Letter from Code Officials to Kathy Taraba
November 28, 2001
Subject: NFPA Building Code Committee, Public Comment on Proposal #5000-534
Kathy:
It has been brought to our attention that there is a proposed amendment to the draft NFPA Building Code, as detailed in Public Comment on Proposal 5000-534. That amendment aims to reduce the fire rating of the joint between a curtain wall and the floor slab. In the NFPA Building Code "Report on Proposals", the fire rating of that joint needed to equal the rating of the floor slab. It is now being proposed in to be reduced to only a 30 minute rating.
Please pass on to your code committee the message that we find this change to be a significant and disturbing reduction in the fire safety of a multi-story building. We would urge your committee to reconsider its proposed course of action.
The NFPA 5000 Building Code will already likely face an uphill battle in gaining adoption. It would be regrettable for the brand new standard to have this significant deficiency as it gets launched for the first time.
Sincerely,