IAS Honors MBMA For Contribution To Metal Building Systems Accreditation Program

IAS honored the Metal Building Manufacturers Association for its role in helping IAS to develop the new accreditation program. From left: Michael Bouse, IAS Board Chair; Chuck Haslebacher, MBMA Chairman Accreditation Committee and MBMA 2010 Executive Committee Chairman; Chuck Praeger, MBMA Assistant General Manager; Sandi McCracken, IAS Senior Accreditation Officer; and Chuck Ramani, IAS President. Click to enlarge photo.

Baltimore, MD - The International Accreditation Service (IAS), a subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC), recognized the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) at the 2009 ICC Annual Conference in Baltimore for its contribution to the development of the IAS accreditation program for the inspection of manufacturers of metal building systems.

This new, comprehensive accreditation program is based on the requirements of Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (IBC) and provides code officials with a means to approve the inspection programs of manufacturers of metal building systems under IBC Section 1704.2.2 Fabricator Approval.

The program was initiated when the MBMA approached IAS in October 2007 on behalf of the metal building industry to consider developing criteria that would serve its members while fulfilling the needs of code officials and other regulatory agencies.

The IAS program requires accredited fabricators to implement a comprehensive quality management system covering all phases of its fabrication processes. The IAS Accreditation Criteria (AC472) addresses quality management system elements, technical requirements and includes periodic auditing of fabrication processes which are essential for code officials to deem IAS-accredited metal building manufacturers as approved fabricators. Several code officials served on the committee that approved AC472 on which the program is based. For more information about the accreditation program, click here.

About MBMA

MBMA has served metal building systems manufacturers and suppliers for 53 years. Its membership represents more than $1.9 billion in annual steel shipments and accounts for approximately 39% of the total non-residential low-rise construction market in the United States. MBMA provides engineering leadership through the many research programs that it sponsors annually, often in coordination with major universities and engineering schools throughout North America. This research is used to improve the performance, efficiency and quality of metal building systems and to elevate the technology used to produce them. For more information, go to www.mbma.com.

About IAS

IAS accredits testing and calibration laboratories, inspection agencies, building departments, fabricator inspection programs and IBC special inspection agencies. IAS is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that has been a recognized accreditation body since 1975. Today, IAS is one of the leading accreditation bodies in the United States and a signatory to several international mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) worldwide. For more information, go to www.iasonline.org.