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Industry and safety officials urge SBCC to reject IEC alternate and preserve U.S. safety certification pathways
Summary
Multiple manufacturers, trade associations, fire-safety officials and insurers told SBCC that proposals to accept IEC 60335-2-40 or energy-efficiency lists as alternative certification pathways could undermine U.S. UL/ANSI/NRTL frameworks and risk public safety; they urged retaining UL 60335-2-40, ASHRAE standards and EPA SNAP alignment.
A broad coalition of testifiers — including Chemours, AHRI, Hardee (trade association), Codes and Standards International, Aon, and former and current fire-safety committee members — urged the SBCC to reject proposal 24-GP-113 (and related proposals 24GP112) that would introduce IEC 60335-2-40 or non-NRTL pathways into Washington’s mechanical code.
Vikas Mehta (Chemours) argued that IEC adoption risks misalignment with federal SNAP requirements and U.S. national standards; Tom Deary (AHRI) warned IEC references would create compliance confusion and cannot override federal approvals for refrigerants or UL-based certification; and Ruben Grijalva (former California State Fire Marshal) emphasized that energy-efficiency lists are not substitutes for NRTL safety listings. Several speakers stressed the need for demonstrated equivalency, workforce readiness, and alignment with ASHRAE 15/15.2 and UL 60335-2-40.
