The National Fire Protection Association has launched a sweeping public information campaign to raise awareness about the importance of safety codes and standards — and to call on policymakers to protect a system that has quietly safeguarded lives for more than a century.
Framing the message around the idea that “safety doesn’t happen by chance,” NFPA officials said the campaign is one of the most significant in the organization’s 125-year history. It aims to close the gap in public understanding and build momentum for legislation that would protect the standards-setting process from legal and financial threats.
“Safety doesn’t happen by chance,” said NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley. “We must do more to help people understand how this essential system works, and why it must be protected.”
A system under pressure
NFPA’s campaign follows internal research that found most Americans are unaware of how safety codes are created. Many believe the standards are developed by government agencies, rather than independent, consensus-driven groups like the NFPA, according to the organization. That misunderstanding, the organization said, has allowed misinformation and special interests to take root.
In some cases, for-profit entities have begun using standards developed by organizations like NFPA without compensation. NFPA warns that such practices jeopardize its ability to maintain the rigorous, expert-driven development process that forms the foundation of building, fire and electrical safety.
But the research also found a silver lining: When people understand how the system works — including the collaborative role of safety professionals and engineers — they support protecting it.
A push for federal protection
Central to the campaign is support for the Pro Codes Act, bipartisan legislation that would preserve the copyright protections necessary for organizations like NFPA to continue developing safety codes. The bill would also make standards incorporated by reference in law available for free online.
“The codes and standards development system has been one of the most successful public-private partnerships in history — safeguarding countless lives, creating economic growth and saving billions of taxpayer dollars,” Pauley said.
NFPA is encouraging policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels to engage with the campaign, recognize the value of independent standards, and support the infrastructure that has quietly kept homes, buildings and communities safe for generations.
More information about the campaign is available at DontChanceSafety.org.
