With a mission to research and promote codes and standards to protect the health and safety of the public, the new Industry Health and Safety Codes Council (IHSCC) has garnered the support of the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (NAPHCC) and the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA). Announced at the Western Mechanical Conference meeting last month, the new organization headed by Dennis Gifford is soliciting support from the plumbing and mechanical industry, the electrical industry and the fire safety community, as well as consumers and taxpayers.

“We were receiving numerous calls from around the country from people with code questions,” said Allen Inlow, NAPHCC’s chief executive officer, “and we weren’t the only ones.” After meeting with the heads of other associations, Inlow and the others realized the need for a non-profit organization to disseminate knowledge and answer questions from the trades and the public. On IHSCC’s agenda is to:

• Develop a database on health and safety code issues related to federal, state and local governments;
• Collect documentation on the failures and problems with the materials, installation, inspection, administration and interpretation of codes and standards;
• Provide fact sheets for testimony at code adoption and/or amendment hearings and meetings;
• Provide educational information explaining code development and adoption, and the responsibility, liability and accountability of code users; and
• Establish a code rating board who will measure enforcement, effectiveness and benefit of codes and have the credibility to be recognized as a legitimate impartial public interest group.

Currently, IHSCC is in the process of setting up an office and electing officers. “We are working to set up a board that reflects all those affected by codes and standards,” says Gifford, “a board that will carefully examine the codes to ensure they are serving who they are supposed to be serving.” Once elected, the short term board of directors, which includes Inlow, will disband.