Technical Committee

Charter

The Technical Committee has several charges:

- FCIA Standard Answers - The Technical Committee is also developing a series of "Standard Answers" on "F&T" Ratings, "W" Ratings, and other important Technical Resource Topics. These resource articles are for FCIA Member use as an objective 3rd party article to support contractor members submittals and other situations where a generic answer is required from an industry Trade Association.

Oversee activities of the Standards Committee, while providing technical backup for standards development.

- FCIA Education Programs -Are the result of Manual of Practice production, technical and industry issues, converted to powerpoint and other delivery methods. 

FCIA's Technical Committee is also developing education & training for FCIA Member Contractors, Installers and the specification, building official, fire marshal, buildiing owner and manager groups. Secondly, the group will develop education for other important organization audiences that are interested in and influence Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation. Third, the committee is helping with the FCIA Apprenticeship Standards educational materials needed to impliment the program.

Information Updated 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, availabe on the FCIA Tecnical 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.