News Updates - September 24, 2008

OSSC mid-cycle amendments

Hard to believe we are already half way through the 2007 - 2010 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC) cycle, but it's true and that means the effective date of the mid-cycle amendments is rapidly approaching. The list includes 12 amendments to the code language, updating of several NFPA standards, and an amendment to the Base Shear equation found in ASCE 7-05.

The 2007 OSSC mid-cycle amendments are effective as of October 1, 2008 and have been posted to the BCD website for viewing and/or printing. The mid-cycle amendments have been formatted for easy insertion into your codebook.

If you have any questions regarding the mid-cycle amendments please contact Shane Sumption at shane.r.sumption@state.or.us, 503-378-4635, or Richard Rogers at richard.rogers@state.or.us, 503-378-4472.

Elevator safety program working to prevent injuries

Each year in Oregon, several dozen people are injured on elevators and escalators. Most of these injuries are not due to equipment problems and could have been prevented if the passengers had observed some basic safety measures. To educate people about these safety measures, the Elevator Safety program has just published a brochure, Ride Safely: Elevator and Escalator Safety Tips. The Elevator Safety Program also plans to make safety presentations in schools and senior centers. The safety brochure will be distributed by state elevator inspectors and is available to everyone on BCD's Web site.

New forms with consistent fee formula available

The model forms the division developed to accompany the consistent fee formula that becomes effective January 1, 2009, are now available for download and printing. The model forms are based on the consistent fee formula rules and contain only a bare minimum amount of information. The forms have been in a read only draft format until they were thoroughly reviewed. Jurisdictions wishing to use the model forms will want to add their logo, etc. If you need help in altering the forms provided on the Web site, please contact Dana Fischer at dana.c.fischer@state.or.us. Jurisdictions may develop their own forms so long as they meet the minimum requirements established by the division.

Regional Program Services

Regional coordinators and ePermitting
Why would the regional coordinators at the division play such an integral part in the ePermitting program? Because they are the central communications link BCD has created to help meet the needs of local government and to strengthen the partnership between jurisdictions and the division. The regional coordinators go out into the field to touch base with jurisdictions and work along side the organizers of community and economic development initiatives.

To that end, all of the regional coordinators attended the September 18th ePermitting Project Kick-off in Salem. This event featured the next stages of the ePermitting project (see article under ePermitting). All the speakers at this presentation, from Mark Long, the division's administrator, to the technical experts for the ePermitting project, identified the regional coordinators as an important link between the project staff, jurisdictions, and contractors.

The regional coordinators were on hand to welcome the representatives from jurisdictions in their regions and to continue their learning process about the ePermitting project. This will help them assist local governments in understanding what's coming next in ePermitting.

The Quick Permits program has become an even bigger success because of the involvement of the regional coordinators. When contractors, building officials, city administrators or county commissioners have questions, the regional coordinators are there with the answers or they know where to find them. This is the reason the ePermitting team has made them an important part of the program.

ePermitting

Kick-off held September 18th in Salem
On September 18, fifty representatives from twenty-five local city and county building departments, and Lane Council of Governments gathered in Salem with State of Oregon staff and corporate staff from Accela Inc. to move the ePermitting project into its next stage.

The kick-off event introduced Accela Inc., Building Codes Division's new corporate partner in the project. The morning session featured Accela and the state team, made up of employees from both BCD and the Information Management Division of DCBS, who provided more detail on what the next stages in the project will look like. The information presented also gave those gathered examples of the new system's look via a computer monitor simulated view.

An afternoon round table provided the opportunity for local government representatives to ask questions of the state project managers and the Accela staff. Questions centered around how a statewide system will be able to meet the needs of individual jurisdictions and also present a consistent, easy-to-use format to building contractors in Oregon.

The most recent news release for the ePermitting project can be found on our Web site. There should be a detailed account of the kick-off meeting available on the Web site in the next few weeks.