61G20-3.002. Definitions

The following terms have the meanings indicated:

(1) Accreditation means a procedure by which a Commission approved body gives formal recognition that a body or person is competent to carry out specific tasks.

(2) Approved accreditation entity body means a Commission approved, third party entity, which initially accredits and subsequently monitors, on a continuing basis, the competency and performance of an agency related to carrying out specific tasks.

(3) Approved certification agency means an organization approved by the Commission pursuant to subsection 61G20-3.008(4), F.A.C., to certify products.

(4) Approved product evaluation entity means an organization recognized by Florida law or approved by the Commission pursuant to subsection 61G20-3.008(1), F.A.C., to evaluate products, for compliance with the Code or intent of the Code or the standards referenced therein resulting in the issuance of an evaluation report.

(5) Approved testing laboratory means a laboratory approved by the Commission pursuant to subsection 61G20-3.008(3), F.A.C., to test products for compliance with the standards specified in the Code.

(6) Approved quality assurance entity means an entity approved by the Commission pursuant to subsection 61G20-3.008(5), F.A.C., to provide oversight and determine that the product or system is being manufactured or assembled, per the submitted description, test results, or calculations to establish continual product performance.

(7) Approved validation entity means a third party entity approved by the Commission pursuant to subsection 61G20-3.008(2), F.A.C., which shall certify to the Commission the product’s compliance with the standards specified in the Code or intent of the Code for use in state approval.

(8) Category of products means the type of products identified in Rule 61G20-3.004, F.A.C.

(9) Certification means the act of certifying.

(10) Certification mark means a protected mark, applied or issued under the rules of a certification system, indicating that confidence is provided that the relevant product, process or service is in compliance with a specific standard or other normative document.

(11) Certify means the act of providing a written statement or labeling or listing confirming that a standard or criteria is met.

(12) Code means the Florida Building Code.

(13) Commission means the Florida Building Commission.

(14) Comparative analysis means an engineering analysis that may include interpolation based on testing of a product.

(15) Department means Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

(16) Evaluation means an assessment of product conformance to the Code by comparing against standards or intent of the Code using testing or comparative analysis or rational analysis or a combination thereof.

(17)(a) Evaluation report means a report based upon testing or comparative or rational analysis, or a combination thereof, from an approved product evaluation entity or a licensed Florida professional engineer or architect indicating that the product was evaluated to be in compliance with the Code or the intent of the Code and that the product complies with the Code or is, for the purpose intended, at least equivalent to that required by the Code.

(b) Legacy report means an evaluation report that was originally issued by the National Evaluation Service (NES), Building Official Council of America Evaluation Services (BOCA ES), International Council of Building Officials Evaluation Service (ICBO ES), or Southern Building Code Congress International Incorporated Public Safety Testing and Evaluation Services (SBCCI PST & ES), and that was in good standing at the time these organizations came together to form the International Code Council Evaluation Services (ICC ES); or an evaluation report issued as a result of an application received by one of the above-noted organizations prior to March 1, 2003, with the application being approved by March 1, 2004.

(18) Inspection means conformity evaluation to the applicable Code section by observation and judgement accompanied as appropriate by measurement, testing or gauging or any other method that will allow for determination of compliance with the Code.

(19) Intent of the Code means required performance by the code where no standardized method for evaluating compliance by test; or comparative analysis or rational analysis; or a combination thereof is specified by the code.

(20) Labeled means devices, equipment or materials to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above labeled items and by whose label the manufacturer attests to compliance with applicable nationally recognized standards.

(21) Listed means equipment or materials included in a list published by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials, and whose listing states either that the equipment or material meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner. The means for identifying listed equipment may vary for each testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation, some of which do not recognize equipment as listed unless it is also labeled. The building official should use the system employed by the listing organization to identify a listed product.

(22) Panel (part of a structure) means the section of a floor, wall or roof comprised between the supporting frame of two adjacent rows of columns and girders or column bands of floor or roof construction.

(23) Product means any individual type of manufactured goods, system or method of construction.

(24) Product Approval:

State product approval means the approval of a product or system of construction by the Commission for acceptance of a product on a state or regional basis consistent with an evaluation conducted pursuant to Rule 61G20-3.005, F.A.C. In addition, this includes the approval of a product by the Department pursuant to paragraph 61G20-3.007(1)(d), F.A.C.

(25) Product Model means a method of identification of products that is more specific than its subcategory or individual units as utilized in the field.

(26) Program System Administrator means a public or private entity qualified to review product approval and product entity documentation for compliance with this rule.

(27) Rational analysis means a standardized or non-standardized method by which a Florida Registered Architect or a licensed Florida Professional Engineer or approved evaluation entity uses mathematical or scientific analysis to evaluate the product behavior and to demonstrate that the product evaluated complies with the code for which the evaluation or engineering report is issued. Rational analysis shall be performed in accordance with well-established principles of mechanics and sound engineering practices.

(28) Scope of Accreditation means the specific standard test method, calibration services or other functions for which the organization is accredited.

(29) Standard means a prescribed set of rules, conditions, or requirements concerning: definition of terms; classification of components; specification of materials, performance, or operation; delineation of procedures for measuring the quantity or quality of materials, products, systems, services, or practices referenced in the Code.

(30) Standard test method means a specified technical procedure for performing a test.

(31) Structural component means any part or assembly of buildings that comprises the main wind force resisting system and components or cladding.

(32) Technically relevant means in accordance with this rule and or the applicable provisions of the Florida Building Code.

(33) Subcategory of product or construction system means a specific functionality:

(a) For exterior door:

1. Exterior door assemblies: roll-up, sectional, sliding, swinging, automatic; pre-engineered roof access hatches; and products introduced as a result of new technology;

2. Exterior door components and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(b) For windows: awning, casement, dual action, double hung, single hung, fixed, horizontal slider, projected, pass through, mullions, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(c) For panel walls: siding, soffits, exterior insulation finish system (EIFS), storefronts, curtain walls, wall louver, glass block, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(d) For roofing products: built up roofing, modified bitumen roof system, single ply roof systems, spray applied polyurethane roof system, roofing fasteners, roofing insulation, asphalt shingles, wood shingles and shakes, roofing slate, roof tile adhesives, cements-adhesives-coatings, liquid applied roof systems, underlayments, metal roofing, roofing tiles, waterproofing, roofing accessories that are an integral part of the roofing system and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(e) For shutters: accordion, Bahama, storm panels, fabric storm panel, colonial, roll-up, pre-engineered equipment, protection, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(f) For skylights: skylight, and products introduced as a result of new technology; and

(g) For structural components: truss plates, wood connectors, anchors, exterior coolers-freezers, insulation form systems, engineered lumber, pre-engineered air conditioner stands, structural wall components, and roof deck, and products introduced as a result of new technology.

(h) For impact protective systems include types that are fixed, operable, or removable.

(34) Test means a technical operation that consists of the determination of one or more characteristics of a given product, process or service according to a specified procedure.

(35) Test report means a report from an approved testing laboratory which provides performance data showing compliance with a code requirement as determined by a referenced standard test method or equivalent standard test method pursuant to Rule 61G20-3.015, F.A.C., and which identifies products covered by the report and limitations on the products’ use.

(36) Third party means an entity independent of the manufacturer (first Party) and the buyer (second party) certified in accordance with Rule 61G20-3.009, F.A.C.

(37) Validation means determination of compliance pursuant to Rule 61G20-3.006, F.A.C., for state approval.

Rulemaking Authority 553.842(1) FS. Law Implemented 553.842(1) FS. History–New 5-5-02, Amended 9-4-03, 11-22-06, 4-10-08, Formerly 9B-72.010, Amended 7-14-11, Formerly 9N-3.002, Amended 4-1-14.