VANCOUVER, WASH.—Getting people to voluntarily serve on committees can sometimes be like pulling teeth, except when it involves a hot topic.
Such was the case for the formation of the committee assigned the task of putting together the first national standard for carpet installation as more than 100 written applications were submitted.
Under the guidance of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the Consensus Body Standard Committee for the S600 Carpet Installation Standard and Reference Guide (
FCNews, Aug. 3/10) consists of 22 people representing groups, mills, companies and everything directly and materially affected by the standard.
Barry Costa, of Aspire Educational Institute and vice-chair of the Consensus Body, is “confident we have a strong committee representing all areas of the carpet chain.”
Co-sponsored by the
World Floor Covering Association (
WFCA) and the
Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), the ultimate goal is for S600 to become nationally accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), thus giving the carpet industry installation guidelines that represent a true national standard.
For more than 25 years, the carpet industry has relied on CRI’s 104 and 105, which have served as the standard bearer for installing commercial and residential carpet, respectively. On Oct. 1, these were actually revised to one 35-page “carpet installation standard” document that is being used as the basis for S600.
James Mullins of
Shaw Industries and chairman of the Consensus Body said the S600 committee will meet approximately four times per year, with most of the work being done online and via conference calls. The first in-person meeting took place last month over a two-day period in Atlanta.
During the meeting, each member was chosen to chair or assist in each of the more than 16 proposed chapters and people were selected from the remaining applications to form the chapter committee teams. Each chapter was then assigned to cover one of the various topics needed to make the standard become a reality.
Along with Mullins and Costa, members of the Consensus Body include
Jim Walker of
International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association, John McGrath Jr. and Jack Dean of INSTALL, Tom Jennings of WFCA, Ken McIntosh of CRI, Kenneth Rigmaiden of International Union of Painters & Allied Trades,
Sim Crisler of LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services, Fred Williamson Jr. of Starnet, Bruce Gentry of
Mohawk Industries, Greg Raborn of
Beaulieu of America, Carey Mitchell of Shaw, David Wardlaw of Tai Ping Carpets, Grace Gilbreath of
XL Brands, Robert Varden of SeamMaster Industries, David Romero of So. Cal. Resilient Floor & Decorative Covering JATC, Robert Blochinger of Blochdocuinger-Shepard Associates, David Barkstedt of Elite Consultants, Lee Phillips of Professional Testing, Richard Bodo of Windsor Industries, Blochand Larry Cooper, IICRC’s standards consultant who is a non-voting member advising on and overseeing the committee’s policies and procedures.
Mullins said even though the wheels are now in motion there is still time for “anyone who would like to play an active role in the promulgation of this industry standard” to apply for membership, noting the original timeline of 36 months for its completion remains a goal.
“Even if someone submitted a written application for the Consensus Body but was not chosen,” he said, “they are invited to be part of one of the working chapter committees.”
To submit an application or find out more about S600, call IICRC at 360.693.5675.
