IAS eNews
All Fabricator Accreditation Bodies Are Not Alike
Who does your jurisdiction use to approve fabricators under Chapter 17 of the IBC?
In Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (IBC), the building official is provided with alternatives for approving the work of fabricators. The first option is to have a special inspector who has been approved and who has demonstrated competence to the satisfaction of the building official inspect the fabricator's work on a continuous basis at the job site. The second alternative comes under Section 1704.2.2, which permits fabricators that have been registered and approved to perform the work without special inspection. The problem is that many building departments have never compared the organizations that accredit fabricators to determine if they are truly qualified to evaluate and accredit fabricators for compliance with Section 1704.2.2 of the IBC. Compare for yourself and see which fabricator accreditation program meets the necessary requirements.
| Comparison of Fabricator Accreditation Programs | IAS | Other Fabricator Programs |
| Meets IBC®, Chapter 17, requirements for approved Fabricators. | Yes | No |
| Initial assessment and follow-up evaluations of the fabricator are conducted by accreditation body staff. | Yes | No |
| Continuous oversight of the fabricator is provided through quarterly on-site inspections (periodic auditing) by accredited independent agencies. | Yes | No |
| Requires all accredited fabricators to maintain a Certified Welding Inspector on staff, and welders to be certified under American Welding Society standards. | Yes | No |
| Created to help building departments enforce the code, not to serve special interests of others. | Yes | No |
| Board of directors made up of code officials. | Yes | No |
| Endorsed by the International Code Council® (ICC®). | Yes | No |
| Before approving fabricators to work in your jurisdiction, compare the programs and purposes of organizations that accredit them. Building departments can ensure fabricator inspection programs meet code requirements by requiring accreditation from IAS. | ||