The international community is guided by ISO, the International Standards Organization. The ISO requires consensus on the part of standards committees. With the world becoming flat according to author Tom Friedman, it is important not only to our own US natives, but to our ability to deal internationally. When manufacturers are subjected to meeting codes that have not been reached consensually, they are put at a disadvantage competing with other suppliers throughout the world.

Tom Johnson, President of Johnson Diversified Products is very industry oriented. He regularly attends ICC meetings as well as code development processes. In addition to the ICC, he has attended IAPMO, NFPA, UL and CFP meetings. He points out that the policy and criteria for accreditation of certification programs and general requirements for assessment and accreditation of certification/registration bodies is found in several ISO documents. They include ISO/IEC Guides 61 and 65. These are also covered in ANSI documents ACP-CA-00 1, 2 and 3.

Tom goes on to point out that not only ICC, but IAPMO and the NFPA also ignore these international criteria. He states the reason given by the code community is that industry cannot be trusted. That industry will then cause the creation of model rules that compromise public health and safety. And yet, we ask how that is possible using consensus?

The fact is, it is not possible. The very idea of consensus by participants representing all sectors is the very foundation of insuring that model codes are reasonable and viable.

Can industry be more responsible than the public sector? How can we ask that question? When industry makes a mistake, it is subject to public opinion, court rulings and law suits. A company’s very existence can be threatened. Public code committees composed of only public officials are not liable for any judgmental errors they enact. And we think that is at it should be, but not when delivering and enacting model codes. The inclusion of industry in the decision making consensus process is one of check and balance with public officials and it is an absolutely necessary element.

This is a deep issue that will probably not be easily resolved since power given is power retained. And right now, power rests with those organizations creating the model codes.