Regulation & Standards

IICRC announced its first-ever Legislative Fly-In (Sept 1 to 2, Washington DC) and is running a revision of the S700 fire/smoke standard, with S520 mold already cited in the 2026 NDAA for military housing.

The IICRC created and filled a Director of Government Relations & Advocacy role, the certifying body moving into the political arena.

NORMI published and trademarked its Medically-Sound Level 4 Protocol™, a branded mold-remediation protocol alongside the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard.

NIH awarded $3M to study a potential link between mold exposure and chronic fatigue syndrome; a Georgia senator publicized dangerous (mold-related) conditions in privatized military housing; and trade press pushed post-flood hidden-mold risk.

Trade press broke down OSHA's requirement that workers be trained before exposure, not after assignment, a compliance detail that trips restoration shops that staff up fast for CAT work.

Arizona's SB1206 (sent to the Governor June 10) would change how storm-damage claims and public adjusters operate; Maine enforces a 36-hour cooling-off window before a PA can sign a loss contract.

Florida signed a bill removing building-permit requirements for work valued at $7,500 or less.

Connecticut signed mold-remediation reform: effective Oct 1, contractors can't perform mold remediation unless certified by IICRC, NORMI, or an approved equivalent, and must follow the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard.

OSHA's Heat National Emphasis Program lapsed (early April) and was replaced by an updated enforcement directive (CPL 03-00-024); the proposed federal heat standard is still in rulemaking.

IICRC is revising S700 (fire and smoke) to fold in wildfire cleaning methods, with a member call that closed Jan 31; S520 (mold) and S700 drafts went through public comment that closed Feb 6.

OSHA extended its Heat National Emphasis Program for five more years (April 10, 2026) on top of a proposed federal heat standard requiring written plans and acclimatization.