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TECHNICAL EDUCATION (TE) COMMITTEE

Chair:    
Bob Hasting, DRI (UL) (305) 871-2320 Specialty Firestop Systems
Vice Chair:    
Ken Slama, DRI (UL) (204) 777-0100 National Firestop, LTD

Technical Committee Charter

The Technical Committee has several charges:

– FCIA Manual of Practice, (MOP) – The Firestop Standard – This Technical Committee Group wrote and maintains the FCIA Firestop Industry Manual of Practice, developed to be the basis for the FM 4991 Approved Firestop Contractor and UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Exam. Once a person passes the exam and is employed / appointed by an FM 4991 Approved or UL Qualified Firestop Contractor they become a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI). The FM or UL Firestop Exam is also used to quantify a person’s knowledge for the ICC’s International Accreditation Services IAS AC 291 Accreditation Criteria for Special Inspection Agencies.

– FCIA Standard Answers – The Technical Committee has developed a series of “Standard Answers” on “F&T” Ratings, “W” Ratings, and other important topics. These resource articles are for FCIA Member use as an objective 3rd party article to support contractor members in situations where a generic answer is required from an industry Trade Association.

The committee also works with the Standards Committee, providing technical backup for standards development.

 FCIA Education Programs – FCIA Educational Programs, including powerpoint presentations, are produced using the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice as the basis for the programs.  Technical and industry issues in the manual are converted to powerpoints for delivery at presentations, webinars, and more.  Additionally, the committee is helping with the FCIA Apprenticeship Standards educational materials needed to impliment the program.  

FCIA’s Technical Committee has developed and is continually editing education & training materials for FCIA Member Contractors, Installers and the specification, building official, fire marshal, building owner and manager groups. As an ongoing activity, the group develops education for other important organization audiences that are interested in and influence Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation.

Committee Update

FCIA’s Technical Committee completed a massive update to Chapter 3 of the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice Complete Edition, and updates were completed for Chapter 1, 2, and the Appendices as well. It’s been quite a busy year. Plus, the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice, Firestop Containment Worker Edition was launched in November at the FCIA Firestop Industry Conference & Trade Show. 

Committee News April & November, 2011

FCIA’s Technical Committee has been working with the Apprenticeship Committee expanding the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice significantly. Look for releases of the documents in early 2012, or sooner.

Committee News February 28, 2010

FCIA’s Technical Committee has been working with the Apprenticeship Committee developing information for education of the Firestop/Containment Workforce.  Additionally, there are several other chapters of the FCIA Manual of Practice being updated.

Committee News January 10, 2009

FCIA’s Technical Committee had a productive year in 2008…with meetings at the FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference and in July at Miami Beach. Accomplishments include publishing an update to Chapter 4, Perimeter Fire Containment and Labeling Systems. The committee is going to meet in Mid-February to continue updating this important tool. 

Information Update on Feb. 14, 2008

The FCIA Technical Committee Manual of Practice (MOP) Editing group has written text for the changes below will meet again spring, 2008 for more writing and vetting changes to the MOP.  Another meeting will take place this summer with publication this fall.

The group is focused on the following:

  1. Ch. 4 – Quality Chapter Contractors & Inspection – Lance Simms, Bill McHugh, Pat Tesche, Rob Hlady, have written much, and are actively editing.
  2. App. A – Glossary & Acronyms – We’re holding off on this until we are complete with Chapter 4.  
  3. Perimeter – Mike Pautsch & Jim Shriver met in November, December 2007 to work on making this a complete chapter.
  4. Secondary Topics the committee is working on include:
    1. Table of Contents review
    2. LEED for Firestopping
    3. Code Updates
    4. Testing Updates
    5. Labeling Chapter review.
    6. Worldwide Standards & Practices – Canada chapter is complete, look at other countries as well.

Additionally, FCIA’s Technical Committee worked with the MasterFormat Task Team and submitted changes to MasterFormat 2005 during 2007, that will need follow up in 2008. We recommended that the Masterformat Maintenance Task Team remove the following sections:

  • 07-84-56 – FireSafing – Remove, refers to a product and not a work result.
  • 07 84 26 – Thermal Barriers for Plastics – Seems to belong in roofing or other place a thermal break is needed, not firestopping.
  • 07 84 23 Silicone Firestopping Foams – Remove, refers to a product, and not a work result.

Look for more reports in the summer after committee meetings produce work results from the group. Contact Mike Dominguez, FCIA Technical Committee Chair if you want to help.

Information updated on Feb 15, 2007

FCIA Technical Committee Chair – Mike Dominguez

FCIA’s Technical Committee in 2006 published the updates from 2004 & 2005’s editing process. Over 140 pages of the FCIA Manual of Practice were updated. Additionally, in preparation for the new UL DRI Test, a Canada amendment for the FCIA Manual of Practice was written.

The FCIA Technical Committee met in Montreal at the FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference, setting goals for the next 2 years.

Goals for 2007/2008 include:

– Review the document to assure ‘internationalization – The MOP reviewers from Canada and the US agreed that the overall document is written in a manner that fits internationally. Separate appendices can be added to reflect unique requirements from each country.

– Chapter 2 – The Code section needs updating to reflect IBC’s 2006 publication.

– Appendix A – Glossary of Terms and Acronyms should be updated, as it is from 2000.

– Chapter 3 – Many pictures and illustrations will be added to the FCIA Manual of Practice.

Chapter 4 – The Quality Assurance Section needs to be updated to include the new UL Qualification of Firestop Contractors Program.

– Perimeter Fire Protection – This section is always changing as new standards and testing brings more efficient systems to the marketplace.

The committee is always looking for volunteers for the committee. Tasks include reviewing documents prior to publication, and writing technical text as well.


FCIA Technical Committee 2005 Results – FCIA 2005 Technical Committee Chair, Mike Dominguez

The Technical Committee was active in 2005 working mainly on the FCIA Manual of Practice Update for 2005 Release. The group met in May and July to strategize, write and edit the Manual of Practice. Currently, the group is about 50% complete with writing the document. A draft of the new MOP sections was distributed and reviewed at the FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference, April, 2005.

FCIA’s Technical Committee will publish a revised Chapter 1.1, 1.3, 3.0, 5.0-5.8,with new sections on maintenance, labeling, “F & T” Ratings, and “W” Ratings.

In addition to working with the MOP, the technical committee produced a document on Effective Compartmentation Maintenance, available on the FCIA Technical Resources pages.

Goals 2004

  • Monitor, Maintain and Market the FCIA MOP and other FCIA Technical Documents.
  • Monitor and report on Industry Developments to the FCIA Membership. (Firestop products, specs, processes).
  • Support the Education Committee and FCIA Members – Technical Committee is the Technical resource / library for the documents in the industry.
  • Support the education committee with technical review of education programs under development or review.
  • Respond to “public interests”.
  • “Standard Answers” Program – Continue to develop new “standard answers” for members to have for “3rd party documentation” on issues of common technical nature.
  • “Standards for Design” Program – The technical committee’s work with SOM on “Standards for Design”, is an important industry process concept.