FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dept. of Buildings
Gregg Cunningham
312-744-7384
gregg.cunningham@cityofchicago.org

CHICAGO - The City Council today passed an ordinance that will update Chicago’s Electrical and Conveyance Devices Codes and amend some requirements for trade licenses, vacant buildings and standpipe systems inside buildings.

The ordinance passed today updates and cleans-up the Electrical Code (Section 14E) and Conveyance Devices Code (Section 14C) and includes other minor provisions. Both codes were updated to align with national standards and both were implemented successfully in 2018.

Title 13 of the Municipal Code was amended by expanding the watchman requirement for vacant and open buildings to 24 hours. This requirement applies to vacant and open buildings that are not secured. Currently, a watchman is required between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. The expansion to 24 hours covers times when children are going to and from school.

Under the ordinance, beginning July 1, 2019, licensed plumbers in Chicago will need to complete four hours of continuing education in plumbing as a condition for annual license renewal. This requirement will provide a mechanism for plumbers to report continuing education requirements as requested by the profession to be consistent State law.

The ordinance updates the Fire Code regarding requirements for standpipe systems in buildings over 55 feet in height and also eliminates several outdated and redundant items in the code.

The building code updates and requirements approved today by the City Council take effect February 1, 2019. The full ordinance is available on the Chicago City Clerk’s website.

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