Safety precautions during the construction process
In order to help mitigate and reduce the devastating financial and safety impacts of construction fires, the CCWD highlights important safety precautions for fire that should be implemented in all buildings under construction. These include provisions for:
- fire extinguishers;
- standpipes;
- fire safety planning and fire service access; and
- sprinkler system commissioning.
More detailed requirements stated in the IBC can also be found in the International Fire Code (IFC).
Further, AWC recently partnered with FireforceOne, a consulting firm led by retired California State Fire Marshal Ronny J. Coleman, to develop a set of best practice manuals, training videos, and a dedicated website to educate and inform developers, designers, and local building and fire departments on how to prevent fires, reduce losses, and help ensure overall fire safety at large construction sites. (The materials are available for design professionals to download at ConstructionFireSafetyPractices.com.)
Tying it all together
The end goal of AWC’s Code Conforming Wood Design is to make the regulatory acceptance of wood construction as easy as possible for designers and builders, and to address common misconceptions about size limits for commercial wood buildings. As codes continue to evolve and become more complex, resources of this nature are increasingly helpful to understand the many provisions that allow for wood use in construction without compromising safety.
AWC strongly encourages designers and builders to review the 2015 CCWD, along with other technical resources referenced in this article, for the latest information on codes and standards for wood construction. (The full copy can be downloaded by visiting www.awc.org.)
Kenneth E. Bland, PE, joined the American Wood Council (AWC) in 1988, and serves as the vice president of codes and regulations. Prior to joining AWC, he served in building code administration and enforcement. He is a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), is the past chair of the International Code Council’s (ICC’s) Industry Advisory Committee, and serves on a number of standards development committees in various capacities. Bland holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering in structures from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s of science in fire protection engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and is a licensed professional engineer. He can be reached via e-mail at kbland@awc.org.
