Title of Regulation: 13VAC5-63. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (amending 13VAC5-63-220).

Statutory Authority: § 36-98 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: June 1, 2009.

Agency Contact: Stephen W. Calhoun, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Housing and Community Development, The Jackson Center, 501 North 2nd Street, Richmond, VA 23219-1321, telephone (804) 371-7000, FAX (804) 371-7090, TTY (804) 371-7089, or email steve.calhoun@dhcd.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update the Uniform Statewide Building Code to incorporate by reference the recent changes and additions to the Federal Construction Standards of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Federal Construction Standards are enforcement provisions for the design, construction, distribution, and installation of manufactured homes. As of October 2008, HUD instituted manufactured home installation standards as part of its enforcement procedures to be the standard for the installation of manufactured homes in all states. The amendments to the Uniform Statewide Building Code allow the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt Installation Standards of HUD Part 3285 as the most current installation standard available.

13VAC5-63-220. Chapter 4 Special detailed requirements based on use and occupancy.

A. Add Section 407.8 to the IBC to read:

407.8 Special locking arrangement. Means of egress doors shall be permitted to contain locking devices restricting the means of egress in areas in which the clinical needs of the patients require restraint of movement, where all of the following conditions are met:

1. The locks release upon activation of the fire alarm system or the loss of power.

2. The building is equipped with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

3. A manual release device is provided at a nursing station responsible for the area.

4. A key-operated switch or other manual device is provided adjacent to each door equipped with the locking device. Such switch or other device, when operated, shall result in direct interruption of power to the lock -- independent of the control system electronics.

5. All staff shall have keys or other means to unlock the switch or other device or each door provided with the locking device.

B. Add Section 407.9 to the IBC to read:

407.9 Emergency power systems. Emergency power shall be provided for medical life support equipment, operating, recovery, intensive care, emergency rooms, fire detection and alarm systems in any Group I-2 occupancy licensed by the Virginia Department of Health as a hospital, nursing home or hospice facility.

C. Change Section 408.2 of the IBC to read:

408.2 Other occupancies. Buildings or portions of buildings in Group I-3 occupancies where security operations necessitate the locking of required means of egress shall be permitted to be classified as a different occupancy. Occupancies classified as other than Group I-3 shall meet the applicable requirements of this code for that occupancy provided provisions are made for the release of occupants at all times. Where the provisions of this code for occupancies other than Group I-3 are more restrictive than the provisions for Group I-3 occupancies, the Group I-3 occupancy provisions shall be permitted to be used.

Means of egress from detention and correctional occupancies that traverse other use areas shall, as a minimum, conform to requirements for detention and correctional occupancies.

Exception: It is permissible to exit through a horizontal exit into other contiguous occupancies that do not conform to detention and correctional occupancy egress provisions but that do comply with requirements set forth in the appropriate occupancy, as long as the occupancy is not a high-hazard use.

D. Add a new Section 408.3.4 to the IBC to read as follows and renumber existing Sections 408.3.4, 408.3.5 and 408.3.6 to become Sections 408.3.5, 408.3.6 and 408.3.7 respectively:

408.3.4 Ships ladders. Ships ladders in accordance with Section 1009.12 shall be permitted from facility observation or control rooms.

E. Change Section 408.3.6 of the IBC to read:

408.3.6 Sallyports. A sallyport shall be permitted in a means of egress where there are provisions for continuous and unobstructed passage through the sallyport during an emergency egress condition. A sallyport is a security vestible with two or more doors where the intended purpose is to prevent continuous and unobstructed passage by allowing the release of only one door at a time.

F. Add Section 408.3.8 to the IBC to read:

408.3.8 Guard tower doors. A hatch or trap door not less than 16 square feet (.929 m²) in area through the floor and having minimum dimensions of not less than two feet (609.6 mm) in any direction shall be permitted to be used to access guard towers.

G. Add Section 408.5.1 to the IBC to read:

408.5.1 Noncombustible shaft openings in communicating floor levels. Where vertical openings are permitted without enclosure protection in accordance with Section 408.5, noncombustible shafts such as plumbing chases shall also be permitted without enclosure protection. Where additional stories are located above or below, the shaft shall be permitted to continue with fire and smoke damper protection provided at the fire resistance rated floor/ceiling assembly between the noncommunicating stories.

H. Change Section 408.8 of the IBC to read:

408.8 Windowless buildings. For the purposes of this section, a windowless building or portion of a building is one with nonopenable windows, windows not readily breakable or without windows. Windowless buildings shall be provided with an engineered smoke control system to provide a tenable environment for exiting from the smoke compartment in the area of fire origin in accordance with Section 909 for each windowless smoke compartment.

I. Add Section 415.1.1 to the IBC to read:

415.1.1 Flammable and combustible liquids. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the storage, handling, processing, and transporting of flammable and combustible liquids shall be in accordance with the mechanical code and the fire code listed in Chapter 35 of this code. Regulations governing the installation, repair, upgrade, and closure of underground and aboveground storage tanks under the Virginia State Water Control Board regulations 9VAC25-91 and 9VAC25-580 are adopted and incorporated by reference to be an enforceable part of this code. Where differences occur between the provisions of this code and the incorporated provisions of the State Water Control Board regulations, the provisions of the State Water Control Board regulations shall apply.

J. Add IBC Section 421 Manufactured Homes and Industrialized Buildings.

K. Add Section 421.1 to the IBC to read:

421.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply to the installation or erection of manufactured homes subject to the Virginia Manufactured Home Safety Regulations (13VAC5-95) and industrialized buildings subject to the Virginia Industrialized Building Safety Regulations (13VAC5-91).

L. Add Section 421.2 to the IBC to read:

421.2 Site work for manufactured homes. The installation of a manufactured home is generally subject to the requirements of the Virginia Manufactured Home Safety Regulations (13VAC5-95). Under those regulations, the building official is responsible for assuring that the installation complies with the manufacturer's installation instructions and any special conditions or limitations of use stipulated by the label. To the extent that any aspect of the installation is not provided for in the manufacturer's installation instructions, then the installation shall comply with applicable requirements of this code 24 CFR Part 3285 – Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards. In the case where the manufacturer's installation instructions for a manufactured home are not available, the NCSBCS/ANSI A225.1 standard, 1994 edition, may 24 CFR Part 3285 – Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards shall be substituted for the manufacturer's installation instructions. Foundations, stoops, decks, porches, alterations and additions associated with manufactured homes are subject to the requirements of this code and all administrative requirements of this code for permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy are also applicable. The requirements of the IRC shall be permitted to be used for the technical requirements for such construction work. In addition, Appendix E of the IRC entitled, "Manufactured Housing used as Dwellings," shall be an acceptable alternative to this code for construction work associated with the installation of manufactured homes and for additions, alterations and repairs to manufactured homes.

M. Add Section 421.3 to the IBC to read:

421.3 Wind load requirements for manufactured homes. Manufactured homes shall be anchored to withstand the wind loads established by the federal regulation for the area in which the manufactured home is installed. For the purpose of this code, Wind Zone II of the federal regulation shall include the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach.

N. Add Section 421.4 to the IBC to read:

421.4 Skirting requirements for manufactured homes. As used in this section, "skirting" means a weather-resistant material used to enclose the space from the bottom of the manufactured home to grade. Manufactured homes installed or relocated shall have skirting installed within 60 days of occupancy of the home. Skirting materials shall be durable, suitable for exterior exposures and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions. Skirting shall be secured as necessary to ensure stability, to minimize vibrations, to minimize susceptibility to wind damage and to compensate for possible frost heave. Each manufactured home shall have a minimum of one opening in the skirting providing access to any water supply or sewer drain connections under the home. Such openings shall be a minimum of 18 inches (457 mm) in any dimension and not less than three square feet (.28 m²) in area. The access panel or door shall not be fastened in a manner requiring the use of a special tool to open or remove the panel or door. On-site fabrication of the skirting by the owner or installer of the home shall be acceptable, provided that the material meets the requirements of this code.

O. Add Section 421.5 to the IBC to read:

421.5 Site work for industrialized buildings. Site work for the erection and installation of an industrialized building is generally subject to the requirements of the Virginia Industrialized Building Safety Regulations (13VAC5-91) and the building official has certain enforcement responsibilities under those regulations. To the extent that any aspect of the erection or installation of an industrialized building is not covered by those regulations, this code shall be applicable. In addition, all administrative requirements of this code for permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy are also applicable. The requirements of the IRC shall be permitted to be used for any construction work that is subject to this code where the industrialized building would be classified as a Group R-5 building.

P. Add Section 421.6 to the IBC to read:

421.6 Relocated industrialized buildings; alterations and additions. Industrialized buildings constructed prior to January 1, 1972, shall be subject to Section 117 when relocated. Alterations and additions to existing industrialized buildings shall be subject to pertinent provisions of this code. Building officials shall be permitted to require the submission of plans and specifications for the model to aid in the evaluation of the proposed alteration or addition. Such plans and specifications shall be permitted to be submitted in electronic or other available format acceptable to the building official.