PSB LBO flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Adoption of model code

A model code becomes enforceable only when a jurisdiction adopts it by ordinance, specifying the edition, effective date, and any local amendments that modify the model text.

Referenced standards

Technical standards such as NFPA 13 or ASCE 7 are enforceable only through the code's reference, including the specific edition year cited in the adopted code.

Board of appeals

A local body authorized by ordinance to hear appeals of code official interpretations and denials; appeals must be filed within the time limit stated in the administrative provisions.

Alternate materials approval

The code official may approve materials or methods not specifically prescribed when evidence shows equivalence in quality, strength, fire resistance, and safety to the code requirement.

Plan review order

Review proceeds from submittal completeness to use and zoning, occupancy and construction type, egress, fire protection, structural, accessibility, and energy, with each stage documented.

Allowable area calculation

Base area from the occupancy and construction type table, adjusted for frontage increase, then multiplied by the sprinkler increase; the result is compared with actual building area.

Egress capacity formula

Required width equals occupant load multiplied by the capacity factor for the component, such as 0.2 inch per occupant for level surfaces and 0.15 for stairs.

Deferred submittals

Portions of the design approved for later submission, such as truss shop drawings, are listed on the permit and tracked to ensure review before the related inspection.

Special inspections statement

A statement of special inspections identifies the structural tests and inspections required by Chapter 17 and the approved agencies responsible for performing and reporting them.

Correction notice content

A written notice identifies the code section violated, the observed condition, the required correction, and the reinspection procedure, forming the record for enforcement.

Stop-work order

An official order halting work performed without a permit, contrary to approved plans, or creating an unsafe condition; it remains until the official confirms correction.

Certificate of occupancy

Issued after final inspections confirm the building complies with approved plans and code; a temporary certificate may allow occupancy with defined conditions and an expiration date.

Seismic design category

A classification from mapped ground motion, site class, and risk category that determines structural detailing, irregularity review, and special inspection requirements.

Risk category

An occupancy-based classification from I to IV reflecting consequence of failure; higher categories increase design loads and importance factors for structural safety.

High-rise threshold

A building with an occupied floor more than 75 feet above the lowest fire department access level triggers additional requirements including sprinklers, standpipes, and a fire command center.

Fire-resistance rating

The time in hours an assembly resists fire exposure, determined by listed designs or tested assemblies, and applied to structural members, shafts, exits, and separations.

Occupancy group classification

Assignment of a building or space to an IBC group such as A, B, E, F, H, I, M, R, S, or U based on the use and hazard, which controls code requirements.

Construction type

A classification from Type I to Type V describing combustibility and fire resistance of structural elements; Types I and II are noncombustible and Type V is combustible.

Incidental use separation

Certain subordinate uses listed in the incidental use table must be separated from the main occupancy by rated assemblies or treated as separate occupancies for code compliance.

Separated versus nonseparated occupancy

Mixed uses may be separated by rated assemblies with individual area calculations, or treated as nonseparated with the most restrictive requirements applied throughout.

Occupant load factor

A square-foot-per-occupant value from the code table, applied to floor area to compute occupant load, which then determines egress width and fixture counts.

Exit remoteness

Required exits must be separated by a distance related to the building diagonal or a stated minimum so that a single fire event cannot block all egress paths.

Travel distance

The measured distance along the natural path from the most remote point to an exit, limited by occupancy and sprinkler protection under the code's egress provisions.

Accessible route

A continuous unobstructed path connecting accessible entrances, spaces, and elements, meeting prescribed width, slope, surface, and turning space requirements.

Conflict of interest disclosure

Officials must disclose financial interests in projects and recuse from review or inspection decisions where impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

Notice of violation

A written notice stating the code violation, required corrective action, and compliance deadline, providing the due process basis for further enforcement if uncorrected.

Qualified immunity

Protection from liability for discretionary official acts performed in good faith within authority; ministerial acts performed negligently may not receive the same protection.

Records disclosure

Permit and inspection records are generally public under state records law, but trade secrets and security-sensitive details may be exempt and are handled per jurisdiction policy.

IEBC work area method

A compliance approach classifying alterations by work area as Level 1, 2, or 3, with increasing upgrade requirements as the scope affects egress and structural elements.

Change of occupancy

A new use requiring compliance with the code for the new occupancy, with existing-building allowances determined by the selected IEBC compliance method.

Unsafe structure declaration

A finding that a building is structurally deficient, a fire hazard, or dangerous to life, authorizing the official to order repair, vacation, or demolition after notice and hearing.

IPMC maintenance standard

A property maintenance code establishing minimum standards for structural integrity, sanitation, weathertightness, and life-safety systems in existing buildings.