CTA Report, Draft 1, ISP Review - US Chemical Safety and Hazard ...

10.2.3 Office of State Fire Marshal
After the Kentucky Building Code became effective, enforcement of the Standards of Safety was limited
to existing buildings. The State Fire Marshal assumed inspection responsibility for existing facilities. In
1990, the Standards of Safety became the Kentucky Fire Prevention Code. Specific references to the
Uniform Fire Code (NFPA 1), NFPA 654, NFPA 86, and NFPA 499 were incorporated into the Kentucky
code in October 2002.
The Office of State Fire Marshal has 30 general inspectors and can deputize local fire departments for
code enforcement purposes. The office inspects selected, prioritized buildings on an annual basis. High-
risk occupancies—such as schools, churches, nightclubs, daycare facilities, and apartments—are on the
list. Industrial facilities are usually inspected only upon receipt of a complaint or a request from local
officials. The inspectors did not receive training on combustible dust safety standards. The State Fire
Marshal’s office has not inspected the CTA facility since its construction in 1972. If the State Fire
Marshal had a program and sufficient resources to inspect industrial facilities for compliance with state
regulations, then the combustible dust hazards at the CTA facility may have been identified, and the
explosions and fire could have been prevented.
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