Concerns Regarding NFPA Link Terms and Conditions for Educational Use
Dear NFPA Team,
As an active participant in the NEC development process, serving on Code-Making Panels 5 and 17, and as an individual who personally pays for access to NFPA Link, I feel compelled to express my serious concerns regarding the terms and conditions presented upon activation of Link or even the “free” online access version.
As a well-known electrical educator and advocate for code literacy, my organization frequently utilizes NFPA Link in commentary and instructional videos to educate students, apprentices, journeyman and master electricians, and engineers on how to properly understand, interpret, and apply NFPA 70. These efforts directly support the broader mission of electrical safety and public understanding of the Code.
It is troubling that NFPA—an organization that does not author the NEC language but instead compiles and publishes the work developed through the public consensus process and the volunteer efforts of committee members like myself—would restrict the educational use of Link or direct NEC text. This position not only conflicts with the spirit of collaboration upon which the NEC is built but also risks hindering legitimate educational outreach that promotes compliance, understanding, and the purchase of official NFPA materials.
Furthermore, I encourage your legal team to revisit the principles of Fair Use and Transformational Content as they apply to instructional and commentary materials. Educators referencing NEC language for teaching and discussion purposes are not reproducing NFPA content for commercial resale but are instead fostering proper comprehension of the very safety standards NFPA seeks to promote.
Regarding paraphrasing, it is often necessary to use exact NEC language in instruction to ensure that students and professionals become familiar with the precise terminology and context of the Code. Requiring educators to paraphrase inherently risks misinterpretation and dilutes the clarity and consistency essential to maintaining safety standards.
In closing, I am deeply disappointed by NFPA’s stance on this issue. It is educators—those of us who teach, promote, and encourage compliance—who drive the ongoing interest and sales of NFPA Link and printed NEC materials. I sincerely hope NFPA will reconsider its approach and align its policies with the shared mission of promoting education and safety rather than creating unnecessary barriers to learning.
Best Regards,
Paul Abernathy, CMECP® | CEO & President
Electrical Code Academy, Inc. | www.FastTraxSystem.com
395 Mica Road, Mineral, VA 23117
Office : 540-607-0116
