The NEC Code-Making Panels met to act on NEC proposals in January 2012. The results can be found at:http://www.nfpa.org/AboutTheCodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?docnum=70&tab=nextedition.
This is the time to bring comments to the electrical industry by using your IAEI membership. Under the NFPA rules, anyone can submit a comment under his or her own name. IAEI encourages that and does not restrict, in any way, anyone wishing to make such submissions.
If the individual also wishes to have IAEI endorsement, in addition to submitting the comment himself or herself, then that person must work through the local chapter or division to start the process. IAEI encourages the chapters and divisions to work cooperatively to develop good code comments. These groups can discuss and refine the proposed language and be sure the technical substantiation is complete and that it solidly supports what is being proposed. Comments may start with a voice of one, but they get stronger and gain power with support and input of many. When accepted by the chapter, it will be submitted to the section as a chapter-accepted IAEI comment. When chapters and divisions have their meetings, this is when the membership of the chapter or division needs to act on any comments to move forward.
The next step is at the section level. Based on policies set by each section, chapters and divisions can submit their proposals to the section for consideration. The Section Codes and Standards Committee will complete a review and then make a recommendation to the membership at the section meetings in September and October of this year. The section needs to receive these comments in time to meet two deadlines.
The first deadline is so the Section Codes and Standards Committee will have the opportunity to review, meet, discuss, and provide a recommendation to the membership to vote on. Most of the sections have set dates in the August timeframe, so check with your section secretary to find out what the deadline is.
The second deadline is for the IAEI International Codes and Standards Committee. This committee needs all comments that might become IAEI-endorsed to be at the IAEI International Office on or before September 1, 2012. This date is set so the Codes and Standards Committee can review the comments and then take final action once all the sections have completed their actions.
It is important to understand that the role of the Codes and Standards Committee is to review what was submitted and to make recommendations, based on the merit of the submission, to accept to go forward or to reject, and not to write comments.
The international president, in accordance with the international bylaws, has appointed the members to the International Codes and Standards Committee. This committee will receive comments from the sections only. Comments cannot be submitted by individuals to the international level. If the section acts favorably to forward comments submitted to them for consideration as an IAEI organizational submission, then the committee will review the comments in their entirety and if found acceptable will have the CEO/executive director submit the IAEI-endorsed comments to NFPA.
IAEI has two representatives on each code panel and they will be instructed to be advocates for IAEI proposals and comments as submitted by the international CEO/executive director. Having a voice at the panel ensures that the proposal gets considered and discussed fully by the panel.
Now is the time to get involved with your local chapter or division.Being involved with the code change process is one of the benefits of being a member of IAEI and getting involved now can make your job easier and more productive in the future.
Important Dates:
August 2012
Most section comments due. Verify what your section deadline is.
September 1, 2012 5 p.m. CST
Comments to be IAEI-endorsed due at International Office
October 17, 2012
NFPA closing date for NEC comments