Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/946815
It is unlikely that you will hear anyone reference the 2018 Edition until 2019 or later. However, that should not deter anyone from implementing the policies and procedures at this time. "By implementing the guidelines outlined in the fire code compliance manual, industry is taking a significant and proactive step to ensure its pallet facilities are operating under proven best practices. Following the outline allows our industry to build safety programs that prevent fires from starting, mitigate against their spread, and protect the life safety of our employees, first responders, and the communities we live and work," added NWPCA Chair, Shane Thompson, WestWind Logistics. A new set of code changes for each document are processed every three years. Many of the changes are based on historical fire experience. If wood pallet facilities, in general, sustain significant fire losses, the current code requirements could be impacted with the addition of more stringent provisions. If your facility is already fire code compliant, there is room for improvement, and the New Year is the time to evaluate your plan. Good stewardship of fire safety at your facility helps the entire industry. The "NWPCA Fire Code Compliance Manual for Outdoor Storage of Wood Pallets" is free, and is intended for pallet manufacturing and pallet recycling facilities to help them understand and build a compliance plan consistent with the revised 2018 fire codes of both the ICC and NFPA. If you are aware of a facility in need of assistance with fire code compliance, please direct them to download the compliance manual (palletcentral.com/compliancemanual), or provide their contact information to Annette Ferri, NWPCA (aferri@palletcentral.com), who will continue the educational outreach on fire code compliance. PC "By implementing the guidelines outlined in the fire code compliance manual, industr y is taking a significant and proactive step to ensure its pallet facilities are operating under proven best practices." – NWPCA Chair, Shane Thompson, WestWind Logistics palletcentral.com PalletCentral • January-February 2018 17