NYSSPE

NSPE Executive Director Update to the Board of Directors – January 2020

By Leave a Comment

Mark J. Golden, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director of NSPE highlights the following in the most recent Executive Director Update: January 2020.

As we kick off the New Year, I’d like to wish all of you much success and fulfillment in the months ahead. Today’s update covers the last two weeks of 2019, and although the holidays kept us busy, so too did our NSPE projects.

  • Licensure Videos Launched
  • State Societies Take Action on Pipeline Safety
  • Upcoming Webinars Announced
  • Conference Session Proposals Roll In
  • MATHCOUNTS Alumni Honored

FULL REPORT 

_______

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

 

Request for NYSSPE’s Members Comments To Proposed Revisions to NYC Fire Code

By Leave a Comment

Attention:  NYSSPE Members:

The NYC Fire Department is requesting written comments to the proposed changes or revisions to the Fire Code outlined below.  Please provide your comments (if any) in the blog comments/reply space below by December 19, 2019.  In the alternative, you may email your comments to rachel@nysspe.org by December 19, 2019.

The NYC Fire Commissioner, Daniel Nigro has recently invited NYSSPE to be represented on the Advisory Committee to the Fire Department’s 2018 Fire Code Revision Project.  Our NYSSPE’s member Bob Naro PE volunteered to participate in the FDNY Advisory Committee and report on the progress to NYSSPE’s members.  The Advisory Committee will be concluded and the deadline for submitting written comments to the proposed revisions of the Fire Code is December 19, 2019.

Please find the links below to the proposed underlined changes in the NYC Fire Code:

FC Chapter 32 HIGH-PILED COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 35 WELDING AND OTHER HOT WORK (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 40 Distilleries for  Advisory Committee Review (12-3-2019 )

FC Chapter 50 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 51 AEROSOLS (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 53 COMPRESSED GASES (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 57 FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 58 FLAMMABLE GASES (AC 11-14-19)

FC Chapter 61 LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES (AC 11-14-19)

_______

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

NSPE Executive Director Update to the Board of Directors – December 2019

By Leave a Comment

Mark J. Golden, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director of NSPE highlights the following in the most recent Executive Director Update: December 2019

In this update for November 15–30, we have a number of items on legislative and regulatory actions involving professional engineers. Highlights include….
• New pipeline safety bill includes PE requirement
• Red flags in FL sunset review bill
• More legislative news from Philly, NY, MN, MI
• ‘They’ve put technology advancement here before saving lives’
• Celebrate top colleagues with Honor Awards

NY Update:  New York bill promotes PE oversight
A bill that has passed the New York State Senate and is awaiting approval by the State Assembly would greatly enhance public safety and require a professional engineering license.  The legislation (S.B. 2935), sponsored by Senator Todd Kaminsky, passed the upper house last May. The bill would require certain engineering plans for work or services that could pose a material risk to public safety—for example, gas transmission lines—to bear a professional engineer’s seal. The legislation also authorizes the public services commission to set rules and regulations relating to the requirement. When the New York State Assembly reconvenes on January 8, they will consider the companion bill (A.B. 6557), sponsored by Assemblyman Michael Cusick.

Read the FULL REPORT here

_______

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

 

NYSSPE 2020 Legislative Preview

By Leave a Comment

By Mark Kriss Esq., Legislative Counsel

1. Bachelor’s Degree Bill
At the request of NYSSPE the Chair of the New York State Assembly Higher Education Committee, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, has agreed to introduce, and advocate for, legislation to require that an applicant seeking licensure as a professional engineer in New York State have a bachelor’s degree in engineering (or its equivalent in accordance with regulations to be promulgated by the New York State Education Department).  The legislation has passed both houses of the Legislature in the past, but unfortunately, it has never passed both houses in the same year.  In addition to the Assembly, this year we anticipate strong sponsorship in the Senate and very hopeful that the legislation will become law in 2020.

Currently, of the learned professions of medicine, law and engineering, only engineering has a path to licensure without a formal education. In reality very few PEs lack a formal education and there are many, and very affordable, means of securing an engineering degree. For example, families with modest means can qualify for the Excelsior Program which provides a complete tuition waiver in many circumstances.  Two-year programs at a community college, combined with an additional two years at a state college or university, also offers an affordable avenue to secure a bachelor’s degree in engineering.  (Individuals currently seeking to secure licensure via the twelve-year ladder will be exempt from the new requirement.)

2. Gas Transmission Lines (Public Safety Enhancement)
S2935a / A6557 (Senator Kaminsky / Assemblyman Cusick)
This bill will require that plans and services relating to gas transmission lines which are determined to pose a material risk to public safety must be provided and overseen by a licensed professional engineer. The New York State Public Service Commission is required by the legislation to promulgate rules and regulations addressing the foregoing requirement.

3. Land Surveying – Modernization of Definition of Practice
NYSSPE and the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors have agreed to legislation which will modernize the definition of practice for land surveying, (including, e.g., express reference to GPS technology and photogrammetry) while ensuring that professional engineers will continue to be authorized to undertake all aspects of the practice of land surveying except for the determination of land boundaries.

(Updates, including bill numbers, will be provided throughout the session.)
_______

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

As Licensing Threats Increase, NSPE Builds Defense Network

By Leave a Comment

NSPE has bolstered its efforts to protect professional licensing with the creation of the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing, a new coalition of advanced professions dedicated to informing lawmakers and the public of the importance of rigorous professional licensing standards.

In this partnership, NSPE is leading the charge to educate policymakers on the importance of maintaining standards for complex technical professions like engineering that have a clear impact on public health, safety, and welfare. In addition to its ongoing efforts to defend the PE license, NSPE spearheaded this coalition to ensure that professional engineers and other advanced professions are represented amid the growing debate around licensing laws.

“Advanced professions like [engineering] already have licensing models that work, making it possible for our engineers to move from one state to another and have their licenses acknowledged,” says NSPE Executive Director Mark Golden. “This is only possible because well-structured licensing systems have established consistency in qualifications and standards within our profession. This uniformity establishes a baseline of trust in the qualifications of our engineers to do their work and keep the public safe.”

In its leadership position with ARPL, NSPE will highlight how professional licensing protects the public by ensuring a baseline of proven qualification and expertise that protects consumers from unqualified practitioners. This public awareness campaign aims to counter the antilicensing interests that threaten public safety. [Read more…]

NSPE Executive Director Update to the Board of Directors – September 2019

By Leave a Comment

Mark J. Golden, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director of NSPE highlights the following in the most recent Executive Director Update: September 2019

• The Latest on License Exemptions
• PE News from CO, TX, and IL
• Webinar Series Announced: Climate Action for Engineers
• QBS Award Winners Named
• Don’t Miss: Insurance Coverage for State Societies

Read the FULL REPORT here

_______

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

 

Chapter Merger Update

By Leave a Comment

As a result of a vote between our Chapters and Board we have merged a few of our chapters.

The following chapters are now merged:
1. NY05 – Champlain Valley & NY23 – St. Lawrence/Franklin Chapters have merged into: NY01 – Capital District Chapter
2. NY11 – Jefferson/Lewis & NY17 – Oneida/Mohawk Chapters have merged into: NY04 – Central New York Chapter

The following is a listing of chapters and the counties they serve.

NY01 = Capital District Chapter: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie, Hamilton, Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington
NY02 = Bronx Chapter: Bronx
NY03 = Broome Chapter: Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins
NY04 = Central New York Chapter: Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego
NY08 = Dutchess/Ulster Chapter: Dutchess, Ulster (in process of being merged)
NY09 = Erie/Niagara Chapter: Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus
NY12 = Kings Chapter: Kings [Read more…]

Happy PE Day!

By Leave a Comment

Happy PE Day!!

Today marks the fourth annual Professional Engineers Day, in which participants raise awareness about what it means to be a PE, recognize licensed PEs, and show appreciation for the work PEs do every day.

In 1903, Clarence Johnston became the State Engineer of Wyoming, and found the office in poor condition. To access state water back then, the law required individuals to file an application with a map outlining the streams, canals, and reservoirs to be used for irrigation. Johnston soon realized that untrained and unqualified individuals, were creating these maps and signing them as engineers or surveyors. The practice led to confusing and inaccurate records.In 1907, Johnston proposed a bill to the Wyoming legislature that would require registration for engineers and land surveyors. On August 8, 1907, the first professional engineering license was issued to Charles Bellamy in Wyoming.

Other states began to follow suit. Between 1921 and 1947, all states passed registration laws for engineers, and by 1970, all 50 states and the five legal jurisdictions of the United States had laws regulating the practice of engineering. According to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, there are now more than 820,000 P.E. licenses in the U.S.

Be a part of the virtual event! Use #LicensedPEDay on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to
• Upload a photo or video of yourself, tell us why you decided to become a PE;
• Post photos or videos of your team of PEs;
• Share your reasons for hiring PEs;
• Give special recognition to your PEs in the workplace or on the job;
• Educate your colleagues about the importance of the PE license.

____

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

Earn up to Fifteen Free Courses through NSPE

By Leave a Comment

These courses are available for free to NSPE members to conveniently view from the comfort of your home or office. Viewers may earn credits by viewing the webinars and passing a quiz. Upon successful completion of each session quiz with a passing score of 70% or higher, the quiz taker will receive an attendance certificate with the appropriate credits (PDHs) earned for that session. PDHs from the NSPE free courses are recognized by most U.S. states including Florida.

15 Free Course Access Tutorial: NSPE has put together a short video to show you how to access your 15 Free Courses.

2019 Free Courses
* indicates this particular webinar has been approved through NY Practicing Institute of Engineering (PIE)

  • Advancing Your Career: Seven Essentials Principles to Set Yourself Apart
  • Architects & Engineers Claims Risk: Impact of Changing Technology and Inexperience
  • Engineering Career Development: How to Manage and Retain the Future Workforce
  • Engineering Ethics: Marketing Communications, and Employment *
  • Engineering Ethics: The PE and Domestic and International Gifts *
  • Engineering Ethics: The PE and Sustainable Development *
  • Engineering Ethics: The PE as an Expert Witness *
  • Hurricane Engineering Response: Restoring Power to Puerto Rico
  • Introduction to the 2018 EJCDC Construction Series Documents
  • License to Succeed: Compliance for Architecture, Engineering and Construction Firms
  • Navigating Successful Project Delivery
  • Prevention through Design
  • Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) and its Importance to Engineering and the Public
  • Staying Relevant: The Lifelong Learning Journey
  • Understanding Wastewater Engineering *

_____

Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.

 

Bridge Builders Look for Better Ways at International Conference

By Leave a Comment

The Federal Highway Administration is turning to risk-based, data-driven ways of evaluating and rating bridges. Shay Burrows, team leader for structures safety and management for the FHWA, said that the agency is replacing traditional sufficiency rating numbers with simpler terms such as “good,” “fair,” and “poor” in describing bridges.  Speaking to attendees of the International Bridge Conference last month, he noted the recently issued “Refined Analysis in Bridge Design and Evaluation” manual from the FHWA, which provides guidelines for engineers to use “refined” analysis in modeling bridges.

The manual states: “Current … Bridge Design Specifications feature a reliability-based approach to bridge design…and limit state design with conservatism built in to envelope the limits of applicability and consider all the relevant parameters. Conservatism always adds unnecessary cost, which may have serious implications for owner-agencies with limited budgets.”  Moreover, the manual states that “designers …focus on developing and using complex automated calculation tools to execute the necessary code checks rather than performing meaningful structural modeling to better understand behavior and address the limit states that are being evaluated. This often hides the controlling factors and hinders the development of new bridge innovations in general. A properly and efficiently executed refined analysis can provide substantially better information about the state of stress in a bridge and allow for more cost-effective and reliable design.” [Read more…]