City officials of Worcester, MA, recently voted unanimously in support of a resolution to endorse statewide legislation that would amend Massachusetts’ building codes for fire safety reasons and provide an added level of protection for firefighters and residents alike. Worcester joins a number of labor and construction industry leaders in support of the legislation. The Build With Strength coalition in Massachusetts includes the following organizations to date: Massachusetts Concrete & Aggregate Producers Association, Mason Contractors Association of Massachusetts, Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3, Ironworkers Local 7-Boston, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 4, Teamsters Local 25, Steel Framing Industry Association, Northeast Precast Concrete Association, Portland Cement Association, New England Concrete Manufacturers Association, National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association and American Concrete Pumping Association.
The adopted resolution supports House Bill No. 3844 and Senate Bill 1799 which would amend The Commonwealth of Massachusetts' building code. Measures would include the installation of automatic sprinkler systems in accordance with NFPA 13, measuring the number of stories from the grade plane using combustible materials for construction, installing a fire barrier with fire resistance rating of at least two hours that extends from the foundation to the roof, and providing for a fire watch at construction sites after hours. The bill was most recently reported favorably to the House Committee on Ways and Means from the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Build With Strength works with communities, lawmakers and industry employees to advocate for safer, sustainable building materials. Strengthening local and national building codes is among the organization’s top priorities.
For more information, contact NRMCA Senior Vice President of State and Local Government Affairs John Loyer at jloyer@nrmca.org.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association