WASHINGTON, DC — President George W. Bush has signed H.R. 1646, legislation that authorizes appropriations for improved building construction codes and practices in Latin American countries. The new law enables NFPA to expand its efforts in Latin America by participating in the federal program to enhance building, construction, and life safety in the built environment in these countries.

Specifically, the legislation authorizes the United States Agency for International Development (U.S. AID) to provide grants or enter contracts with organizations that develop codes and standards that address building and construction needs in the eligible countries. NFPA 5000, “Building Construction and Safety Code”; NFPA 101, “Life Safety Code”; NFPA 70, “National Electrical Code”; and others are prospects for the program, which may include translation and distribution of codes and standards as well as training of building professionals.

“NFPA worked closely with leaders in both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to develop language that would ensure that U.S. codes and standards development organizations eligible to participate in the program included voluntary consensus organizations that are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI),” stated James. M. Shannon, NFPA’s president and CEO. “NFPA’s process, long accredited by ANSI, produces more than 300 codes and standards used across the U.S. and around the world.”

NFPA’s partners in the development of the Comprehensive Consensus Codes (C3) set of codes and standards for the built environment also are eligible to participate. The C3 set offers state and local governments the opportunity to select a full set of ANSI-accredited codes. The C3 partnership involves NFPA, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA), and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

For more information about NFPA, visit www.nfpa.org. For a review of the C3 documents, go to www.c3codeset.org.

Publication date: 10/07/2002