The NFPA Codes and Standards Making Process, Simplified · THE NFPA CODES AND STANDARDS MAKING PROCESS, SIMPLIFIED ... The combination of the existing document, the ROP and the …

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Richard P. Bielen, PE Chief Systems and Applications Engineer

NFPA Quincy, MA

Narrative The NFPA has been in existence since 1896 to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating scientifically based consensus codes and standards, research, training and education. The NFPA presently produces over 300 codes and standards including several in the health care industry such as NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities, NFPA 101, Life Safety Code (Chapters on Health Care), and several documents that are used by the health care industry such as NFPA 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems, NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code and NFPA 110, Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems. These codes and standards are revised approximately every 3-5 years. The volunteer committee members meet 2-3 times over a two-year period to develop proposals and comments to modify the standards. This process can be viewed by some as being complicated and this paper will simplify and break down the process. Anyone can submit a proposal to change the NFPA codes and standards. The committees meet to discuss all public proposals as well as develop any committee proposals to modify the document. After the committee acts on the proposal, they must complete a formal ballot on the proposals. The balloting process takes up to 6 weeks to complete. Once the balloting is complete, the proposals are published in a report called the Report on Proposals (ROP). The ROP is available for the public to review. If the public does not agree with a committee action on a particular proposal, they can submit a public comment. The ROC process is similar to the proposal stage. The public comments are collected and distributed to the committee. The committee meets and discusses each public comment to see if they agree with the proposed modification outlined in the comment. After this meeting the committee is balloted and the results are published in a report called the Report on Comments (ROC). The combination of the existing document, the ROP and the ROC make up the committee report and the NFPA membership votes on these documents at one of its two meetings (Annual and Fall Meeting). The NFPA Standards Council then issues the document after reviewing the committee report and any proposed floor amendments from the Annual or Fall Meeting.

NFPA

Fire SafetyFire Safetyisis

Everybody�sEverybody�s Business!Business!

NFPA

Agenda

! Who is the NFPA?! Codes and Standards Hierarchy! The NFPA Process! �Model� Documents! Conclusions

Who is the NFPA?

!! Voluntary Membership AssociationVoluntary Membership Association�� NotNot--forfor--ProfitProfit�� IndependentIndependent

!! Mission OrientedMission Oriented

Who is the NFPA?

!! Our Mission: Reduce the worldwide burdenOur Mission: Reduce the worldwide burdenof fire and other hazards on the quality of of fire and other hazards on the quality of life through ...life through ...�� ScientificallyScientifically--based codes & standardsbased codes & standards�� ResearchResearch�� Training and educationTraining and education

!! Organized in 1896Organized in 1896!! Headquarters: Quincy, MA, USAHeadquarters: Quincy, MA, USA

!! NFPA MembershipNFPA Membership::!! Approximately 75,000 membersApproximately 75,000 members!! More than 80 trade & professional organizationsMore than 80 trade & professional organizations

Who is the NFPA?

Fire Safety: It�s Everybody�s Business

NFPA Membership Sections

AEBO Aviation BFSSS Education Electrical

FMANA FS&Tech EdFire Service Health Care Industrial

Latin Am Metro Chiefs Lodging Rail Research Wildland

The NFPA Codes & Standards Hierarchy

NFPA Hierarchy

NECCode Making Panels

NFPA 5000Bilding Code

Technical Committees

NFPA Standards Council13 Members

NFPA Board of Directors23 Members

NFPA Membership75,000


! ~75,000 Members! Board of Directors (23 members)! Standards Council (13 members)

Fundamentalsof the NFPA Process

! Standards Council Responsibilities� Adjudicate appeals� Issue documents� Appoint Technical Committee

members� Assign Committee scopes


! Technical Committees� ~ 250 Technical Committees� ~ 6,600 Volunteers� ~ 300 Codes & Standards

! Result: Open Consensus Process

Establishingthe Consensus Body

! Technical Committees� Carefully Balanced & Monitored� Reviewed Continually� Nine Interest Categories

� Applied Research/Testing Laboratory� Consumer� Enforcing Authority� Installer/Maintainer� Insurance� Labor� Manufacturer� Special Expert� User

Establishingthe Consensus Body

Large Projects

TCC TaskGroup(s)

Task Group(s)

TechnicalCommittee(s)

Task Group(s)

TechnicalCommittee(s)

Technical CorrelatingCommittee (TCC)

Small Projects

TaskGroup

TaskGroup

TaskGroup

TechnicalCommittee

Fundamentalsof the NFPA Process

! Essentials of the NFPA System� Due Process� Openness� Lack of Dominance

! Finding Society�s Balance Between:� Accepted Risk� Committed Resources

A Uniquely Open Process

! The Four Steps of Developing NFPA Codes and Standards1) - Report on Proposals (ROP)2) - Report on Comments (ROC)3) - NFPA Annual & Fall Meetings4) - Standards Council Issuance

Process Step 1: Report on Proposals

! a) Anyone can propose changes! b) Blank proposal forms in all

documents and on web! c) TC meets & acts on all

proposals

Process Step 1: Report on Proposals

! d) TC is letter balloted on all actions (2/3 majority required)

! e) All proposals published (in ROP) & widely distributed

! a) Anyone can comment on any proposed change

! b) Blank comment form in the front of each ROP and on web

! c) TC meets & acts on all comments

Process Step 2: Report on Comments

! d) TC is letter balloted on all actions (2/3 majority required)

! e) All comments published (in ROC) & widely distributed

Process Step 2: Report on Comments

! a) Public input gathering session! b) Format: local government assembly

type meeting! c) Vote by NFPA general membership

Process Step 3: NFPA Annual/Fall Meeting

! d) Only published proposals and comments can be further addressed

! e) Once a valid motion occurs, anyone can speak to the issue

! f) Exception: anyone can move to return a committees report

Process Step 3: NFPA Annual/Fall Meeting

! a) Adjudication of all outstanding appeals� Hearings are held with concerned parties� Final changes are limited to appeals

! b) Documents are issued based on entire processing record

Process Step 4: Standards Council Issuance

A Uniquely Open Process

! Balance of:� Consensus Body Administration� Extensive Public Input

� 1) Proposal� 2) Comments� 3) Annual/Fall Meeting� 4) SC Issuance (Appeals)

! 104 Week Revision Cycles (2 years)

Helping to Make NFPA Documents �State of the Art�

! NFPA Fire Investigations! NFPA One Stop Data Shop! Fire Protection Research Foundation

(FPRF, previously NFPRF)


! NFPA Fire Investigations� Conducts on-site investigations� Focuses on event analysis and lessons

learned� Recent examples:

� World Trade Tower explosion� Rhode Island �The Station Fire�� Nursing home fire in CT


! NFPA Website (www.nfpa.org)� Addresses all aspects of the Association� International gateway to all NFPA

resources� Examples:

� submit proposals & comments� Order codes & standards

Development of Full-Consensus �Model� Documents

! �Model� documents: often adopted or used with the force of law


! NFPA is:� accredited with the ANSI (American National

Standards Institute)� Member of the Confederation of Fire Protection

Associations


! For the U.S., strong support for Public Law 104-113

! Examples of Success:� NFPA 101, Life Safety Code� NFPA 301, Merchant Vessels� NFPA 501, Manufactured Housing� NFPA 804, Nuclear Power Plants� NFPA 820, Wastewater Treatment� NFPA 2001, Halon Alternatives

Conclusion

! Essentials of the NFPA System� Due Process� Openness� Lack of Dominance

! Finding Society�s Balance Between:� Accepted Risk� Committed Resources