ICC-NEHA Pandemic Task Force Best Practices Guide Leading to Code Changes

November 1, 2024

NEHA partnered with the International Code Council (ICC) to develop the Pandemic Task Force Consolidated Best Practice Guide to prepare buildings and communities from disease-related threats. This guide was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to identify practices that limit the spread of disease in buildings. Minimum practices from this guide have been developed as proposed changes to the I-codes.

During the 2024 ICC Conference, committees reviewed proposals and proposed changes based on the guide. Changes were proposed to the International Fire Code (F153 & F206) regarding occupancy changes, Plumbing Code (P33) regarding water refilling stations, and Mechanical Code (M3 & M35) regarding alternate modes of operations and minimum filter design were considered for inclusion in their respective codes. Several of the proposals based on the guide were approved. The next step being public comment.

This code cycle is the first cycle following the publication of the guide. Future code cycles will also see proposals submitted based on the ICC-NEHA guide.

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The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) represents more than 7,000 governmental, private, academic, and uniformed services sector environmental health professionals in the U.S., its territories, and internationally. NEHA is the profession’s strongest advocate for excellence in the practice of environmental health as it delivers on its mission to build, sustain, and empower an effective environmental health workforce.