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BOAT Bulletin March 2009 BOAT Welcomes New Board Members Proper Building Environment Needs Team Work Residential Fire Sprinklers -- the Good, the Bad, The Truth God Almighty Inspector vs. Andy of Mayberry Inspector Working Together to Increase Our Membership Stimulus Bill Allows for a Two-Year "Window of Opportunity" to Homeowners! Underwriters Laboratories Publishes First Safety Standard for Portable Generators
This being my first message from the president, I thought I might reflect on our past and promote our future. I have the great honor of being president of an extraordinary organization-- an organization that represents so much to so many. So many who are unaware of what it is that we really do. Your BOAT Board has set out some strategic goals for the upcoming year, and I believe our past presidents have strived to achieve some items we shall continue. I would like to share and reinforce some of those items. Building officials, inspectors, and plans examiners must continue to focus on Raising the Profile. Displaying professionalism in all that we do. Demonstrating the importance of codes and standards, explaining the “why” to those that do not understand. Raise the profile, professionalism, and importance of what you do each and every day. This is the legacy of your past presidents and is critical to our future. In these slower economic times it becomes even more critical. It is more important as communities look for methods of streamlining their budgets or question what services are essential. Too many times, code officials take the perspective that “I am necessary” or “They can’t do it without me.” These are just examples of the wrong attitude. During difficult economic times, a community’s administration should understand the importance of what we do and the benefits provided. In slower economic times, homeowners and contractors alike are looking for methods of cutting costs. Many of these cost savings can have safety concerns attached. For starters, contractors may elect to not pull a permit, and for that reason, code enforcement efforts should be stepped up. Permit holders may look to save dollars by using inferior products or sub-contractors. We must be vigilant and also provide those who we interact with a feeling for the magnitude of what we do. We, the membership, are not alone in the purpose we collectively serve; although we don’t do that great a job of sharing with each other. We need to continue to grow our organization and learn to share our success across the state. The institutional knowledge contained within BOAT is untapped and when you look statewide and think of the possibilities, it is almost unlimited. We need to reach out within our organization to help each other; we need to reach out and encourage others to join BOAT. BOAT is one of the premier code official organizations across the country. We have garnered the respect of our peers nationwide, yet we fall short in Texas. Your Board will be getting out to you, the membership; leading, mentoring, and offering services to help you become more successful. The BOAT Board will also be reaching out to more communities to promote and grow our organization. We will be expanding our training opportunities across the state. We are looking at ways to expand BPI, and will be more proactive in disaster response and mitigation. All these steps promote the profession and raise the profile of the code official. I am asking each and every one of our members to challenge yourself to do your part. Talk to your neighboring communities, promote yourself in your own community, e-mail your Board and let us know how we can help you; just do something to benefit our profession. That is my challenge to you. I look forward to an exceptional year; now, let’s go to work! Scott A. McDonald, CBO, Amarillo BOAT WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Mr. Braley is employed by the City of Hewitt, where he is the Director of Planning and Community Development. This department is made up of Inspection Services, Code Enforcement, Flood Plain Administration, and Building Maintenance. Mr. Braley holds multiple certifications from S.B.C.C.I. and I.C.C. and also maintains a State of Texas Plumbing Inspectors License. He’s also an Eagle Scout and has an associate’s degree in applied science and building technology. He has been associated with the construction trades industry for approximately 35 years with approximately 18 years in the construction business and 17 years administrating codes. Mr. Braley serves in the following organizations:
Mr. Henry began his career with the City of Texarkana, Texas in June 2002 as a building inspector and residential plans examiner. He served as a combination inspector before being promoted to chief building official in February 2007. Prior to joining the City of Texarkana, he worked as a home building remodeler and in the siding industry. He holds a degree in business administration from Texarkana College and is a Certified Building Official from the ICC. He is an active member of the:
Mr. Tran is the vice-president of Bureau Veritas’ Code Compliance and Public Works Services Division for the Central and East Regions of the United States. Mr. Tran holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor of science degree in environmental design from Texas A & M University. Mr. Tran is a Certified Building Official and holds numerous technical credentials. Mr. Tran has more than 15 years of private and public experience, where he has played a role in providing plan review, inspection, and code consulting services to many multi-million dollar projects of all major building types, including the new $1.1-billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium, National Mixed-Use Developments, and other large-scale commercial developments. Prior to joining Bureau Veritas, Mr. Tran worked at an A/E consulting firm, providing training workshops covering the International Building and Energy Codes and assisting design professionals with many code challenges. Mr. Tran also served much of his accomplished career as an assistant building official for the City of Plano. Since 1999, Mr. Tran has been actively participating in the continuing education program offered by the Building Professional Institute, where he serves as a moderator and speaker. He was also vice-chair and chair of the Joint Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner Certification Committee. I realized a couple of weeks ago that I’ve been in code enforcement for more than 20 years. In fact, more than 21 years. Where has the time gone? I started with the City of Waco on January 21, 1988. I began my career as a housing inspector. I remember, believe it or not, the old days and how much they have changed from today. Examples:
With that said, I must say government work has been most rewarding. I believe the City of Waco is a cleaner, safer city than it was more than 20 years ago. My department has had many dedicated employees through the years who have worked extremely hard to accomplish that goal. Since, January 21, 1988, there are only five people still left from the group that was here when I started my career, including myself. Times, of course, have changed, but I sincerely believe it has been change for the good. We have better educated employees and more efficient vehicles and computers (did I say how glad I was when computers became a fixture of office equipment?). Also, city management and the city council recognize the tough task code enforcers deal with on a daily basis. They are both very supportive. In closing, if you are reading this article and thinking that more than 20 years is a long time, well, you are correct. It is. But if you do your job to the best of your ability, find some humor in the madness, and realize there is a tomorrow, then you, too, might be writing an article similar to this after more than 20 years of employment as a code enforcer. Randall R. Childers, CBO, Waco In February of this year, the Building Officials Association of Texas held another successful Mid-Year Meeting at the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel. The BOAT Board would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who attended for their participation. Participants at the conference enjoyed a trip to the State Capitol in Austin and an opportunity to speak with legislators regarding several proposed bills that would affect the building community, if passed into law. Attendees also took part in an educational day and an annual business meeting. In the spirit of friendly competition, participants also had the opportunity to take part in the annual BOAT golf tournament and rounded out the conference with the Awards Banquet and Casino Night. Although attendance was low in comparison to prior years, this may be attributed to the current economic environment. To view a few memorable moments with photos by Charles Bloomberg, go here. We would like to encourage all members to attend next year’s event and remind you to encourage other building officials in your area to do the same. Remember, your staff is also welcome to attend, and the conference is a great way to get them involved. The Building Officials Association of Texas is always looking for suggestions to help improve BOAT events, so please contact one of the BOAT Board members with any ideas you may have. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the next annual BOAT Mid-Year Meeting in Amarillo! Chris Haver, CBO, College Station Through the years the Building Officials of Texas Association has strived to promote building safety; uphold the protection of life, health, and property; and elevate the building profession. The BOAT awards are designed to recognize cities and individuals who implement these goals within their communities. On behalf of the awards committee and the executive Board, we would like to thank all the applicants for their participation in the 2008 BOAT awards. The Awards for Excellence were presented to the following cities: Small – City of Webster
The City of Colleyville received the Merit Award for providing excellence to their community and to the building inspections industry. The Jim Whatley Award - Building Official of the Year was presented to Randy Childers, building official for the City of Waco, by BOAT President Ravi Shah. Randy has been a lifelong member of BOAT, he is a past president of the organization, and he is the liaison to the Texas Legislature for BOAT. The BOAT executive Board approved three scholarships for 2008 to some very deserving young students to help supplement the cost of their college tuition and help them meet their educational goals. Kaelyn Jimenez – $1,000 Robert Chatham There once was a guy named Randy in Waco who bought a horse from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news ... the horse died." Randy replied, "Well, then just give me my money back." The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already." Randy said, "OK, then, just bring me the dead horse." The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him?" Randy said, "I'm going to raffle him off." The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead horse!" Randy said, "Sure I can, watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead." A month later, the farmer met up with Randy and asked, "What happened with that dead horse?" Randy said, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars apiece and made a profit of $998." The farmer said, "Didn't anyone complain?" Randy said, "Just the guy who won. So, I gave him his two dollars back." Randy grew up and has worked for the government in Waco for more than 20 years now. He's the one who figured out how this "bailout" is going to work. Thank you, thank you very much. John R. Brown, MCP, CFM Oh, by the way-- did anyone notice he spent $100.00 for the horse, got $1,000.00 from tickets, gave back $2.00, and made a profit of $998.00? That is government finance.
PROPER BUILDING ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TEAM WORK Two years ago, I replaced a building official who had been in the job for 30 years. The relationship of the construction industry and developers to the city were akin to the Hatfields and McCoys. Instead of the town that dreaded sundown (aka., Movie about Texarkana), we were the city that dreaded the building office. My first instinct was to try to ease the tension, which was not successful. The administration at that time was very adamant about not changing the system, and superiors even ridiculed some of my ideas. A few months after I was promoted, change and help were on the way. The city manager left and was replaced by our present city manager, who hired a community and public works director. We all had basically the same vision. We instituted changes in our plan review process to speed up review from months to weeks, became proactive instead of reactive, held meetings with contractors, and started notifying in advance of any proposed changes to our codes and policies. All were major changes in the operation of our department. The results have been substantial, and response to the new customer service has been off the charts. If we can continue to look for ways to improve and strive for perfection, the city will only benefit. Lynn Henry, CBO, Texarkana AMARILLO BY MORNING
Plan now to attend the Building Officials Association of Texas Mid-Year Meeting. With budgets to prepare and education credits to receive, we want to offer our conference as a valuable opportunity. Our objective is to encourage the involvement of every building official in the State of Texas. That means we need you. Let’s set a goal of 150 in attendance in Amarillo. If you will join me in reaching this goal, here’s what you can expect:
WHAT ELSE?
WHAT DOES IT COST?
OUR PROMISE: To make this conference both educational and enjoyable! And drinks for all newcomers are on us at our reception. WHAT IF THERE IS NO MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET? Please allow us to attempt to overcome even that obstacle. Without you, we are not as strong. Call a Board member if you need assistance in attending. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY If anyone is willing to sponsor a code official, enabling that person to attend our conference, please call Lawrence Crow at 972-880-9915. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE MEASURES
A performance measure draws attention to the operations and provides a tool for improving services. Effectively developing a performance measurement and tracking system can generally answer some of the inevitable questions that can be raised by initiating parties, such as:
In fact, development application turnaround times, citizen complaints, number of errors and omissions, and other indicators measuring performance, quality, customer service, and others should exist as part of a building department’s performance tracking system. A city’s building inspection department should provide quantifiable performance measures and/or any indicators that benchmark its operational effectiveness. In order to insist on accountability that demonstrates a return on the level of services provided, the department would then need to assess its focus on operational improvements, systematic program evaluation, and directing its operations. The design of these performance measures should enable the building department manager to detect operational strengths and weaknesses. These measures, if used appropriately, could be a direct feedback to all department employees on the department status and could serve to be a useful tool for the city manager’s office (CMO) in calibrating the desired objectives. Ravi Shah RESIDENTIAL FIRE SPRINKLERS -- THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE TRUTH
The Good Residential fire sprinklers will save lives - not just the residents, but firefighters as well. Do you know how long it takes a fire to weaken the attachment plates used on truss systems? Only 5 to 10 minutes. This may sound like enough time for residents to escape the home, but how about those firefighters who after you are out safely, go into the house, already on fire and for how long no one knows, to save as many of the occupants personal effects as possible. Oh yeah, and put out the fire. Residential fire sprinklers will save property. There are many communities with two-and- a-half (2-1/2) story residences with a side yard setback of only five feet. What is located in that five feet? Air conditioning condensers, gas meters, swimming pool equipment, storage, dog runs, flower beds, etc. Not a lot of space for a firefighter to access the rear of the structure while carrying a ladder and a fire hose. Remember, not all houses have access gates on both sides. Most of the time, the gates are kept locked for security reasons, which is understandable in these times we live in. Time is ticking away, while all the time the firefighter is attempting to access the rear of the house, the fire is raging on. With a quick response fire sprinkler system, the fire would have been put out or at worst held in check. The Bad It costs money. It costs more and more money to build a house, especially with all the safety devices code requires nowadays. It costs money to change from Edison base fuses to circuit breakers, from no smoke detectors to smoke detectors in each bedroom and at the entrance to each sleeping area, from 3.5-gallon flush toilets to 1.6-gallon flush systems, from no cross connection contamination protection of our public water supply to hose bib vacuum breakers, PVBs on lawn irrigation systems, from no electrical ground fault protection for people to adding ground faults at all wet areas, from no arc-fault protection to providing arc-fault protection in each sleeping room and now almost everywhere in the home, from not designing houses to withstand high wind speeds to requiring them to withstand hurricane force winds, if that is where you live. The Truth Nothing is free. Each time there is a fire or a hurricane or a tornado or an earthquake or a flood it costs money. When insurance companies pay, they adjust their rates to help recoup their losses. Who pays those rates? We do. Will it increase the cost of building, and thus, buying a new house? Yes. How much more will it cost to sprinkle a house? Look at the following Web site, http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/Research/FireSprinklerCostAssessment.pdf, which is a study on the cost assessment for residential fire sprinkler systems. Could it be different in your city? Yes, but the article is very informative. They leak. No, they don’t. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, but check with cities that have required them for years and they will tell you they don’t leak. All the villages in the Houston area have required fire sprinklers since 1999 and there have been no complaints. They all go off at once. No, they don’t. When there is a fire in one room, only the sprinkler heads affected by the heat of that fire in that room will activate. They will flood the entire house. No, they won’t. Residential quick response sprinkler heads only produce about 15 to 18 gallons per minute (GPM), whereas the sprinkler head at a shopping strip center would produce around 25 gallons per minute, and for a cotton warehouse, it would be 35 to 45 gallons per minute. A fire fighter’s fire hose, 1-3/4” size will deliver 120 to 180 gallons per minute. Which one will flood your house more - 15 to 18 GPM or 120 to 180 GPM? The cost is much too high to be affordable by the average person buying a home. No, it isn’t. Most carpet costs around $2.00 per square foot. Tile floors cost around $5.00 per square foot. The fire sprinkler system should cost about $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot of the house. For example; a 3000-sq.-ft. house with 50% carpet and 50% tile equals $3,000.00 for carpet and $7,500.00 for tile (carpet will need replacing in 5 to 10 years) for a grand total of $10,500.00. Fire sprinkling would cost (at $2.00 per sq. ft. for 4000 sq. ft.) because of attics and garages $8,000.00. Not a deal breaker. Also, consider that you will receive some credit from your insurance company, 2% to 5% can be expected. Not much but it all counts. People will not pay for this. Yes, they will. They pay for it now in higher insurance rates and saddest of all, lost lives. Is the glass half full or half empty? Use it as a selling point, not a negative. Most important factor with regard to codes is DON’T start removing items you or your contractors don’t like from the code. That is a slippery slope, and where does it end? A good old Southern saying is appropriate here: “Nip it in the bud.” Don’t start it. John R. Brown, MCP, CFM, West University Place GOD ALMIGHTY INSPECTOR VS. ANDY OF MAYBERRY INSPECTOR Have you ever stopped and considered what a “code administrator” really is? Is he really an enforcer or a teacher? Or a combination of both? When I first got into this business, I already had ten-plus years of construction experience and had been exposed to the “god almighty inspector.” In fact, when I went back to college to get my building degree, I intentionally took a class sanctioned by S.B.C.C.I. and received my building inspectors certification just so when I got back into construction I could discuss the intent of the code with the inspector. Didn’t work; he was still “god almighty inspector.” In the first city whereI became an inspector, I had the opportunity to become good friends (and still am) with another fairly new inspector, and we started taking the different codes and studying them. He was more the “god almighty” type, and I was more the “Andy of Mayberry” type (for expediency, I’m going to use these acronyms: “gai” will be short for “god almighty inspector” and “ami” will stand for “Andy of Mayberry inspector”). I would take the code and read what it said, and he would take the code and read what it didn’t say. Stick with me now, it’s really not as confusing as that last statement sounds. This might be a good point to explain what a “gai” & “ami” is. A “gai” will tell you to do it because he said to; an “ami” will explain the reason why you have to do what he said you had to do. Kinda along the line that you can catch more bees with honey than you can with vinegar. What we learned through this relationship was that what was important was to satisfy the intent of the code, not how the intent of the code was satisfied. In other words, if you’ll allow me an analogy that I use in training my staff, discussions with my customers, and in my builders meetings, “There are at least 18 different roads that get you into my city. Just because you take a different road than I do does not make mine the best one to take. The intent is to get you to my city.” The intent of the code is even discussed in Chapter 1, Administration, of the I.C.C. Codes. I won’t quote the sections because they vary from code to code, but they all pretty much say the same thing-that the building official may allow alternate designs and applications, as long as the intent of the code is met. In closing what I’m trying to say is that it’s my belief that we are not only here to enforce the code, but it’s also our responsibility to educate the tradesman as to the intent of the code so they can, in turn, incorporate it into their construction techniques. Through education, we will ensure that we have a code compliant structure. Bruce Braley, Community Development Director, Hewitt I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about for this newsletter, and then I was able to read the draft with the President’s Message by Scott, Randy’s 20 Years in Code Enforcement, Ravi’s Performance Management, and Lynn’s Team Work articles. These, along with a BOAT member comment at the mid-year meeting that “This is the only place I can go where people understand what I do and what I go through,” got me to thinking about our profession. When you take the job as the building official, you are going to be a leader to both your employees and the community that you work for. You are going to be a manager who can demonstrate that the tax dollars being spent in your department are being used efficiently and effectively. You are going to be a consulting design professional for all facets of building projects, as well as building problems. You are going to be a mediator for neighborhood problems. You are going to be the bad guy when it comes time to condemn a structure or declare a building unsafe for someone to live in. You are going to be the counselor when the little old lady comes to the counter and is concerned that a contractor is taking advantage of her. You are going to be a public speaker for community presentations, as well as council presentations. You are going to develop a thick hide, because criticism will outweigh compliments by about 10 to 1. You are going to be a multitasker, because you will never be allowed to complete a task without interruption. You are rarely going to be thought of as the hero, but your actions have probably saved more lives than any other public safety official. All this, and there is only one of you in each community. The job duties of the building official have grown from being the guy (or gal) who does inspections to a unique profession that can be personally rewarding. (I did say personally rewarding, not economically rewarding.) As you read these articles, you get a brief glimpse that touches on just a few areas of the profession, but it is much, much more. Some professions have “brotherhood,” and although we don’t tout a brotherhood, from what I have seen from the people in this profession, there is always someone there to offer advice, lend a hand, or just listen. I would encourage each one of us to reach out to our neighboring city and let it know that you are there as well as the members of the Building Officials Association of Texas, and you take pride in what you do for your community. Jim Olk, Building Official, Farmers Branch WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE OUR MEMBERSHIP “We have to build and strengthen our organization by recruiting member cities, private companies, and professional individuals who can help further our quest to be a choice provider in professional development and most arguably the work of many professionals who are engaged in the administration and enforcement of building regulatory codes.”
Many of us know, and have experienced firsthand, the importance of joining associations and attending conferences at the local, state, and national levels. BOAT offers a world of connections and learning opportunities just waiting to be discovered. Increasing membership is key to a healthy and successful organization. BOAT is looking for effective ways to promote the organization in order to increase interest and participation from current and potential members. It would be great if we can challenge ourselves to increase membership, and most importantly, increase the attendance at the conferences. BOAT has a Membership, Promotion and Development Committee that will lead this charge. Connect with one of the Board members and give us your thoughts! The only way to truly excel is to think differently and escape from the box. Below are ideas that can help jump-start the thinking process. These are only ideas to help you get started, and they will need a lot of fine tuning prior to approval and implementation. We hope that you will put on your creative thinking cap and join the committee to increase our membership.
We hope to hear from you soon. Van Tran, CBO STIMULUS BILL ALLOWS FOR A TWO-YEAR “WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY” TO HOMEOWNERS! On February 17, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. This bill extends and modifies the tax credits for windows and doors established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This recent “stimulus bill” has a 30% of cost, up to a maximum of $1500, tax credit only for windows and/or doors that meet the “30/30” criteria going into existing homes. New home construction does not qualify for this tax credit; however, there are other tax credits for new construction within this bill. There is a lot of confusion that needs to be clarified to be sure homeowners are not sold a bill of goods that might not qualify for the tax credit. To a lot of window replacement companies, this is the “shot in the arm” that their industry needs, due to the slowdown of their industry over the past couple of years. Window sales in the United States peaked in 2005, but have been falling steadily ever since. However, because of the lack of knowledge by the average homeowner, window replacement companies and homeowners alike want to be sure to be educated in what applies, and what does not. Otherwise, come time to file taxes next year, there may be many unhappy and angry customers calling their contractors to complain. The following guidance is not intended as legal advice; thus, you should consult a tax professional with specific questions. First, let’s start by explaining what the bill qualifies for the tax credit. Under this new legislation, windows must have a .30 or less U-factor, as well as a .30 or less Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The U-factor is a measure of the heat flow that passes through a window. The lower the U-factor number, the more efficient the unit is. SHGC is the percentage of heat gained from both direct sunlight and absorbed heat. The smaller the SHGC number, the greater the window’s ability to reduce the solar heat gain of the home. Unless the windows that the homeowner purchases meet or exceed the “30/30” criteria set by this piece of legislation, they are not eligible for the tax credit. If the products do meet the criteria, then come tax return time next year, or the following year, the homeowner must submit IRS form 5695 (2009, version), along with a receipt for the window/door purchase and be able to supply a Manufacturers Certification Statement for each product. A “Manufacturer’s Certification” is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product qualifies for the tax credit. Hopefully, manufacturers will provide these certifications on their Web site to facilitate the identification of qualified products. Taxpayers should print and keep a copy of these Ccertification statements for their records, but do not have to submit a copy with their tax return. The tax credit applies for products purchased during 2009 through 2010, thus allowing for a two-year window of opportunity for homeowners to take advantage of the maximum $1500 tax credit. The products must be placed in service from February 17, 2009, through December 31, 2010. The IRS defines “placed in service” as when the property is ready and available for use. It must also qualify as the taxpayer’s principal residence. For products purchased between January 1, 2009, and February 16, 2009, the terms of the tax credit are less clear. The Internal Revenue Service plans on clarifying these terms in a document to be released at a future time. This program should not be confused with the previous tax credits that were established in 2005. To qualify for that credit, windows only had to be “Energy Star” rated and bear the Energy Star label. Under this new piece of legislation, the government not only increased the maximum amount of money that homeowners could take as a tax credit from $500 to $1,500 on a one-time basis, but it also raised the standards required to qualify the windows for that credit. Now, instead of just bearing the Energy Star label, windows must meet a .30 U-factor or less and a .30 or less SHGC. Homeowners want to be aware of the difference between a “tax deduction” and a “tax credit”! The difference is that a tax deduction reduces the amount of income on which you owe taxes while a tax credit actually reduces the amount you owe the government on your taxes. This bill specifically relates to tax credits. The two sound very similar, but are different in the way they affect the average tax payer. Knowing this information up front can prevent a lot of confusion come time to do your taxes. Many local utilities also provide financial incentives for purchasing “Energy Star” qualified windows and doors. To find out if either rebates or incentives are available in your area, visit the “Energy Star Rebate Finder” Web site. Here you can type in your area code, and any incentives will show up. Like with any legislation, there are many pages of legal documents to filter through for the average homeowner to find answers. Hopefully, this article will help explain the new stimulus bill and what you as a homeowner can do over the next two-year period to upgrade the windows and doors in your home, and save on taxes as well. Jim Heise
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES PUBLISHES FIRST SAFETY STANDARD FOR PORTABLE GENERATORS Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent product safety certification and leading standards development organization, announced on March 4, 2009, the publication of UL 2201, a Standard for Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies. Prior to this standard, there was no voluntary safety standard for portable generators sold in the United States. Portable generators offer an alternative source of electricity during temporary power outages and have become a vital tool during severe storm recovery. However, when not used properly or when used indoors, these devices may present potential safety risks to consumers. These risks include, but are not limited to, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust, electric shock or electrocution, and fire. "UL is committed to making the world a safer place. That's why we are publishing the first safety standard for portable generators," said Robert Williams, vice president of standards for UL. "Portable generators are becoming more popular for consumers, so it is important for the industry to manufacture and market portable generators that have been tested for foreseeable hazards." According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the estimated number of portable generators in U.S. households grew from 9.2 million units in 2002 to 10.6 million units in 2005. The number of deaths associated with portable generators has increased annually since 1999. The CPSC reported at least 365 generator-related deaths between 1990 and 2005, many of them after a hurricane or other major storm. "Portable generators are commonly used during and after storms; however, consumer-grade generators typically are not weatherproof and can pose the risk of electrocution and shock when used in wet conditions," said Williams. "UL 2201 will help to mitigate the safety hazards related to poor weather conditions. We are prepared to test and certify generators that can operate safely outdoors under the real-world conditions consumers will experience." UL performance requirements will permit safe outdoor use of UL-LISTED portable generators during storms or poor weather conditions, as well as require clear usage labels that may help reduce the known risks of CO poisoning and electrocution. As the leading safety testing and certification organization in North America, UL has conducted product safety testing for nearly 115 years. Each year, 21 billion UL Marks appear on more than 19,000 types of products-from the shingles to the storm windows to garage doors-all of which have been evaluated to meet nationally recognized safety standards. The UL Mark means the product has been certified for safety regarding foreseeable hazards that include electric shock, fire, and mechanical hazards. UL is prepared to begin evaluating portable generators to UL 2201 effective immediately. John R. Wiggins
May 18-22, 2009 The Building Officials Association of Texas (BOAT) and the Construction Research Center (CRC) at The University of Texas at Arlington have established the Building Professional Institute (BPI), an annual week-long program of quality education and training courses for the building professional. The Seventeenth Annual offering of the BPI is scheduled for the week of May 18-22, 2009, on The University of Texas at Arlington campus in Arlington, Texas, in Nedderman Hall. The BPI has added three new tracks for the 2009 offering......Green Building, Planning, and Continuing Education for License Renewal for Plumbing Inspectors. In addition, new classes have been developed in the Special Topics Track covering GIS Systems and Disaster Training. Also of interest is the Exhibitor Showcase, featuring 35 exhibitors. February 24-26, 2010 |
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Bruce Braley
Lynn Henry, CBO
Van Tran, CBO 
