The ICC Committee on Healthcare continues code alignment efforts

In 2011, the International Code Council (ICC) and the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) came together to form the Committee on Healthcare (CHC). The objective of this committee is to develop code change proposals to the International Codes (I-Codes) to help produce the most contemporary, effective and efficient provisions for health care facilities, ensuring the highest level of safety for all users of such facilities.

One of the key efforts of the CHC is to ensure that the I-Codes are aligned with current federal standards and requirements. Alignment of code requirements, and eliminating wasted resources due to code conflicts, is critical to delivering efficient, effective patient care.

The ICC CHC is actively participating in the current 2027 I-Codes development cycle and has submitted nine and co-sponsored an additional five code change proposals. These proposals cover areas such as:

• Improvement of the usage and storage requirements for alcohol-based hand rubs.
• The addition of health care microgrids.
• Alignment of ventilation requirements with American National Standards Institute/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2021, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities.
• The alignment of existing electrical systems with the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code.
• The allowance of control vestibules.

These proposals, along with all other submitted code change proposals, are available for review. To review the proposals submitted by the ICC CHC and others, access the "Web posting of CAH #1 ‘proposed changes to the I-Codes’” at the ICC Current Code Development Cycle webpage.

These proposals will be heard by the various ICC code development committees at the code action hearings scheduled for April 7-16.

Jonathan Flannery, MHSA, CHFM, FASHE, FACHE, senior associate director, ASHE Regulatory Affairs.