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National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Construction Safety Team Act

Annual Report 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2012

Summary

This annual report to Congress for FY 2012 is required by the National Construction Safety 

Team (NCST) Act. In FY 2011 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director 

Patrick Gallagher established a Team under the NCST Act to study the tornado that struck 

Joplin, MO, on May 22, 2011. The primary objectives of the Team’s investigation of the Joplin 

tornado are to:

 Determine the tornado hazard characteristics and associated wind fields in the context of 

historical data;

 Determine the pattern, location, and cause of fatalities and injuries, and associated 

performance of emergency communications systems and public response;

 Determine the response of residential, commercial, and critical buildings, including the 

performance of designated safe areas;

 Determine the performance of lifelines as it relates to the continuity of operations of 

residential, commercial, and critical buildings; and,

 Identify, as specifically as possible, areas in current building, fire, and emergency 

communications codes, standards, and practices that warrant revision. 

This study is ongoing, and NIST expects to release its final report with recommendations in FY

2013. See http://www.nist.gov/el/disasterstudies/weather/joplin-072511.cfm for a summary of 

the study.

NIST did not undertake any new NCST investigations in FY 2012. In early FY 2013, NIST 

assigned one staff member to participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA)’s Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) study to examine the storm surge and flood 

effects from Hurricane Sandy on critical facilities in the affected area (New York and New 

Jersey). 

Introduction

In October 2002, the President signed into law the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) 

Act (P.L. 107-231), which authorized the Director of the NIST to establish Teams for 

deployment after events causing the failure of a building or buildings that result in substantial 

loss of life or that posed significant potential for substantial loss of life. 

The purpose of these investigations is to improve the safety and structural integrity of buildings 

in the United States (U.S.). A team shall:

(A) establish the likely technical cause or causes of the building failure;

(B) evaluate the technical aspects of evacuation and emergency response procedures; 
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(C) recommend as necessary, specific improvements to building standards, codes, and 

practices based on the findings made pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B); and,

(D)recommend any research and other appropriate actions needed to improve the structural 

safety of buildings, and improve the evacuation and emergency response procedures, 

based on the findings and recommendations of the investigation.

Under Section 10 of the NCST Act, NIST is to provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation of the Senate by February 15 of each year a report that includes: 

(1) a summary of the investigations conducted by Teams during the prior fiscal year;

(2) a summary of recommendations made by the Teams in reports issued under Section 8 of 

the NCST Act during the prior fiscal year and a description of the extent to which those 

recommendations have been implemented; and,

(3) a description of the actions taken to improve building safety and structural integrity by 

the NIST during the prior fiscal year in response to reports issued under Section 8 of the 

NCST Act.

This report summarizes NIST’s activities under the NCST Act for FY 2012 and related NIST 

activities.

1. Investigations Conducted by NIST During FY 2012

a. Investigations Conducted by Teams During FY 2012

On May 22, 2011, a massive tornado impacted Joplin, MO. The tornado was rated EF5, the most 

powerful on the Enhanced Fujita scale. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) and 

the FEMA, the multiple-vortex storm impacted an area approximately three-quarters of a mile 

wide by 14 miles long, destroyed some 8,000 buildings in its path, killed 161 people, and injured 

over 1,000. This makes it the single deadliest tornado in the U.S. in the 61 years that official 

records have been kept.

NIST sent four employees to Joplin during May 25-28, 2011, to conduct a preliminary 

reconnaissance of building performance and emergency communications during the tornado. 

Based on the recommendations of the preliminary reconnaissance and analysis of the additional 

criteria set forth in the regulations implementing the NCST Act, NIST Director Patrick Gallagher 

established a Team under the NCST Act to proceed with a more comprehensive study of the 

impacts of the disaster. The primary objectives of the Team’s investigation of the Joplin tornado 

are to:

 Determine the tornado hazard characteristics and associated wind fields in the context of 

historical data.

 Determine the pattern, location, and cause of fatalities and injuries, and associated 

performance of emergency communications systems and public response.

 Determine the response of residential, commercial, and critical buildings, including the 

performance of designated safe areas.
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 Determine the performance of lifelines as it relates to the continuity of operations of 

residential, commercial, and critical buildings.

 Identify, as specifically as possible, areas in current building, fire, and emergency 

communications codes, standards, and practices that warrant revision.

The expected outcomes of this study will include findings and recommendations that provide the 

technical basis for:

 Assessing tornado hazard probabilities at the local, regional, and national levels;

 Potentially improving emergency communications systems and public response to those 

communications; and,

 Potentially improving tornado-resilient design and construction of buildings and 

structures, including residential buildings, designated safe areas within buildings, and 

lifeline facilities as related to maintaining building operations. 

The anticipated impacts of the NIST investigation include improved resilience of buildings, 

infrastructure, and communities to tornadoes. These improvements are specifically focused on 

life safety objectives and enhanced performance of buildings during tornadoes to better protect 

building occupants and property. In addition, the investigation may lead to enhanced emergency 

communications systems and lifeline performance in future disasters. Finally, the results of this 

investigation will inform future research for the development and dissemination of guidance and 

tools for assessing and reducing vulnerabilities related to tornadoes, and producing the technical 

basis for cost-effective changes in national codes, standards, and practices.

In FY 2012 and early FY 2013, NIST published two documents related to its Joplin, MO 

Technical Investigation:

1. Investigation Plan - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technical 

Investigation of Building and Emergency Communications System Performance in the 

Joplin, Missouri, Tornado of May 22, 2011 (May 2012)1, and 

2. Progress Report National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Technical 

Investigation of the May 22, 2011, Tornado in Joplin, Missouri (November 2012)2

The investigation plan outlines the objectives of the technical investigation and the specific tasks 

to be completed to achieve each objective. 

The progress report summarizes the progress NIST has made and the cooperation it has received 

from a variety of organizations in conducting the investigation. It includes information on the 

following activities:

 Establishing the investigative Team under the NCST Act;

 

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Investigation Plan - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technical Investigation of Building 

and Emergency Communications System Performance in the Joplin, Missouri, Tornado of May 22, 2011-

http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=911000

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Progress Report National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Technical Investigation of the May 22, 

2011, Tornado in Joplin, Missouri - http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=912461
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 Identifying and collecting materials relevant to the investigation from state and local 

government agencies, businesses, and other sources;

 Determining the tornado hazard characteristics, including the meteorological conditions 

leading to and during the event, the tornadic wind field, and the tornado climatology;

 Investigating the behavior and fate of individuals—both those who survived and those 

who did not—by collecting and analyzing information on injuries and fatalities, human 

behavior, situational awareness, and emergency communications before and during the 

tornado;

 Analyzing the performance of single- and multi-family residential buildings, commercial 

structures, and critical buildings, including designated safe areas;

 Assessing the performance of lifelines as it relates to the continuity of operations of 

residential, commercial, and critical buildings; and,

 Briefing the NCST Advisory Committee

Highlights of the progress report include:

 A timeline of weather conditions and emergency communications preceding and during 

the tornado, including warnings and siren soundings;

 A methodology for creating a map from the observed data that estimates maximum 

surface wind speeds during the tornado event;

 Information about first-person data collection efforts targeting human behavior, 

situational awareness, and emergency communications before and during the tornado, 

including a description of the data collection and analysis methodology; and,

 An analysis of information relevant to the design, construction and performance of 

buildings during the tornado.

b. Studies Conducted by NIST Under Legal Authorities other than the NCST Act in 

FY 2012

NIST is including summaries of its studies conducted under legal authorities other than the 

NCST Act in this report because the objectives of these studies are similar to those conducted 

under the NCST Act and also fall within NIST’s Disaster and Failure Studies Program. The 

Disaster and Failure Studies Program provides for the establishment of teams to assess building 

and infrastructure performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures in the wake 

of disaster and failure events that have resulted in substantial loss of life or posed significant 

potential of substantial loss of life.

In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy impacted the U.S. The hurricane caused tens of billions 

of dollars in damage and killed 131 people in eight states3. There were several unique aspects of 

this event. The flood levels experienced exceeded design-level in many locations, based on 

FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps and codes and standards adopted by local jurisdictions. 

The flood event impacted a dense urban area with complex interdependent infrastructure (much 

of which is located underground) and critical facilities. The loss of the infrastructure caused 

substantial disruption to the community and building functionality.

 

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/16/us-storm-sandy-deaths-idUSBRE8AF0ZX20121116
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NIST agreed to participate in the FEMA MAT study to examine the storm surge and flood 

effects from Hurricane Sandy on critical facilities in the most affected areas (New York and New 

Jersey). 

The primary objectives of NIST’s role in the study will be to: 

1. Collect data/observations on the performance of critical facilities and infrastructure systems 

in the affected area to support the development of resilience metrics for buildings in a dense 

urban community. 

2. Examine the effect of cascading infrastructure failures on the performance and recovery of 

critical facilities. 

The collected data will include information on the performance and design criteria for American 

Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7 Risk Category IV facilities, such as hospitals, data centers, 

facilities for power and communication, and emergency response facilities. These observations 

are important for evaluating the concurrent failure of multiple critical facilities within a 

community. Data on recovery plans and impact on economics and business continuity will be 

collected where available. The FEMA MAT report is expected to be completed in September 

2013. 

NIST did not complete any studies under its other legal authorities during FY 2012. 

2. Summary of Recommendations Made by Teams in Reports Issued Under Section 8 of 

the NCST Act During FY 2012

During FY2012, NIST did not issue a report under Section 8 of the NCST Act.

3. Actions Taken to Improve Building Safety and Structural Integrity During FY 2012

a. Actions Taken to Improve Building Safety and Structural Integrity During FY 2012

in Response to Reports Issued Under Section 8 of the NCST Act

In FY 2012, there have been no additional actions taken in response to reports issued under 

section 8 of the NCST Act. NIST anticipates that there will be actions taken in FY 2013 as a 

result of the current Joplin tornado investigation. 

b. Actions Taken to Improve Building Safety and Structural Integrity During FY 2012

in Response to Studies Conducted Under Other NIST Authorities

NIST’s Disaster and Failure Studies Program coordinates their efforts with the NIST 

Engineering Laboratory’s Codes and Standards Program to promote, enable, and track the

adoption of NCST and other NIST studies’ recommendations through improved standards, 

codes, and practices as well as any research and other appropriate actions based on study 

findings to improve building safety and structural design. NIST takes appropriate action after 

disaster and failure studies both under the NCST Act, and as a result of studies conducted under 

other NIST authorities. 
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Two code changes, responsive to NIST’s recommendation in its report on the NIST study of the 

collapse of the Dallas Cowboys Practice Facility, were adopted by the International Code 

Council (ICC) for the 2015 International Building Code. These changes require that (1) tensile 

membrane structures be designed according to ASCE Standard For Tensile Membrane Structures 

(ASCE 55-10) and (2) in membrane covered frame structures, the membrane shall not provide 

required lateral stability to the frames. These code changes are responsive to NIST’s 

recommendation and address two aspects of design of fabric-covered frame structures: (1) use of 

the fabric to provide lateral bracing to the frames and (2) ability of the structural system to 

maintain overall structural integrity.

NIST issued its final report on the Sofa Super Store fire that occurred in Charleston, SC, in 

March 2011. The final report included recommendations that have resulted in the following

code changes and proposed changes. In addition to changes revising the threshold for fire 

protection of upholstered furniture occupancies or use in the 2015 International Building Code

that have already been successful, the ICC Code Technology Committee is proposing changes to 

the 2015 International Fire Code and 2015 International Existing Buildings Code to require 

periodic inspections, recordkeeping, inspector qualifications and automatic sprinkler systems for 

occupancies involving upholstered furniture or mattresses that exceed 2,500 square feet 

(manufacture or storage) or 5,000 square feet (display and sales). An additional proposal to 

address conversions or changes in use or occupancy with a fire protection threshold requirement 

may also be proposed.

4. Other NIST Activities Related to the NCST Act

In FY 2012, NIST received 55 requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for 

information that NIST collected and created during the NIST World Trade Center (WTC)

Investigation. NIST has closed 27 of those requests and also closed an additional 4 requests that 

had been received prior to FY 2012. The remainder of the requests received in FY 2012 remain 

open, and are awaiting disclosure determinations from record owners regarding permission to 

release, or awaiting review and/or clearance of interim or final responses by the Office of the 

Chief Counsel for NIST. In total, from FY 2006 through FY 2012, NIST has received 248 FOIA 

requests for information related to the NIST WTC Investigation. Six of these FOIA requests 

have resulted in litigation. Of those six cases, three were settled and the other three cases 

remain open. 

Documents responsive to the FOIA requests include tens of thousands of photographs and videos 

collected by NIST during the WTC Investigation and thousands of documents provided to NIST 

related to the construction and maintenance of the WTC buildings, as well as images 

representing the results of engineering models created by NIST during the WTC Investigation. 

In responding to the WTC Investigation-related FOIA requests, where appropriate NIST has 

withheld certain types of information pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b) in conjunction with the 

statutory FOIA exemptions found in paragraphs 7(c) and 7(d) of the NCST Act. Section 7(c) 

prohibits NIST from disclosing voluntarily provided safety-related information if that 

information is not directly related to the building failure being investigated and the NIST 

Director finds that the disclosure of the information would inhibit the voluntary provision of that 

type of information. Section 7(d) prohibits NIST from publicly releasing any information it 
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receives in the course of an investigation under the NCST Act if the NIST Director finds that the 

disclosure of that information might jeopardize public safety. 

5. Disaster and Failure Events Data Repository

NIST is creating a Disaster and Failure Events Data Repository which will host a national 

archival database of significant hazard events. The repository, which is accessible on NIST’s 

website, will also help ensure that this valuable information is organized and maintained to 

enable study, analysis, and comparison with subsequent severe disaster events. The repository 

will contain information gathered during NCST investigations as well as other NIST-led studies. 

The data repository will be established in three phases:

Phase 1 (launched August 2011) includes data from NIST's six-year investigation of the 

collapses of three buildings at New York City's World Trade Center (WTC 1, 2 and 7) as a result 

of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. See http://wtcdata.nist.gov/

Phase 2, which is currently underway, consists of pilot datasets from the 2010 Chile earthquake

and the Joplin, MO, tornado NCST investigation. This repository consists of over 100 fields of 

data on 273 buildings affected by both the 1985 and 2010 earthquakes. NIST plans an initial 

release of the Chile and Joplin datasets on the NIST website in 2013. 

Phase 3 includes the implementation plan for the repository. This plan includes the following 

elements: 

1. Finalizing the user requirements and creation of a system design document;

2. Selecting the operating platform based on user requirements;

3. Developing standard data collection systems for different kinds of events;

4. Populating the repository with selected high-impact data from historical and future events;

and,

5. Developing a plan to maintain, update, operate and improve accessibility of the repository.