Update to Plumbing and Mechanical Codes on the Horizon

In a recent release issued by the Intl. Code Council, the association announced an upcoming face-to-face meeting on Nov. 19, 2005, that is scheduled with the Intl. Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). The high-level meeting is a continuation of discussions regarding a joint venture to update the Uniform Plumbing Code™, Uniform Mechanical Code™, Intl. Plumbing Code®, and Intl. Mechanical Code® to produce a joint code in the respective subject areas.

Both Henry Green, the newly elected ICC president, and IAPMO President Christopher Salazar are eager to explore the opportunity of a unified code. “IAPMO and the ICC have progressed to a point which enables both organizations to consider what had once been thought impossible, that is, to jointly develop one Plumbing Code and one Mechanical Code for the entire United States. I’m very optimistic about our chances to successfully conclude these discussions,” says Salazar.

An MOU was signed on Sept. 28, 2005, describing both parties’ intentions regarding a joint venture to develop the unified codes. According to the ICC release, both organizations have agreed to the following:

1. The parties agree to work cooperatively and in good faith to reach out to affected stakeholders, in a manner to be agreed upon by the parties as discussions between the parties proceed.
2. The new system would utilize the Governmental Consensus process to create and maintain the codes that result from the proposed joint venture. Specific details of the process to be agreed upon by both organizations.
3. The plumbing and mechanical members of the code development committees, which would create and maintain the codes that result from the joint venture, would all be qualified individuals from the plumbing and mechanical industry with expertise in their respective fields.
4. IAPMO and ICC would hold a joint code development hearing (or hearings) to develop and maintain any codes that result from the joint venture.
5. The codes produced by the joint venture would reference applicable codes and standards in order to maintain a comprehensive and coordinated set of codes.

For more information on the ICC, visit (www.iccsafe.org); to find out more about the IAPMO, visit (www.iapmo.org).