Dive Brief:

• A New York law that took effect on Jan. 1 requires contractors to post white, reflective signs in  residential structures that they build or renovate with pre-engineered wood or timber trusses.

• The signs, common in commercial construction, will alert firefighters about the makeup of a building’s roof and floors. The law also requires property owners or builders to reveal on building permit applications if trusses will be used in construction.

• Firefighters and code officials have claimed that gusset plates and other metals used in truss installation can fail during a fire and cause large beams to collapse.

Dive Insight:

It’s usually not obvious to a firefighter which kind of construction materials have been built into a burning building. Lawmakers have said the warning signs will help firefighters better protect themselves because they will know what to watch out for.