BOMA Position
BOMA International strongly opposes the adoption of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Building Construction and Safety Code (NFPA 5000) by federal, state and local jurisdictions. Although BOMA International participated on the NFPA Building Code Committees, BOMA does not endorse either the NFPA process or the NFPA 5000.
Background
When BOMA International endorsed the development of a single set of coordinated and integrated set of model building codes for the built environment, it was always expected that the NFPA and the International Code Council (ICC) would partner in this effort. After several attempts to meet on this critical issue, it became clear that the two organizations could not find common ground. Subsequently, NFPA decided to develop its own family of codes, the NFPA Consensus Codes, with the NFPA Building Code as its centerpiece.
Recent Activity
In May 2002, NFPA m embers voted to accept NFPA 5000 during the Technical Committee Reports sessions held in Minneapolis. The code was ultimately approved by the NFPA Standards Council at its July 2002 meeting.
As an active participant in the development of the NFPA 5000, BOMA International has serious concerns with both the development process and the content of the document and has filed an appeal with the NFPA Board of Directors based on numerous technical and procedural grounds.
Action Requested
With the issuance of the NFPA Building Construction and Safety Code, the nation now faces the likelihood of a “hodge-podge” system of model codes. This unacceptable situation will ultimate create a proliferation of numerous state and local amendments or interpretations, thus reducing the level of consistency that could be achieved by the use of one package of codes. BOMA members should oppose any efforts to adopt the NFPA Building Code at the federal, state and local levels.