Codes, Standards, and Regulations

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Codes, Standards, and Regulations
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History Channel Version

• Rose Polytechnic Institute founded in 1874
• ASME founded in 1880 Why?

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• How many people died in the worst boiler
  accident?
• About how many deaths per year were associated
  with boiler failures?

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What good are Codes, Standards and Regulations?

• Fewer people get hurt or killed
• Your company gets some protection against
  lawsuits
• You have less work to do as an engineer
• Job creation (search http//www.monster.com/ for
  compliance engineer)

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Whats the Downside?

• Significant work to hunt down and comply with all
  codes, standards, and regulations
• C,S, R may be confusing or conflicting

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Whats the difference between

• Standard Voluntary guidelines that users adopt.
  (ex ¼ - 20 UNC, ASME Y-14.5 drawing standards,
  esp. GDT, ASTM E8 for tensile testing metals).
• Code A standard enforceable by law, because it
  was adopted by a governmental body or because it
  was incorporated into a contract.
• Regulation A legal restriction promulgated by
  government administrative agencies through
  rulemaking supported by a threat of sanction or a
  fine. This administrative law or regulatory law
  is in contrast to statutory or case law.
  (wikipedia)

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How do I find out what C, S, R apply?

• Your company may know which you need
• Go to the organization that regulates your
  industry. http//www.asme.org/Codes/About/Links/US
  _Organizations_Government.cfm http//www.engineeri
  ngtoolbox.com/standards-organizations-t_48.html
• Search everywhere

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Where do I go to learn more

• ASME Links http//www.asme.org/Codes/About/Links/L
  inks_Codes_Standards.cfm
• Underwriters Laboratory http//www.ul.com/
• NFPA http//www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?category
  ID124URLCodes20and20Standardscookie5Ftest1
  
• Medical Devices http//www.qrasupport.com/FDA_MED_
  DEVICE.html
• ASTM http//www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/NEWS
  ITE_JAVASCRIPT/index.shtml?Lmystorewwxz37601160
  033506

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Difficulties in searching standards

• Fracture Mechanics on ASTM site

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Takeaways

• Regardless of your personal views, your designs
  will need to comply with a host of codes,
  standards, and regulations.
• Use compliance with C, S R as a tool to your
  advantage if possible (reduce design, test
  development time, develop personal area of
  expertise, faster time to market for your
  product) .