Wood Truss Council of America

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Wood Truss Council of America












Wood Truss Council of America
Serving the Component Manufacturing Industry Since 1983


One WTCA Center 6300 Enterprise Lane Madison, WI 53719
608/274-4849 608/274-3329 (fax) www.woodtruss.com wtca@woodtruss.com

Code Required Building Inspections and Special Inspections
The purpose of this article is to provide WTCAs perspective on truss plant quality assurance and third party inspections with respect to the requirements developed by the International Code Council (ICC) within the International Building Code (IBC), the International Residential Code (IRC), and the International Accreditation Service (IAS). On September 22, the City of Portland building department held a meeting and invited local component manufacturers, including WTCAs Oregon Chapter. The City of Portlands goal was to develop a process and city policy to ensure that component manufacturers meet a minimum level of quality for their products used in city construction projects. IBC Chapter 17, STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS, was the central focus of these discussions. It was made clear at the meeting that there is a great deal of confusion over exactly how the IBC code requirements fit together in terms of structural building component quality control. The meeting reaffirmed the fact that WTCA must provide a concise evaluation of how truss manufacturers meet the general IBC QC and Chapter 17 requirements, keeping in mind that truss manufacturers have complied with the code for the last fifty years. We will cover several topics in this article. In Part 1, we will summarize key issues component manufacturers need to be aware of in order to comply with the building code. Think if it like reading the end of the novel first. Part 2 will cover the meat of the novel: the background of Chapter 17 in the context of the entire IBC, Chapter 17 requirements specifically, and the place for in-plant quality control programs. Part 1 - Summary of Key Issues How do know if you are complying with IBC/IRC 2003? Below is a summary.
1. The authority with jurisdiction (local building official) defines the quality requirements (e.g. third
party inspections) for structural building components in the context of the IBC and IRC requirements.
2. An in-plant quality control program is required by the third party inspection agencys quality
assurance program and per ANSI/TPI 1, which is referenced in the IBC and IRC. This includes an in-plant quality control process documented within a quality control manual.
Part 2 - Chapter 17 in the Context of the Entire IBC Before we can get a solid grasp on Chapter 17 in IBC 2003, lets take a look at the big picture. Chapter 17 is a special section within the IBC. The scoping statement of the IBC follows:

101.2 Scope. The provisions of this code shall apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, rem