Regulatory Compliance Flashcards

Under OSHA's lockout/tagout (LOTO) standard (29 CFR 1910.147), before performing service or maintenance on machinery, workers must:

Answer: Isolate and de-energize all energy sources and verify zero energy state

LOTO requires complete isolation and de-energization of all energy sources, followed by verification that zero energy state has been achieved before work begins.

The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule under CWA Section 311 applies to facilities that store oil above certain thresholds. A PE must certify the SPCC Plan when the facility has aboveground oil storage capacity exceeding:

Answer: 1,320 gallons aggregate aboveground

Facilities with aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity greater than 1,320 gallons (or underground storage over 42,000 gallons) that could reasonably discharge to navigable waters must have an SPCC Plan.

When a professional engineer provides expert testimony in a legal proceeding regarding a regulatory compliance matter, the PE is ethically obligated to:

Answer: Provide honest, objective, and technically accurate testimony

PE ethics codes require truthful, objective testimony; serving as an advocate who distorts facts violates fundamental engineering ethics principles.

Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Section 302, Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) must be notified by facilities that have Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) at or above their:

Answer: Threshold planning quantities (TPQ)

Facilities must notify their LEPC if EHS are present at or above the Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ), triggering emergency planning requirements.

A PE working for a public agency discovers that a contractor's work does not meet code requirements, but the contractor claims the deviation was approved verbally by another agency official. What should the PE do?

Answer: Require written documentation of any approved deviation and verify it meets code or obtain a formal variance

PEs must require written documentation for any code deviations and ensure all work meets applicable standards or has properly authorized variances.

Under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) program, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards are based on:

Answer: The emission level achieved by the top 12% of best-performing sources in the category

MACT floor is set at the average emission level of the best-performing 12% of existing sources in a source category, establishing a baseline technology standard.

Which document establishes the minimum standards for the ethical practice of engineering in the United States and serves as the model for most state engineering ethics codes?

Answer: NCEES Model Law

The NCEES Model Law and Model Rules establish the foundational framework that most states adopt for regulating engineering practice and ethical conduct.