Significant changes to distilled spirits in the 2021 International Building Code

An addition to Sections 903.2.4.2 and 903.2.9.3 (Distilled Spirits) of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) states that a sprinkler requirement for both the manufacturing and bulk storage of distilled spirits has been imposed.

A series of changes has been made throughout both the IBC and the International Fire Code (IFC) to eliminate confusion in the regulation of buildings that manufacture or store distilled spirits and wines. Distilled spirits have the properties of flammable liquids and proper safeguards must be provided for the occupancies and structures that house such activities.

With the changes to (a) clarify the proper occupancy classification of both manufacturing and storage, (b) deal with the different types of containers, (c) provide specific exclusions to indicate such facilities can be a “use other than Group H”, and (d) add a new chapter in the IFC to address the “storage of distilled spirits and wines”, it should now be easier to determine how these uses are to be regulated and should lead to more consistent enforcement. The new sprinkler requirements, along with all the other changes, will help reduce the hazard from these uses and coordinate with all the other important protection systems and controls.

Read the full significant change.

The 2021 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Fire, Residential, Energy Conservation, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2021 International Codes. The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand. Each edition provides a comprehensive analysis of significant changes since the 2018 edition, offering key insights into its contents and implications. Each change analysis features the affected code sections and identifies the change with strikethroughs and underlines to show modifications to the existing language. Each change is accompanied by a quick summary, detailed illustrations, and a discussion of its significance, which brings the technical jargon of the code to life in a real-world setting.

Significant Changes to the International Building Code, 2021 Edition is available in the ICC Store or through Digital Codes Premium.