COLUMBUS, Ohio – Updated rules impacting Ohio’s Industrialized Unit Program will take effect Tuesday. 

Approved by the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance’s Board of Building Standards, the updates modernize manufacturing requirements, enhance safety protocols and provide greater clarity for stakeholders involved in the design, construction and use of industrialized units across the state, a news release states.

Industrialized units are prefabricated components that are manufactured at a location other than where they are intended to be used, then transported to a site for installation. The units must incorporate some portion of closed construction, meaning some portion of structural, plumbing, electrical, environmental control or fire protection elements or components are concealed and not readily accessible for inspection at the site of use. 

Ohio has experienced a significant increase in the use of industrialized units in recent years as it provides builders another option to facilitate efficient construction of buildings with repeated modules, the release states.

The revised rules reflect significant changes aimed at improving efficiency, safety and flexibility within the industry. Examples include:

  • Broadened exemptions for certain structures: Exemptions now include floating structures with hull identification numbers, vehicles with vehicle identification numbers and mobile computing units as defined in Ohio law.
  • New classification for equipment units: These updates introduce a category specific to industrialized units designed as equipment, clarifying their design, use and compliance requirements.
  • Enhanced evaluations and quality assurance: Manufacturing facility evaluation criteria have been clarified, alongside new requirements for evaluation frequency and quality assurance records that manufacturers must maintain and share.
  • Building code transition flexibility: A one-year overlap allows industrialized units to be constructed using prior building code authorizations while manufacturers transition to new referenced building codes. This will help to minimize potential disruptions.
  • Streamlined inspection processes: Manufacturers may now self-perform daily inspections under the oversight of third-party entities. Remote inspections are also formally permitted, improving efficiency.
  • Distinct oversight responsibilities: These updates establish clear authority boundaries between the Ohio Board of Building Standards and local jurisdictions at the sites where units are installed.
  • Repair and reuse pathways: Manufacturers can now assist owners in repairing industrialized units and access alternative reauthorization pathways for refurbished leased or temporary structures instead of treating them as moved existing units.

Manufacturers registered with the IU program prior to Tuesday have until April 2026 to meet the new requirements regarding plant evaluation and record keeping. 

For complete details on the updated rules, click HERE.

Pictured at top: Photo via Department of Commerce.