Section 375. Powers of the council

The council is authorized and empowered:
  1. To subpoena witnesses, take testimony, compel production of books and
  records  and to hold public hearings. The secretary may designate one or
  more members of the council, or one or more officers or employees of the
  department, or the administrator,  on  request  of  the  secretary,  may
  designate  one  or more employees of the office, to hold public hearings
  and report on such hearings to the council.
    2. To study the operation of the uniform fire prevention and  building
  code,  the  state  energy  conservation construction code established by
  article eleven of the energy  law,  local  regulations  and  other  laws
  relating  to  the  construction  of  buildings  and  the  protection  of
  buildings from fire to ascertain their effects upon the cost of building
  construction and the  effectiveness  of  their  provisions  for  health,
  safety  and  security,  particularly  as  such  provisions relate to the
  protection of life and property from the dangers of fire.
    3. To recommend tests and approvals or  to  require  the  testing  and
  approval  of materials, devices and methods of construction to ascertain
  their  acceptability  under  the  requirements  of  the   uniform   fire
  prevention and building code.
    4.  To  advise and assist the secretary in carrying out the provisions
  and purposes of this article and to make recommendations concerning  the
  program  and activities of the office and appointments to be made by the
  secretary in connection with the uniform fire  prevention  and  building
  code.
    5. To make and establish and, from time to time, alter and amend rules
  for  the  organization  and  internal management of the council, and for
  such other purposes as may be necessary, desirable or proper in carrying
  out its powers and duties under this article.
    6. To avoid duplication of effort and in the interest of economy,  the
  council may make use of existing studies, surveys, plans, data and other
  materials  in  the  possession  of any state agency. Each such agency is
  hereby authorized and directed to make the same available to the council
  and otherwise to assist it in the  performance  of  its  functions.  The
  officers  and personnel of such agencies may serve at the request of the
  council upon such advisory committees as the council shall determine  to
  create  and  such  officers and personnel may serve upon such committees
  without  forfeiture  of  office  or  employment  and  with  no  loss  or
  diminution in the compensation, status, rights and privileges which they
  otherwise enjoy.
    7.   To   review  and  approve  standards  established  by  rules  and
  regulations  promulgated  by  the  commissioner  of   health   for   the
  implementation  of  item  (ii)  of  clause  (a) of section three hundred
  twenty-two-c of the general business law.