Written by: Larry Williams, executive director of the Steel Framing Industry Association
Excerpt from: Walls & Ceilings
Last month, I urged specialty contractors to watch out for conflicts between project specifications and building code requirements, especially where the 2018 edition of the International Building Code has been adopted. The primary reason is the shift from referencing ASTM standards to AISI standards for cold-formed steel.
Out-of-date architectural specifications that don’t synch up with the prevailing building code can cause delays, result in change orders and ultimately create liabilities that could undermine the success of the project.
This month, I write about quality control in your work as a contractor and in product selection. As cold-formed steel construction projects have become larger and more complex, quality assurance has increasingly become part of a contractor’s standard operating procedures and project requirements.
Now with the transition to AISI standards in the 2018 IBC comes a near certainty that if you haven’t been seeing quality assurance/quality control requirements in project specifications you will soon. That’s because AISI standard S240 “North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing” has an added chapter that establishes the minimum QA/QC requirements for material control and installation.
Additional Resources
- 3 Ways Architects Can Update Their Steel Specifications
- SFIA Certification Program for Professional Contractors
- SFIA Code Compliance Certification Program for Cold-Formed Steel Stud and Track
- SFIA Connector Manufacturing Compliance Certification Program