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Technical Committees

Request for Interpretation

A "Request for Interpretation" is a clarification or an interpretation of an ABYC standard. The following is excerpted from the ABYC Technical Board Rules, Part TB-14.INTERPRETATIONS (5/18/02):
  1. "Each committee is responsible for rendering interpretations of the text of a standard. The rendered interpretation is an integral part of the standard. It is therefore the duty of each committee to insure that only needed and relevant interpretations are rendered.

  2. Interpretations of the text of a standard and the intent of the developing committee may be obtained from information available in the project file such as committee correspondence and minutes of meetings. Any request for interpretation that cannot be resolved in this manner shall be referred to the responsible committee for disposition.

  3. Requests for and responses to interpretations shall be processed through the appropriate technical committee. Requests for an official ABYC position shall be in writing, and shall be specific regarding the section or item within an identified standard, and shall include the reasons and circumstances for making a request. The project technical committee shall answer in writing, including e-mail, the request for interpretation. The request shall be stated in such a manner that it can be answered by the committee either in the affirmative or the negative without further explanation.

  4. Each committee shall review each request for interpretation. The committee may decline to render an interpretation, but shall state a reason.

  5. A request for interpretation shall not be rendered if it involves determination of compliance, e.g. review of plans, design installation, or involves subjects that were not previously considered by the committee, or are not addressed in the document.

  6. Request for interpretation and the committee's answer shall be published on the ABYC web-site. Each committee shall review the relevant request (s) for interpretation during any subsequent standard review.

  7. Request for interpretation shall be approved by 3/5 of the committee membership. This approval may be by voice vote.

  8. Interpretations may not determine compliance of a design, installation, product, or the determination of equivalency of protection."


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