a structure fire.

The good news is, expect to see fewer codes out there as many of these code groups consolidate. Insurance companies and fire investigation firms should consider investigators who are familiar with the codes, which were applicable at the time of construction of the structure, and which codes were used during routine fire inspections of the structure. Many governmental agencies keep these on record for some time. This consolidation of three of the four major code groups will make an investigator's job in the future easier as fewer texts will be needed to reference during the investigation. Investigators can become certified in many of these codes to ensure a minimum level of expertise in the area.

Steven Badger, an attorney with Zelle Hofmann, in Dallas, says that fire & building codes "often provide the basis for establishing liability of contractors, designers, suppliers and others in the construction process-codes provide a good way to demonstrate what someone did wrong."

The new International Codes represent a dramatic but progressive step in the code development and enforcement arenas. For assistance in which codes were in place and how they played a role in a fire, please consult with a professional investigation firm with staff familiar in these areas.

Copyright 2002 Professional Investigative Engineers. All rights reserved.