Florida Building Commission

Product Approval POC

C.8. POC Comments Regarding Product Approval Rules 61G20-3.001, 3.002 and 3.007

At the August 2013 meeting the POC was requested to provide comments and recommendations to the Commission regarding the proposed text for Product Approval Rules 61G20-3.001 (Scope), 3.002 (Definitions), and 3.007 (Product Approval by the Commission). The Commission is conducting a supplemental rule development workshop at the October 18, 2013 meeting to adopt changes to the Product Approval System necessary to implement 2013 statutory changes to Section 553.842, F.S., Product Evaluation and Approval, requiring the Commission to initiate rulemaking to create a new category of products for Statewide Product Approval titled: “impact protective systems” (.001 Scope, and .002 Definitions). In addition, products submitted for approval by a product evaluation entity (Method 3) will be approved by DBPR using the 10-business day expedited approval process (.007, Product Approval by the Commission).

At the August 2013 meeting the main issue for consideration was to provide a recommendations to the Commission regarding whether to use the definition for “impact protective system” from ASTM E-1996 as recommended by staff, or the definition from ASCE 7-10 as recommended by the International Hurricane Protection Association (IHPA). At the August 2013 meeting there was much discussion on both sides of the issue including how this definition would interplay with the requirements for opening protection contained within the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), and the POC decided they would like a recommendation from the Commission’s Structural TAC prior to recommending a definition for “impact protective systems.”

The Structural TAC met on October 2, 2013 and recommended that a definition for “impact protective systems” is not needed in the Product Approval Rule since relevant definitions are already provided in the reference standards adopted within the Florida Building Code, and other product category terms are not defined in the Product Approval Rule.

Following questions and answers, and an opportunity for public comment and POC discussion, the POC took the following action:

POC Actions:

Motion—The POC voted unanimously, 3 - 0 in favor, to recommend that the Commission not include a definition for “impact protective systems” in Rule 61G20-3.002 (Definitions).

The POC agreed with the Structural TAC’s recommendations that a definition is not needed in the Product Approval Rule since relevant definitions are provided in the reference standards adopted in the Florida Building Code, and there are not definitions in the Rule for the other product categories.

r 3, 2013 Teleconference Meeting Summary Report