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Gig Workers
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Places of Worship
“The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians,
but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
WEBCAST Committee Action Hearings, Group A #2
2024 International Building Code: Chapter 3 Occupancy Classification and Use
In the International Code Council catalog of best practice literature we find the first principles for safety in places of worship tracking in the following sections of the International Building Code (IBC):
“303.1.4: Accessory religious educational rooms and religious auditoriums with occupant loads less than 100 per room or space are not considered separate occupancies.” This informs how fire protection systems are designed.
Section 305 Educational Group E
“305.2.1: Rooms and spaces within places of worship proving such day care during religious functions shall be classified as part of the primary occupancy.” This group includes building and structures or portions thereof occupied by more than five children older than 2-1/2 years of age who receive educational, supervision or personal care services for fewer than 24 hours per day.
Section 308 Institutional Group I
“308.5.2: Rooms and spaces within places of religious worship providing [Group I-4 Day Care Facilities] during religious functions shall be classified as part of the primary occupancy. When [Group I-4 Day Care Facilities] includes buildings and structures occupied by more than five persons of any age who receive custodial care for fewer than 24 hours per day by persons other than parents or guardians, relatives by blood, marriage or adoption, and in a place other than the home of the person cared for.
Tricky stuff — and we haven’t even included conditions under which university-affiliated places of worship may expected to be used as community storm shelters.
2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE
Public response to Committee Actions taken in Orlando in April will be received until July 8th.
Because standard development tends to be a backward-looking domain it is enlightening to understand the concepts in play in previous editions. The complete monograph of proposals for new building safety concepts for places of worship for the current revision cycle is linked below:
2021/2022 Code Development: Group B
A simple search on the word “worship” will reveal what ideas are in play. With the Group B Public Comment Hearings now complete ICC administered committees are now curating the results for the Online Governmental Consensus Vote milestone in the ICC process that was completed December 6th. Status reports are linked below:
2018/2019 Code Development: Group B
Note that a number of proposals that passed the governmental vote are being challenged by a number of stakeholders in a follow-on appeals process:
A quick review of the appeals statements reveals some concern over process, administration and technical matters but none of them directly affect how leading practice for places of worship is asserted.
We are happy to get down in the weeds with facility professionals on other technical issues regarding other occupancy classes that are present in educational communities. See our CALENDAR for next Construction (Ædificare) colloquium open to everyone.
Issue: [17-353]
Category: Chapels
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel
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Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt. pic.twitter.com/H6dgJ5DnSC
— Prof. Feynman (@ProfFeynman) October 8, 2023
Keeping Farm and Livestock Cool in the Summer Heat
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Cobb Salad
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Abide with Me
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terror, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
St. Olaf Facilities Department
Art, Design & Fashion Studios
Art presents a different way of looking at things than science;
one which preserves the mystery of things without undoing the mystery.
NFPA 1 Second Draft Meeting (A2026) June 2 – 3, 2025
“Interior de Ateliê” 1898 Rafael Frederico
We are guided by four interdependent titles that set the standard of care for safety and sustainability of occupancies supporting the fine arts in education communities.
(1) Chapter 43: Spraying, Dipping and Coating Using Flammable or Combustible Material of NFPA 1: Fire Code. As a “code” the public has free access to the current 2021 Edition , and Chapter 43 at the link below:
NFPA 1 Fire Code / Chapter 43 Spraying, Dipping and Coating Using Flammable or Combustible Materials
You get a sense of the back-and-forth among the technical committee members from the transcripts of committee activity linked below:
First Revisions Report (282 pages)
Our interest lies in fire safety provisions for educational occupancies with activity involving paint, chemicals used with paint (art studios) and Class III combustible materials (garment design & prototyping).
(2) NFPA also has another title — NFPA 33 Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable or Combustible Materials — provides more detail for instructional and facility maintenance operations activity.
(3) NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, much of which is derived from NFPA 1 (See: “How the Fire Code and Life Safety Code Work Together“)
(4) Finally, the International Code Council develops a competitor title — 2021 International Fire Code — which also provides fire safety standards for art, design and fashion studio safety. The IFC is developed in the Group A tranche of titles:
2021/2022 Code Development Group A
2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE
We encourage direct participation by education industry user-interests in the ICC and the NFPA code development process. A user interest in education community would have a job title similar to the following: Principal, Dean, President, Chief of Business Operations, Facility Manager, Trade Shop Foreman.
Harvard University
We maintain all four titles identified in this post on the standing agenda of our Prometheus (fire safety) and Fine Arts colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [10-31] [16-64]
Category: Fire Safety
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Evolve, Marcelo Hirschler
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Northeastern University: Safety Guide for Art Studios
Princeton University: Art Safety
University of Chicago Art Studio Safety Policy
Texas Coffee School
Opening and operating a small coffee shop in Texas requires adherence to various codes and standards to ensure safety, legality, and quality service. Students get a front row view of the competing requirements of safety and economy even before the cafe atmospheric and economic viability make their passion a going concern.
1. Business Licenses and Permits:
- Business License: Obtain a general business license from your local city or county authority. Requirements and fees vary by location.
- Certificate of Occupancy: This certifies that your building complies with zoning laws and is safe for occupancy. It’s typically issued after necessary inspections.
- Food Handler’s License: All employees involved in food preparation or service must obtain this certification within 60 days of employment.
- Seller’s Permit: Required for businesses selling tangible goods subject to sales tax. You can register for this permit through the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
2. Health and Safety Regulations:
- Texas Food Establishment Rules: These rules outline standards for food safety, including employee hygiene, equipment sanitation, and food handling procedures.
- County and City Health Department Regulations
Featured Texas Coffee School Coffeepreneur®: @TheHiveJavaLounge #WomensHistoryMonth Zoraida Dobard was an educator with no prior experience in the coffee industry. She decided to follow her passion and create a space that resonated with her. pic.twitter.com/t5xBs1Assh
— Texas Coffee School (@TXCoffeeSchool) March 10, 2024
3. Building and Construction Codes:
- Building Codes: Ensure compliance with local building codes, which cover structural integrity, electrical systems, plumbing, and fire safety.
- Zoning Regulations: Verify that your chosen location is zoned appropriately for a food establishment.
- Accessibility Standards: Adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements to ensure your facility is accessible to all patrons.
4. Additional Considerations:
- Signage Permits: Obtain permits for exterior signs, as many municipalities have regulations governing signage size, lighting, and placement.
- Waste Disposal: Comply with local ordinances regarding waste management, including grease disposal and recycling.
- Insurance: While not a code or standard, securing appropriate insurance (e.g., general liability, property, and workers’ compensation) is crucial for protecting your business.
There’s enough “content” in the foregoing list of considerations to meet the requirement for an Associates Degree at any community college.
Starting and running a privately held coffee shop within a building located in the campus proper — think the franchise chains like Starbucks — is another layer of complexity in our session on Joint Use Agreements.
During Women’s History Month, we want to celebrate our female Coffeepreneurs®! Danika Young is the owner of Creative Bean Coffee, a family-oriented coffee shop in Rapid City, South Dakota. She opened her coffee business in June 2022, first from a mobile trailer for events. pic.twitter.com/6ckYJvSeqW
— Texas Coffee School (@TXCoffeeSchool) March 21, 2024
Pool, Spa & Recreational Waters
“Innenansicht des Kaiserbades in Aachen” | Jan Luyken (1682)
Education communities provide a large market for recreational and therapeutic water technology suppliers. Some of the larger research universities have dozens of pools including those in university-affiliated healthcare facilities. Apart from publicly visible NCAA swimming programs there are whirpools in healthcare facilities and therapeutic tubs for athletes in other sports. Ownership of these facilities requires a cadre of conformance experts to assure water safety.
NSF International is one of the first names in this space and has collaborated with key industry stakeholders to make pools, spas and recreational water products safer since 1949. The parent document in its suite is NSF 50 Pool, Spa and Recreational Water Standards which covers everything from pool pumps, strainers, variable frequency drives and pool drains to suction fittings, grates, and ozone and ultraviolet systems.
The workspace for this committee is linked below:
Joint Committee on Recreational Water Facilities
(Standards Michigan is an observer on this and several other NSF committees and is the only “eyes and ears” for the user interest; arguably the largest market for swimming pools given their presence in schools and universities.)
There are 14 task groups that drill into specifics such as the following:
Chemical feeders
Pool chemical evaluation
Flotation systems
Filters
Water quality
Safety surfacing
The meeting packet is confidential to registered attendees. You may communicate directly with the NSF Joint Committee Chairperson, Mr. Tom Vyles (admin@standards.nsf.org) about arranging direct access as an observer or technical committee member.
Almost all ANSI accredited technical committees have a shortage of user-interests (compliance officers, manufacturers and installers usually dominate). We encourage anyone in the education facility industry paying the bill for the services of compliance officers, manufacturers and installers to participate.
We maintain this title on the standing agenda of our Water and Sport colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next onine meeting; open to everyone.
Fullerton College
Issue: [13-89]
Category: Water, Sport
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Ron George, Larry Spielvogel
More
IAPMO Swimming Pool & Spa Standards
UL 1081 Standard for Swimming Pool Pumps, Filters, and Chlorinators | (UL Standards tend to be product standards so we rank them lower in our priority ranking than interoperability standards.)
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
Standards Michigan Group, LLC
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