Category: Policy

Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/Tagout

03/12/26

“How can we make sure we’re safe during hazardous energy appliance maintenance?”

Maintaining an appliance with hazardous energy can be very dangerous. So what can we do to make sure we’re safe during this time? Well, what if we identify the hazardous energy sources, deenergize the energy sources,  use a lock to physically isolate the source of energy to ensure no accidental activation occurs, add a warning tag with our name and contact information, test the system to make sure energy was isolated, conduct maintenance work, and then get everyone out before removing locks and tags to renergize the system? Well, this is the idea behind Lockout/Tagout, a widely adopted hazardous energy maintenance protocol. 

Capitalized Costs

Capitalized Costs

Capitalized Costs

03/09/26

“How can we quantify the total amount needed to start a fund to generate enough interest to pay for a project?”

People can put down money to fund a project or scholarship for perpetuity. But how can we accomplish this? Well, what if we make an investment fund so large that the money made from interest will pay for annual costs? This is the principle behind Capitalized Costs, equal to the annual operating cost divided by the interest rate.

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

03/08/2026

“How can we determine if waste will leach toxic chemicals when it rains?”

Surface waste management has to account for a lot of variables. One of them includes determining if the waste will leach toxic chemicals when it rains. SO what if we were to grind waste down like it was in a landfill, mix the waste with a weak acidic solution similar to acid rain, tumble the mixture for 18 hours, and chemically analyze the leachate output for contaminant limits? Well, these are the steps behind the TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, an EPA RCRA procedure to determine the potential toxicity of waste leachate. 

Image credit: http://www.btlliners.com

The NCEES Model Rules

The NCEES Model Rules

The NCEES Model Rules

03/03/26

“What models the rules and regulations for U.S. engineering and surveying licensing boards?”

The NCEES Model Law defines the powers and duties of U.S engineering and surveying licensing boards. But it’s not complete by itself. The boards also require rules and regulations for member boards to implement the concepts defined in the law. These come in the form of The NCEES Model Rules. As an analogy, the NCEES Model Law is like defining a tool, while the NCEES Model Rules explain how to use the tool.

The NCEES Model Law

The NCEES Model Law

The NCEES Model Law

03/03/26

“What defines the powers and duties of U.S. engineering and surveying licensing boards?”

In the U.S., obtaining an engineering or surveying license is incredibly important to practice these professions in public service. Each state has its own licensing board that governs how engineers and surveyors are licensed to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public. To help develop suitable and uniform licensing laws across all states, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) has developed The NCEES Model Law to define licensing boards’ powers and duties. 

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

03/01/26

“How does the U.S. federal government regulate solid and hazardous waste disposal?”

Solid and hazardous waste needs proper disposal and maintenance to protect public health. In 1976, the U.S launched the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to administer “cradle to grave” requirements for hazardous waste landfill/disposal criteria for non-hazardous solid wastes.  

Bond Value

Bond Value

Bond Value

01/29/26

“How can we estimate the current value of a bond?”

Entities take out bonds for all kinds of reasons, ranging from infrastructure development to trade balancing. Financial institutions want to know how much a potential bond might be worth. To accomplish this, people can estimate the present value of the bond’s final worth and the present value of the bond payments to arrive at the Bond Value. Bond values are fundamental for quantifying a bond’s appeal.

Hazard Quotient

Hazard Quotient

Hazard Quotient

01/27/26

“How can we quantify the lethality of exposure to a substance?”

People are exposed to potentially hazardous substances all the time, whether it’s traces of air pollution or bacterial growth on food. We also know that if exposure breaches a certain level, it becomes dangerous. So how can we quantify the lethality of exposure to a substance? Well, what if we divide the exposure level by the reference dose? This is how the Hazard Quotient works, and it is a very useful tool in toxicology.

Time Value of Money

Time Value of Money

Time Value of Money

01/26/26

“Why is money today worth more than the same amount of money in the future?”

Money and currency are the backbone of global economics. Investing this money requires a certain amount of money. Whatever money you have today will give you more opportunities to invest than if you were to have the same amount of money in the future. The Time Value of Money is fundamental to financial decision-making.