Greetings everyone. I begin this month with sad news. I am sorry to have to report that our treasurer John Pokorny's mother passed away last month after a lengthy illness. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with John and his family during their time of loss...
Since we had our joint meeting with PHCCGB on March 22nd, I couldn't report on it as our articles had to be submitted prior. However, I do want to thank Executive Director, Hugh Kelleher for inviting us up to the Boston College Club for the meeting. If you've been to the Club before, I don't have to tell you just how nice of a venue it is, especially the views of the Boston skyline from the 33rd floor. Also, thanks to Tim Moody of MaxLiner for coming down from New Hampshire to give a talk on Pipe Re-Lining and other special techniques. I'm sure that the people who attended got something out of this latest in plumbing technology…
In our continuing educational efforts, we offer the following exurbs from the Legislative Meeting at the Cleveland Convention attended by Rick Neth, CIPE:
- The e-mail address for National's VP legislative ASPEVPL@earthlink.net or ASPEVPL@aspe.org. Write to them regarding any plumbing code question.
- The state of Arizona has a new policy statement: "Inspectors can not redline drawings with out citing code reference during plan review."
- IPC has proposed new changes to codes for roof drains and Philadelphia stacks.
- Sixteen changes have been submitted to IPC for this code cycle.
- ASPE has been successful in getting IAMPO and IPC to begin discussions for consolidation of these codes.
- For the next code cycle (2006), there will be a meeting in Chicago to discuss changes. Please forward any comments to ASPE National for consideration.
We also offer the following exurbs from the un-published Definitions of Plumbing Construction Terms:
- Plumbing Contractor - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.
- Bid Opening - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.
- Bid - A wild guess carried out to two decimal places.
- Low Bidder - A plumbing contractor who is wondering what he left out.
- Plumbing Engineer's Estimate - The cost of construction in heaven.
- Project Manager - The conductor of an orchestra in which every musician is in a different union.
- Critical Path Method - A management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control.
- OSHA - A protective coating made by a half-baked mixture of fine print, red tape, split hairs and baloney - usually applied at random with a shotgun.
- Strike - An effort to increase egg production by strangling the chicken.
- Delayed Payment - A tourniquet applied at the pockets.
- Completion Date - The point at which liquidated damages begin.
- Liquidated Damages - A penalty for failing to achieve the impossible.
- Auditor - Person who goes in after the war is lost and bayonets the wounded.
- Lawyer - Person who goes in after the auditors to strip the bodies.
With Respect to Chapter Business
The next opportunity for you to take the Certified in Plumbing Design examination (CPD) will be on October 30, 2005 during the ASPE Technical Symposium in Rosemont, Illinois. The exam will be given at the Crown Plaza Hotel. Complete details and registration materials will soon be available on ASPEnet at www.aspe.org. You can also contact Terry Weber at 773-693-2773 for more information. While your there, you can also look up how many of your friends are CPDs from ASPE's CPD Directory…
The Massachusetts Maritime Academy has a very special gift to the Academy that will benefit the members of the Boston Chapter. Mrs. Joan Panora and the Blake Equipment Company have established a scholarship in the memory of John W. Panora, P.E., MMA Class of 1955, and a long-time member of the Boston Chapter. This scholarship is for a Sophomore Marine Engineering Cadet who is a member, or the child of a member of ASPE, with a priority to members of the Boston Chapter. This will be a one-time scholarship award of $10,000.00 to the qualifying student. Information regarding the MMA and the admissions process is available at the Academy web site www.maritime.edu or by contacting the admissions office at (800) 544-3411. On behalf of ASPE and the Boston Chapter, thank you Joan and the Blake Equipment Company for your very generous scholarship contribution.
The ASPE Boston Chapter website has moved. It can now be found at www.aspebos.org. We have set up the old website address to redirect all visitors to the new address, however, please make a note of the new address.
If you have an interesting engineering article, calculation, or formula that you'd like to share, please e-mail me and we'll put it up on the Website. You will receive a free dinner at your next meeting. You better hurry up though; you only have two months left before we stop buying dinners…
Our annual Golf Outing will be held on August 18, 2005 at the Easton Country Club. Please contact Jim Harrison, Larry Whalen, or Rich Dean for all of the details.
And finally, I want to thank everyone who phoned in their reservations to Pat Haney by the Friday before the monthly meetings. A free drink in April to the first three people who tell me they read this. This was the only way we could guarantee that there would be enough seating and food on hand at The Lantana.
Past President's Corner
John P. Callahan, CIPE (1997-1998) is working, in conjunction with the Boston Chapter, on a community service program for the City of Attleboro. Doing plumbing related work in various communities, John's current project will include the replacement of drinking water fountains at the Capron Park and Zoo. Better known for his annual efforts helping the Channel 2 Auction, we wish John luck with his latest endeavor…
And always remember, if you can read this, thank a teacher - and, since it's in English, thank a soldier. Get involved, and stay involved…
by Joseph A. Vela, Sr., CIPE, CPD
President
Vice President Technical's Report
Have you ever wondered which Fire Hose Valve is the right valve to use Regulating, Reducing or Restricting? Our speaker for April is one of the renowned authorities in the field of Fire Protection, Mr.Maurice Pilete. His topic will be Pressure Regulating Valves, Pressure Reducing Valves and Pressure Restricting valves used for the 2 1/2" Hose Valves at Standpipe. He will be discussing the location and uses for each type of valve.
Maurice M. Pilette, P.E. is a Registered Fire Protection Engineer and is President of his own Consulting Engineering Firm located in Natick, MA. Currently he is the Chair for NFPA-14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems. Maurice also serves on the Technical Committee for eleven additional NFPA standards. He is also a Member, UL, Standards Technical Panel (STP-47) for Fire Hose and Valve Equipment and STP member on twenty additional UL standards. Other committees to which he is the Chair, The State Fire Safety Commission & Automatic Sprinkler Appeals Board and The Bureau of PipeFitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters.
by Alfred Marzullo, P.E., CPD
Vice President, Technical
Vice President Legislative's Report
The new Massachusetts Plumbing Code went to Public Hearing on June 28, & 29 2004. The Revised Code may be downloaded in pdf form at www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/pl
248 CMR 3.00 18 pages
248 CMR 4.0-7.0 75 pages
248 CMR 10 (formally 248 CMR 2.0) 278 pages )
Among the changes is
248 CMR 3.05 (2) Plans and Specifications
(a) Whenever plans and specifications are necessary or requested by the Inspector for any plumbing or gas fitting work, the applicant shall submit such plans to the Inspector who may review them prior to issuing the Permit.
The plans and specifications shall have thereon:
- the name and address of the designer.
- a certification by the designer that said plans and specifications are in compliance with 248 CMR.
- the stamp of a Massachusetts Professional Engineer.
Plans and specifications shall not be required for minor repairs and alterations
Direct Fired Industrial Air Heaters must not exceed 50 PPM of Carbon Monoxide in the total volume of air discharged from the heater. Un-vented Room Heaters will now be allowed fire department and plumbing inspector approval.
by Alfred M. Marzullo P.E., CPD
Vice President, Legislative
ASPE-NSPE Liaison
Vice President Membership's Report
Our National Vice President of membership, Mr. Bill Hughes, has issued a challenge to bring in new members. New members will get FREE ADVERTISING in the newsletter for the next year (September 2005 thru June 2006). Additionally, you will receive a FREE DINNER for any confirmed newly sponsored member.
Membership totals remained the same through March 1,2005 with the Boston Chapter at 348 and the Chicago Chapter at 342. We need your help to increase our membership.
June social information will be out next month upon deciding the event.
by James P. Harrison
Vice President, Membership
Affiliate Directory Update
We hope at this time, that most of our membership has taken a moment to check out our Boston Chapter Website, www.aspebos.org. The Affiliate directory will continue to progress. In time we hope to have all our Affiliates on the web site for everyone's reference. We plan to cross reference the Affiliates with products in the future. The product name can be typed in and automatically the appropriate Affiliate that represents that product will be shown.
The Board met this month to discuss the Membership Directory in more detail. We will keep you posted on the progress of that Directory.
Affiliates, if you haven't sent me your line card, please do so as soon as possible. If you need assistance, please email me at ptaylor@eypae.com.
Paul Taylor, CPD, CET
Boston Chapter Scribe
Affiliate Liaison & Scholarship Reports
ASPE Boston Chapter Student Scholarship Fund
I would like to introduce to our membership the new "ASPE Boston Chapter Student Scholarship Fund". This fund was set up by the Boston Chapter Board of Directors in an effort to defray the ever-increasing costs of higher education. To be eligible for the Student Scholarship Fund:
- The student must to be the son or daughter of a current Boston Chapter member in good standing.
- The student must have completed one full year of higher education of their chosen studies to be eligible.
- The student may receive this award only one time.
- All applicants must complete the ASPE Boston Chapter Student Scholarship Fund application to the best of their ability.
- All applicants must mail their application directly to the Engineering Center. The address will be on the application.
- All applications will be considered, however, students pursuing engineering degrees will be given preference, but everyone is urged to apply.
- The winner(s) of the award(s) will be chosen by the current ASPE Boston Chapter Board of Directors in conjunction with the current ASPE Scholarship Chairman.
- The Boston Chapter Board of Directors and the Scholarship Chairman will also decide how much money will be given as well as the nature of the disbursement.
- Awards will be presented in May at the last regular monthly chapter meeting.
As everybody knows, each student has unique circumstances and for this reason, the Boston Chapter Board of Directors has decided not to publish more specific information about criteria for winning this award. It is hoped that by doing this, no deserving student will miss out.
Please note that considerable time and energy has been put into this project by many people, and the prize money will certainly be worth your time invested in completing the application. Due to the delicate nature of the process of awarding Student Scholarships, it is kindly asked that the membership at large refrain from putting undue pressure on those who will be deciding. The decisions on the disbursement of the ASPE Student Scholarship Fund are ultimately the responsibility of the current ASPE Boston Chapter Board of Directors.
The application for the ASPE Boston Chapter Student Scholarship Fund may be downloaded here.
Albert G. Fehrm, Jr.
Affiliate Liaison & Scholarship Chairman
