VFCA2017

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan Buzz

Navigating the Storm of Codes & Standards: A Regulatory GPS for Safe Passage (Room 4A)

25 Feb 17
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Navigating your way through the alphabet soup of NFPA, OSHA, UL, FM, ICC, and others can seem like a daunting task, but all of these organizations have one goal in common – improved safety for the public and firefighters. This program will provide fire service members with an understanding of how consensus standards are developed and used to achieve those goals. The system of how standards, guides, and laws are developed can be a confusing process. This presentation will provide insight into how the process uses a building block system and how we can best participate in the process to have an impact on these standards.  The program will utilize lecture and group discussion formats that will allow participants to understand how standards making organizations like Underwriters Laboratories, the National Fire Protection Association, Factory Mutual, the International Codes Council, and others create documents which may be adopted as codes and regulations. Instructors will focus on common themes between these development processes which includes the balanced representation and input of special interests and the fire service. The major objective of this program will be to provide attendees an understanding of how they can impact the standards development process. This includes proposing specific changes to a standard, providing comments and suggestions for proposed changes, and participation in the decision making process for adoption. Attendees will also be given a roadmap for becoming involved in these processes.