Adopted by the NFPA Board of Directors November 16, 2013, Pursuant to NFPA Bylaws, Section 1.2, Regulations.
(History: ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON JANUARY 1991, REAFFIRMED DECEMBER 10, 1993, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1994; REVISED OCTOBER 22, 1996; MARCH 7, 1997; NOVEMBER 11, 2000; NOVEMBER 15, 2003; REAFFIRMED MARCH 11, 2005; REVISED AND REAFFIRMED MARCH 5, 2010; REVISED NOVEMBER 16, 2013)
Download the Selection Guidelines (PDF)
1. The Regulations Governing the Development of NFPA Standards states the following relative to the selection of individuals for the Standards Council:
"2.1 General. In accordance with Article 8 of the bylaws, there shall be appointed by the Board of Directors a Standards Council to provide for the administration of the NFPA standards development process, including the establishment, appointment, and administration of technical committees and correlating committees.
2.4 Member Requirements. The Standards Council shall consist of 12 regular members and a chair. Members shall be familiar with the technical and standards development functions of the NFPA and shall be selected from a broad range of appropriate interests. Members of the Standards Council shall be members of the NFPA and shall not be members of the Board of Directors.
2. In order to assist the Board of Directors in selecting qualified individuals, the Board has established the following guidelines regarding the appointment and makeup of the Council.
2.1. Council members shall be familiar with the technical and standards development functions of the NFPA. Council members must have served on one or more NFPA technical committees for a period of time sufficient to be familiar with the Regulations Governing the Development of NFPA Standards and the standards development process.
2.2. Council members shall be selected from a broad range of appropriate interests. Although not a prerequisite for council members or a limitation to council membership, to the extent possible, an attempt is made to have members from among the following interest categories on the council:
- Architect/Engineer
- Education
- Fire Equipment Manufacturing/Distribution
- Health Care
- Building Official
- Electrical
- Fire Marshal
- Insurance
- Business/Industry
- Federal/State/Local Government
- Fire Service
- Research/Testing
- Trade/Professional Associations
2.3. While not mandatory, an attempt should also be made to have members from among the nine classifications used to identify the principal interest of members on NFPA committees. These classifications are as follows:
- Consumer
- Insurance
- Research/Testing
- Enforcer
- Labor
- Special Expert
- Installer/Maintainer
- Manufacturer
- User
2.4. It is also desirable to have members on the council from technical committees responsible for major NFPA standards, such as the
National Electrical Code®,
Life Safety Code®,
Health Care Facilities Code, and
Automatic Sprinkler Systems.
2.5. The primary consideration for membership on the Council is whether an individual possesses a personal and professional reputation of high integrity as well as a commitment to the NFPA mission and to the principles of due process and fairness that underlie the NFPA standards development process.
3. In making appointments to the Standards Council, the Board will generally seek review and input as follows. Recommendations for Standards Council appointment may be submitted in writing addressed to the council secretary. Such recommendations shall be transmitted to the chair of the Standards Council, who should, in consultation with the members of the Standards Council, review these recommendations as well as other potential candidates for council membership. After review, the chair should recommend one or more candidates for each appointment to the President. The President may seek additional review or input as he or she deems appropriate. The President shall make the final recommendation to the Board for each appointment.
4. If the status of a Standards Council member changes, including change of employment, organizational affiliation, or funding source, the council member shall notify the council secretary immediately. Such notification shall be transmitted to the chair of the Standards Council, who should, in consultation with the members of the Standards Council, review the change in status, including any change in interest category or classification in the makeup of the council. If the chair determines that the change in status materially alters the council makeup with regard to interest categories or classifications, the chair shall notify the member and the Board and recommend appropriate action. If a new appointment to the Standards Council is necessary, the recommendation for such appointment shall be made to the Board in accordance with these guidelines.