OAR 837-040-0015: Proposed Code Amendment Criteria

(1) All proposed code amendments are submitted to the Department of the State Fire Marshal in writing or on an agency approved form. (2) All proposed code amendments must provide justification and the particular circumstances requiring the amendment. (3) The Department of the State Fire Marshal screens proposed code amendments to determine whether they substantially meet the requirements of OAR 837-040-0015(5). Proposed code amendments not substantially meeting the requirements of 837-040-0015(5) may be returned to the applicant with specific reasons included in the returned application. (4) Proposed Code amendments that substantially meet the requirements of OAR 837-040-0015(5) will be reviewed by the Oregon Fire Code Advisory Board (OFCAB). Final approval or denial of the proposed code amendment will be at the discretion of the State Fire Marshal. (5) As required by OAR 837-040-0015(2), a proposed code amendment must address, where applicable, whether or not the proposed code amendment: (a) Is necessary to correct any unforeseen or probable outcomes resulting from the application of a code section, and if so, why; (b) Is needed to protect the health, safety, welfare, comfort and security of occupants, emergency responders, and the public, and if so, why; (c) Corrects inadequate application by a code section to a method, material or design, and if so, how; (d) Is necessary to address unique geographic or climatic conditions within Oregon, and if so, why; (e) Is needed to eliminate conflicting, obsolete, or duplicative code provisions or standards between Oregon adopted codes, statutes or regulations, and if so, why; (f) Provides for the use of unique or emerging technologies, or promote advances in construction methods, devices, materials and techniques, and if so, how; (g) Any adverse fiscal impact or cost savings passed on to the general public, the construction industry, local and state governments, and small businesses. If applicable, an interested person must describe the added or reduced cost of a proposed code amendment, describe the adverse fiscal impact or cost savings in relation to the current Oregon Fire Code and include any standards of measure used to arrive at the result given.