Builders in New York are now required to post a reflective sign on new and renovated houses warning firefighters that trusses have been used in the roof or floor.
Prefabricated trusses of lightweight framing lumber are used in more than half of all new buildings, according to government estimates, and while they are structurally sound for bearing ordinary loads, they can collapse quickly in the event of a fire.
The new law in New York, which took effect this month, also requires property owners or builders to note on permit applications whether trusses will be used.
Firefighters arriving at house fires have no way of telling whether the building has been constructed with trusses, says a post at ConstructionDive.com. The notices are aimed at alerting them so they can take extra precautions.
A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health pamphlet available online lists a number of fatal accidents involving firefighters and truss floors or roofs in both residential and commercial buildings. A number of states require similar warning signs.
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New York has joined other states in requiring new and renovated houses to have warning signs for firefighters when roof or floor trusses have been used.
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Not just for trusses but all pre-engineered material (I joists, LVL's, etc)