International Code Council Master Code Professional

Park City Utah News

Dennis Thomas Earns Master Code Professional Certification
From International Code Council
Park City, Utah – February 4, 2010

Dennis Thomas, Building Inspector for Park City Municipal Corporation, has earned Master Code Professional Certification from the International Code Council. 

Jeff Whitney, International Code Council (ICC) Board member and Grand County Building Official presented Thomas with the Certification in a ceremony at City Hall on February 4. “Thomas is one of eight building inspectors in the state of Utah to earn this coveted status,” Whitney said. In addition to the 26 other certifications required for master code certification, he is the only inspector of the eight to have earned his Fire Marshal Certification as well.

Wow, I can't believe how long ago this was but it was definitely a high-lite in my career.  The number of hours that you put in to pass the exams is unbelievable. 

The International Code Council's Master Code Professional (MCP) designation is the "gold standard" for demonstrating proficiency in the code profession. By becoming a Master Code Professional, the highest level of certification in the Code Council's program, you can increase earnings and advance your career. The Council has certified thousands of individuals, but only a select number have attained this high-level of achievement. To obtain this level of certification requires and demonstrates commitment to the profession, diverse knowledge of codes and a high-level of self-initiative.


To become an ICC Master Code Professional, a candidate must first earn eight core ICC certifications plus an additional number of elective ICC certifications. Typical Master Code Professionals hold 17 or more ICC certifications. To become Master Code Professional, certified individuals must complete an additional 45 hours of Continuing Education Units every three years to maintain active status. Master Code Professionals are typically responsible for all technical and management aspects of code enforcement with duties that range from the management of a code enforcement department to the supervision of inspectors and plan reviewers.

I'm honored to be a part of this select group and commend those who continue their quest of knowledge and education to protect the safety and life of our citizens.

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Utah State Legislatures & Conflict of Interest

I had actually posted this article a while ago but since most states are in the process of adopting and amending the codes I thought I would re-post it.  Year after year it simply amazes me how an elected individual all of sudden knows more about a subject than the individuals who are in the position who enforce the codes.
The state of Utah needs to look into their Conflict of Interest laws for politicians who use their position to push legislation that pads their business('s) bottom line.
A few years ago the politicians eliminated a Building Code Commission and decided they knew better than the experts in the field and allowed state legislators to decide what code would be used, changed or eliminated.
This has become a nightmare for builders, their subs and inspectors.
Yearly, hundreds of amendments are approved by the state that change the International Code Council's (ICC) family of codes and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) originally adopted by the state and each local jurisdiction within the state.
You can imagine the difficulty of trying to keep up with the changes and try to understand why they were changed.
This is only one example as one legislator, a contractor and home builder, decided that he wanted to cut some cost so he introduces a bill that totally eliminates Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI's). AFCI's prevented fires and saved lives but he wouldn't listen so he pushed, pushed and pushed his personal agenda.
Working together the electrical fire safety industry created AFCIs to prevent electrical fires and save lives. Per Standards Boost Business, “By collaborating on a critical standard for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories have helped to prevent more than 40,000 home fires, over 350 deaths, and more than 1,400 injuries each year.” Read more at http://www.standardsboostbusiness.org/default.aspx
Supplied with the national statistics and arguments against his bill it was passed; the total elimination of the code section in the IRC on AFCI's.


2015 IRC - E3902.16 Arc-fault circuit-interrupter protection. Branch circuits that supply 120 volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere outlets installed in kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreations rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas and similar rooms or areas shall be protected by any of the following:


Another state Senator had a friend who owned and operated a Food Truck who had some difficulties in licensing and inspections prior to getting a permit to operate around the state. You guessed it. The Senator pushed a bill that will completely change the process of how Food Trucks are regulated. Never mind the horror stories from around the country on the health, life and safety problems concerning Food Trucks.
Each year each member must sign and disclose their conflicts by submitting the UTAH HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2017 CONFLICT OF INTEREST & FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE form. You can look up the public records of each representative and/or senator and review their conflicts. I don't believe that anybody reading this article would be in awe of the reason behind many of the legislative bills that are proposed to change the "MINIMUM" life and safety codes that are adopted.
Last October I spent a week at the ICC Kansas City Code Hearings voting on new codes often late into the night so that as a body, a state, a country, a local jurisdiction, we would have some uniformity in the upcoming 2018 codes. Some were passed and some failed but they were voted on and then later were also voted by the governmental members electronically by cdp access. cdpACCESS® is the International Code Council’s new cloud-based system for the code development process (cdp).
This same legislative body of Utah decided that they (Developers, Realtors, Contractors, HBA, etc.) didn't want codes to change so they passed a bill that changes the code cycle adoption of the IRC (International Residential Code) to six years. They will be in for a rude awakening when they try to catch up.
So far Utah has eliminated and/or changed codes that protect lives such as Residential Fire Sprinklers, Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI's), dimensions on stairs, window egress sizing, self-closing fire-rated man doors to a residential garage, etc., etc.; an amazing forty (40) pages of changes.
We, as inspectors, engineers, architects and others who want to follow a minimum code are losing the battle to special interest groups. I could go on and on and on but what good does it do when in the state of Utah it falls in the hands of politicians.
In summation and closing the bottom line is in the following quote:
“Change is good but dollars are better.- Tara daniels”

Industrialized Building Commission

Always trying to improve my visibility in the market so I'm pleased to post my latest license issued by the Industrialized Buildings Commission as an Industrialized Buildings Inspector.

About the Interstate Industrialized Buildings Commission:

"Interstate Industrialized Buildings Commission (IIBC) was created in 1992 when the states of Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island enacted the Interstate Compact for Industrialized/Modular Buildings. IIBC, which is responsible for carrying out the activities of the compact, is comprised of governor-appointed state officials from the member states and a representative from the industrialized (modular) buildings industry.

North Dakota became the fourth state to join the compact when Governor Jack Dalrymple signed Senate Bill 2284 into law on April 19, 2011. North Dakota had entered into an interim reciprocity agreement with IIBC effective August 1, 2003 which allows a state to participate in the IIBC program prior to becoming a full member.

The purpose of the compact is to promote and assure reciprocal recognition of states’ industrialized buildings programs through effective implementation of uniform rules and regulations. It streamlines regulations that govern industrialized (modular) buildings — from the design and manufacture to delivery and installation — and eliminates overlapping and costly reviews and inspections by multiple jurisdictions. The coordinating compact enables member states to improve efficiency and reduce costs by consolidating similar services as they continue to operate, staff and enforce their industrialized (modular) buildings programs. Improved compliance through uniform rules, regulations and procedures; better enforcement through sharing of information and findings; and reduced costs through elimination of redundant reviews and inspections are just some of the compact’s benefits.

The compact’s rules, regulations and procedures are developed by the Rules Development Committee (RDC) and recommended to the Commission for adoption. RDC is a consensus-based committee with representatives from state governments, consumers, residential and commercial manufacturers, and private evaluation and inspection agencies.

State of Wisconsin has a separate agreement with the State of Minnesota that allows industrialized (modular) buildings manufactured in Minnesota and bearing an IIBC certification label to be sited in Wisconsin.

IIBC Secretariat maintains an office with a full-time staff in Northern Virginia. Prior to May 2011, support services were provided by National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS)."

The above information can be found on the IIBC's website.  Here is the link http://interstateibc.org/

The AHJ

After honorably and proudly serving my country, being drafted into the United States Army after my sophomore year in college, I have been involved in the construction industry wearing many different hats for over forty-five years. 
               Now as an International Code Council Master Code Professional I mostly assist those in need of my code and construction experience.
               I have a great concern of the state of building codes and of those who enforce the codes not only in my state but throughout the country. I’d like to pass on and then tweak a great quote by Mark Twain, “The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” With tongue in cheek I would like to add my simple words of wisdom relating to the building code, “The Code is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.”
               All of us that process the code in our daily lives know for a fact that the code is not perfect but is compared to a living organism, needing to adapt in order to survive.
               Okay, I make a living reading, studying and researching the code and the relevance behind what has been put into print. I also just got back from the Kansas City Code Hearings so I have a good idea of what the future holds as well.
               How many of you have heard the comment I have been doing it this way for twenty-years without any problems now you tell me that it is against the code and it is going to cost me thousands of dollars to do it your way?
               Well, is it? Is it really against code? Why is it against today’s code? Then we have “Because I think it needs to be corrected and I’m the “AHJ”.
               Whaaaaat? The majority of my calls and complaints are concerning “AHJ’s” or Chief Building Officials. I’m here to tell you that it is an epidemic. Too much free lancing, interpretative decision making and simply not having the ability to understand the code and how it pertains to the situation. The code was not brought down from the mountain chiseled in stone. Not to get off on a tangent but I want people to understand how codes are voted on and why sometimes unless they are concerning life and safety there is some leeway. I was headed to Dallas Code Hearings a few years ago to vote on the new codes. Weather was creating chaos everywhere. My flight was delayed several hours. About the time we arrived at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport a major storm was hitting. We circled above the airport for about an hour which at that time they diverted us to another airport in Texas. We sat there for over four hours then were able to fly back to Dallas. The code hearings were starting. Nobody was there on the first day. The individuals who were going to vote on the code changes could not and did not make it to Dallas on the first day of voting. We had groups of maybe one-hundred voting on code. Sometimes the vote came in 60 for and 40 against. I’m relaying this information because out of all the codes being voted on that particular day very few people from across the code world actually voted. Of course we are voting a lot differently today and every approved member has an opportunity to vote yay or nay.
               Okay, back to what I want to discuss. We are seeing an influx of the “my way or the highway” code or codes being written by local jurisdictions in a freestyle manner and being ordained as code by an unbeknownst deity.
               The repercussions are cancerous! There is no, let me repeat, no consistency from city to city, state to state in the manner that the code is enforced. Oh, by the way, Heaven forbid if there is a difference of opinion or a conflict arises. The fear factor raises its ugly head and the result of the scenario is simply giving in to the AHJ and its minions whether or not the code is being violated. Why not fight it? It’s simple, time and money. It is stacked against the individual, contractor, builder, engineer or architect. Sure, the code states that a Board of Appeals must be in place but remember, time and money. 
               Now for the sad part, you decided to challenge the decision. Wow, hold on to the saddle horn because you’ve unleashed the beast! How dare you challenge the AHJ? “I’m the AHJ and the code allows me to interpret the code and this is how I’m interpreting it” is the now infamous chant heard over and over. 
               Now the finger pointing begins. The builder starts the calls and starts the threats. It was an approved set of plans. The architect should have known better. He is the licensed professional. The engineer missed it. He has to make it right.  The sub should have known better. That’s their job to know the code and complete their job per the code. It now comes down to money. Who’s going to pay for the changes? During the confusion nobody told the homeowner that there is a problem which may cause a delay and more money to finish. Oh no, the attorneys are now involved.  Nobody wins here. The homeowner now gets into his/her vehicle, runs into the city demanding an explanation and challenging everybody within shouting distance. The Mayor gets an earful. The City Manager gets an earful. The City Council gets an earful. 
               So, say the AHJ decides it’s not worth it and gives in. You know what is coming next; the perfect storm. The follow-up inspections are done with CIS precision; white gloves combing over every FYI and fine print found on plans and in the code books as well as per every requirement ever printed in the manufacturing literature. Yes, it is based on vindictive nature. It is a vicious retaliation for questioning and challenging the AHJ.  Shame on all of you!
               I know many are going to say this never happens in their jurisdiction and many will simply deny the accusations but I challenge those AHJ’s practicing this type of behavior in changing their ways and dive into the code with more training and education for you and your troops. “Knowledge is Power.” Francis Bacon.
               In conclusion I want to personally shout out a huge “Thank You” to the hundreds, if not thousands of you who have dedicated your lives in making our homes, our places of worship, our schools and our meeting places more safe and secure; and always underpaid and underappreciated.