In the 1900s, the code officials within various communities created model-building codes. They had key aid from all sectors of the building industry. The idea was to provide minimum standard to guarantee the well-being and safety of the public, which cannot be compromised. This is especially due to the lack of stable and secure building structures particularly during the early 20th century. A building code is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings. The Triangle shirtwaist factory incident was triggered because the building codes were not taken into consideration.
Although smoking was prohibited in the building, the main cause of the fire according to the fire marshal was a burning match or cigarette. The doors were locked to keep the employees from stealing. According to the New York State Labor Laws (Article 6, Section 80): "All doors leading in or to any such factory shall be constructed as to open outwardly, where practicable, and shall not be locked, bolted, or fastened during working hours."(Linder). The Asch building had wooden frames which were also against the law. According to the law, it was necessary for a building over 150ft to have metal frames instead of wooden frames. A bookkeeper warned employees on the tenth floor via telephone, but there was no audible alarm and no way to contact staff on the ninth floor.
There was also no sprinkler system installed in the Asch building. The New York law had left the matter of the fire escapes to the building inspectors. The building inspector for the Asch building insisted that the fire escape proposed for the building should lead down to something more than a skylight, but the matter was neglected. The panicked employees crowded onto the single exterior fire escape, which was damaged because of the fire. It soon twisted and collapsed from the heat and overload, and the victims fell on the concrete pavement, which was a hundred feet below. This is considered as one of the most tragic incidents of the 1900’s and was an eye opener for everyone, and one of the main reasons that triggered the formation of new building codes.
After the fire, the International Council of Building Officials was established. In 1927, it passed the Universal Building Code (UBC) which was established for public safety and provided standardized requirements for safe construction, which would not vary from city to city in the U.S. Updated editions of the code were published approximately every three years until 1997, which was the final version of the code. The UBC was replaced in 2000 by the new International Building Code published by the International Code Council. The International Code Council was formed in the 1940’s by merger of 3 organizations, International Council of Building Officials (ICBO), Building Officials and Code Administrators International and the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI) Standard Building Code. The International Code Council (ICC) is dedicated to building safety, fire prevention and energy efficiency, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings which including homes and schools. Most of the cities in U.S. follow these codes today.
Although the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was an incredibly tragic event, because of it, the New York code officials learned from their mistakes and better enforced safety conditions for workers. This was a pivotal time in building code legislature because of the rise of the industrial revolution and in big businesses. The codes made then still resonate now, and ensure the safety and well being of our workers.