Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 780 CMR - STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS › Preface

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
Introduction
Internationally, code officials recognize the need for a modern,
			 up-to-date building code addressing the design and installation of building
			 systems through requirements emphasizing performance. The
International
			 Building Code
®, in this 2009 edition,
			 is designed to meet these needs through model code regulations that safeguard
			 the public health and safety in all communities, large and small.
This comprehensive building code establishes minimum regulations
			 for building systems using prescriptive and performance-related provisions. It
			 is founded on broad-based principles that make possible the use of new
			 materials and new building designs. This 2009 edition is fully compatible with
			 all the
International Codes®
(I-Codes
®
) published by the
			 International Code Council
			 (ICC)
®
, including the
International Energy Conservation Code®,
			 International Existing Building Code®,
			 International Fire Code®, International Fuel Gas
			 Code®, International Mechanical
			 Code®,
ICC
Performance
			 Code®, International Plumbing
			 Code®, International Private Sewage Disposal
			 Code®, International Property Maintenance
			 Code®, International Residential
			 Code®, International Wildland-Urban Interface
			 CodeT
and
International Zoning
			 Code®.
The
International Building Code
provisions
			 provide many benefits, among which is the model code development process that
			 offers an international forum for building professionals to discuss performance
			 and prescriptive code requirements. This forum provides an excellent arena to
			 debate proposed revisions. This model code also encourages international
			 consistency in the application of provisions.
Development
The first edition of the
International Building
			 Code
(2000) was the culmination of an effort initiated in 1997 by the
			 ICC. This included five drafting subcommittees appointed by ICC and consisting
			 of representatives of the three statutory members of the International Code
			 Council at that time, including: Building Officials and Code Administrators
			 International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials
			 (ICBO) and Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI). The intent
			 was to draft a comprehensive set of regulations for building systems consistent
			 with and inclusive of the scope of the existing model codes. Technical content
			 of the latest model codes promulgated by BOCA, ICBO and SBCCI was utilized as
			 the basis for the development, followed by public hearings in 1997, 1998 and
			 1999 to consider proposed changes. This 2009 edition presents the code as
			 originally issued, with changes reflected in the 2003 and 2006 editions and
			 further changes approved through the ICC Code Development Process through 2008.
			 A new edition such as this is promulgated every 3 years.
This code is founded on principles intended to establish
			 provisions consistent with the scope of a building code that adequately
			 protects public health, safety and welfare; provisions that do not
			 unnecessarily increase construction costs; provisions that do not restrict the
			 use of new materials, products or methods of construction; and provisions that
			 do not give preferential treatment to particular types or classes of materials,
			 products or methods of construction.
Adoption
The
International Building Code
is available for
			 adoption and use by jurisdictions internationally. Its use within a
			 governmental jurisdiction is intended to be accomplished through adoption by
			 reference in accordance with proceedings establishing the jurisdiction's laws.
			 At the time of adoption, jurisdictions should insert the appropriate
			 information in provisions requiring specific local information, such as the
			 name of the adopting jurisdiction. These locations are shown in bracketed words
			 in small capital letters in the code and in the sample ordinance. The sample
			 adoption ordinance on page xv addresses several key elements of a code adoption
			 ordinance, including the information required for insertion into the code
			 text.
Maintenance
The
International Building Code
is kept up to
			 date through the review of proposed changes submitted by code enforcing
			 officials, industry representatives, design professionals and other interested
			 parties. Proposed changes are carefully considered through an open code
			 development process in which all interested and affected parties may
			 participate.
The contents of this work are subject to change both through the
			 Code Development Cycles and the governmental body that enacts the code into
			 law. For more information regarding the code development process, contact the
			 Code and Standard Development Department of the International Code
			 Council.
While the development procedure of the
International
			 Building Code
assures the highest degree of care, ICC, its members and
			 those participating in the development of this code do not accept any liability
			 resulting from compliance or noncompliance with the provisions because ICC does
			 not have the power or authority to police or enforce compliance with the
			 contents of this code. Only the governmental body that enacts the code into law
			 has such authority.
Letter Designations in Front of Section
			 Numbers
In each code development cycle, proposed changes to the code are
			 considered at the Code Development Hearings by the applicable ICC Code
			 Development Committee, whose action constitutes a recommendation to the voting
			 membership for final action on the proposed change. Proposed changes to a code
			 section that has a number beginning with a letter in brackets are considered by
			 a different code development committee. For example, proposed changes to code
			 sections that have [F] in front of them (e.g., [F] 903.1.1.1) are considered by
			 the ICC Fire Code Development Committee at the code development
			 hearings.
The content of sections in this code that begin with a letter
			 designation are maintained by another code development committee in accordance
			 with the following:
[E] = International Energy Conservation Code Development
			 Committee;
[EB] = International Existing Building Code Development
			 Committee;
[F] = International Fire Code Development Committee;
[FG] = International Fuel Gas Code Development Committee;
[M] = International Mechanical Code Development Committee; and
[P] = International Plumbing Code Development Committee.
Marginal Markings
Solid vertical lines in the margins within the body of the code
			 indicate a technical change from the requirements of the 2006 edition. Deletion
			 indicators in the form of an arrow
Click to view
			 image
are provided in the margin where an entire section, paragraph,
			 exception or table has been deleted or an item in a list of items or a table
			 has been deleted.
Chapter 7 user note:
Chapter 7 of the code has been
			 reorganized from the 2006 edition as a result of an approved code change
			 proposal. This proposal renumbered what was Section 714 in the 2006 edition to
			 Section 704 in this edition, which in turn resulted in renumbering Sections 704
			 through 713 in the 2006 edition to Sections 705 through 714 in this edition.
			 Marginal markings are included at each section number but have not been
			 included to reflect the subsection renumbering.
Coordination between the International Building and Fire
			 Codes
Because the coordination of technical provisions is one of the
			 benefits of adopting the ICC family of model codes, users will find the ICC
			 codes to be a very flexible set of model documents. To accomplish this
			 flexibility some technical provisions are duplicated in some of the model code
			 documents. While the International Codes are provided as a comprehensive set of
			 model codes for the built environment, documents are occasionally adopted as a
			 stand-alone regulation. When one of the model documents is adopted as the basis
			 of a stand-alone code, that code should provide a complete package of
			 requirements with enforcement assigned to the entity for which the adoption is
			 being made.
The model codes can also be adopted as a family of complimentary
			 codes. When adopted together there should be no conflict of any of the
			 technical provisions. When multiple model codes are adopted in a jurisdiction
			 it is important for the adopting authority to evaluate the provisions in each
			 code document and determine how and by which agency(ies) they will be enforced.
			 It is important, therefore, to understand that where technical provisions are
			 duplicated in multiple model documents that enforcement duties must be clearly
			 assigned by the local adopting jurisdiction. ICC remains committed to providing
			 state-of-the-art model code documents that, when adopted locally, will reduce
			 the cost to government of code adoption and enforcement and protect the public
			 health, safety and welfare.
Italicized Terms
Selected terms set forth in Chapter 2, Definitions, are
			 italicized where they appear in code text (except those in Sections 1903
			 through 1908 where italics indicate provisions that differ from ACI 318). Such
			 terms are not italicized where the definition set forth in Chapter 2 does not
			 impart the intended meaning in the use of the term. The terms selected have
			 definitions which the user should read carefully to facilitate better
			 understanding of the code.