BCAB #1042 - Grading - Cedar Shakes & Shingles

November 23 , 1988

BCAB #1042

Re: Grading - Cedar Shakes & Shingles

With reference to your letter of November 15, 1988 regarding quality control of shakes and shingles to ensure conformance with the Building Code.

We accept that it is virtually impossible for a building inspector to adequately check these materials on site, and at present it is standard practice for a grading agency to supervise a factory grading system, sometimes with unsatisfactory results, leading to the current problems. This process is really certification, as already followed for a variety of other materials for which off-site quality control is necessary. Such materials are certified by agencies accredited under a program of the Standards Council of Canada, which carries out an initial evaluation of any agency against established criteria, followed by periodical audits. It is our understanding that, where such accreditation is in place, all other Canadian products requiring certification for conformance with the Building Code are certified by agencies accredited for the purpose by the Standards Council.

Under the circumstances we consider that the same principle should apply to shakes and shingles, and any grading agency be required to have accreditation from the Standards Council for this function. In the case of an off-shore agency this could either be accredited on the same basis as a Canadian agency, or be accredited under a system accepted by the Standards Council as providing an equivalent level of performance to their own.

We would point out that this would not preclude an inspector from accepting materials of a quality which he considers to be of the required standard, as it may not be feasible under some circumstances for a grading agency to be involved.

J.C. Currie, Chairman