Protecting semiconductor facilities, 2000 and beyond

The semiconductor industry remains one of the most rapidly changing industr ies, and its fate of always being on technology's cutting edge has not alwa ys been enviable. In the 1970s, the industry was concentrated in municipali ties using the Uniform Building Code (UBC) [1]. None of the code's occupanc y classifications were really appropriate, so semiconductor fabrication fac ilities (FABs) were designated as an "H" or hazardous occupancy. This vague ness reflected uneducated, arbitrary, and inconsistent interpretations of t he codes that made it difficult to construct and manage facilities. To addr ess this, many of the leading-edge semiconductor companies dedicated staff to work with code officials to assure that any codes governing the industry could be applied uniformly, and would contain reasonable protection requir ements. Continuing that practice will ensure the industry's ability to oper ate safe facilities despite an atmosphere of constant change.