02/21/2023
Today may be an industry changing day in Indiana, in a great way! SB333, a bill to restore Special Inspections (IBC Chapter 17) to the Indiana Building Code, may go to the state senate for vote today. This will go a long way to make sure our structures are uniformly safe and sound. If you are interested in contacting your senator to voice your support of this bill, feel free to use the below email template created by the IN Structural Engineers Association!
Senator,
I urge you to support SB 333 when it reaches the full Senate floor for voting. The current Indiana Building Code explicitly omits nationally recognized building inspection requirements for “Class 1” structures, creating a great risk to public safety. Indiana is one of only two states that does not incorporate special inspections into its Building Code. “Class 1” structures are buildings occupied by the general public and/or three (3) or more tenants. This bill does not apply to one-and-two-family residential structures.
The omitted requirements are a critical part of the quality assurance standards of the International Building Code (IBC), the model upon which the Indiana Building Code is based. The purposeful deletion of these inspection requirements (and replacement with vague language within the Indiana General Administrative Rules) has put Indiana out of step with national construction practices and has left Indiana without a defined minimum standard for structural inspection of building construction. Benefits of incorporating Special Inspections include:
• Establishment and adherence to a minimum standard for structural inspection would send a strong message that Indiana prioritizes public safety.
• Identification of potentially dangerous structural deficiencies that may otherwise go unnoticed and allow contractors to take timely corrective action.
• Alignment of Indiana's building code with accepted practices throughout the U.S.
Based on cost data from an ACEC-Indiana 2022 study, fees for special inspections services generally range from approximately 0.11 percent to 0.80 percent of the total cost of construction.
In summary, our intent is to Amend IC 22-15-3-2 (4)(D), directing the Fire Prevention & Building Safety Commission to provide rules for construction inspection. Please reach out if you have any follow-up questions. We hope to have your support of SB 333 on the Senate floor.
Thank you.
