November 29, 2007 NEMA has published the reaffirmation of NEMA Installation Guide for Nurse Call Systems (R2007), developed by the Health Care Communications Group of the Signaling, Protection, and Communications Section. According to Carl Cox, the standard includes system types; basic theory of operation; use of ancillary devices; isolation of circuits; system environmental considerations; and installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and service requirements.

November 29, 2007 NEMA, on behalf of the American National Standard Lighting Group (ANSLG), has published ANSI_ANSLG C81.63-2007 American National Standard - Gauges for Electric Lamp Bases and Lampholders. Updating and replacing ANSI_ANSLG C81.63-2006, the revisions affect GX16d, PGJ5, GU6.5, PG18.5d, GX53, BAW9s and BAZ9s, WZ3x16q, PGJ19, and 2G8.

November 29, 2007 Each year the Baldrige National Quality Program recruits experts from businesses, education organizations, health care providers, nonprofits, and other groups to serve as members of the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Examiners evaluate applications for the award and prepare feedback reports to applicants that cite strengths and opportunities for improvement. All examiner applications must be submitted online.

November 29, 2007 On November 20, 5 organizations were named as recipients of the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. They include PRO-TEC Coating Co., Mercy Health System, Sharp HealthCare, City of Coral Springs, and U.S. Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center. All applicants were evaluated in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.

November 29, 2007 NIST issued a Call for a New Cryptographic Hash Algorithm Family in a Federal Register Notice on Nov. 2, 2007. The announcement specified the submission requirements, the minimum acceptability requirements, and the evaluation criteria for candidate hash algorithms. To be called Secure Hash Algorithm-3 (SHA-3), it will augment the hash algorithms currently specified in the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 180-2, Secure Hash Standard.

November 28, 2007 At the Annual Civil Engineering Conference, ACSE elected David G. Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE as ASCE president, to hold office until the fall of 2008, as well as D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE as ASCE president-elect. Lt. Gen. Henry J. Hatch, P.E., Hon. M.ASCE, was installed as an at-large director. ASCE also elected Reza Darvishian, P.E., F.ASCE to represent region 2, David M. Schnurbusch, P.E. to region 6, Robert W. Stokes, Ph.D. to region 7, and Potenciano A. Leoncio Jr. to region 10.

November 28, 2007 The BSA announced that 100% of survey respondents reported that its 2007 Fall Meeting in Chicago met or exceeded their expectations, with 49% of all attendees responding. Participants say the compact schedule in a smaller, more intimate format than the Annual Convention provided an opportunity to network with industry peers in a casual setting. The meeting offered BSA leaders and committee members a venue to address a number of important issues and association projects.

November 28, 2007 The AAMA has released a revamped 30 pg document, AAMA 800-07, Voluntary Specifications and Test Methods for Sealants. It includes new sections for performance requirements covering slump and extension/compression and a section on the test method for hardness evaluation. A note on the testing of Group A and C compounds offering a choice of test methods was added as was a note explaining how the specimen requirements were derived for lap shear strength with exposure.

November 28, 2007 Engineers at the NIST have developed and tested a laser-based ranging system to assess the performance of automobile collision warning systems. The independent measurement system (IMS) can detect an object to within 33 in. at a distance of 197 ft and speeds up to 56 mph. Data on tests of 2 warning systems built by IVBSS industry partners is being analyzed by the DOT, and if they pass, the IVBSS systems will be tested on approximately 20 automobiles and 10 trucks.

November 27, 2007 OSHA, the National Chicken Council (NCC), and the National Turkey Federation (NTF) have formed an Alliance to provide the associations' members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will assist in protecting the safety and health of employees. It will focus on machinery hazards and solutions to reduce worksite injuries. Programs and training materials will be disseminated through print and electronic media as well as OSHA and NCC/NTF web sites.

November 27, 2007 U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced the appointment of 7 members to the 12-person National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), which is administered by OSHA. They include Barbara McCabe as Labor Representative, Jennifer Marie Bailey as Management Representative, Karl A. Jacobson as Safety Representative, and Susan Randolph as Health Representative. Douglas Kalinowski, Vickie Wells, and Kevin M. Sommers were reappointed to their positions.

November 27, 2007 OSHA unveiled a new publications page at www.osha.gov that allows visitors to access its extensive number of safety and health products. Visitors can search by the publication number or keyword; from an alphabetical listing; by industry or topic, and by type of publication. They can also order up to 25 copies of up to 5 publications using new ordering capability. Page highlights publications recommended by OSHA and most frequently viewed OSHA publications.

November 27, 2007 Debuting November 3 in Evanston, IL, the mobile UL Safety Tour will include tour stops in schools and home product retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The program is an interactive exhibit of high-tech demonstrations and challenges to engage and educate consumers on hidden household dangers and the value of the UL Mark on products in the home. Exhibit includes safety games, a fire extinguisher demonstration game, and safety testing demonstrations.

November 27, 2007 Held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from October 7-10, IBIE featured the latest equipment, ingredient, and supply solutions from industry suppliers. Of 15,000 registrants, 61% were owners, presidents, managers, or C-level executives and 90% played a role in the purchase of new products or services. Collaboration between ABA, AIB, and Disney Institute provided attendees with access to cutting-edge technical and management information.

November 26, 2007 NEMA announced that the Kite & Key honorees are Robert Boteler, Director of Marketing, Industrial Solutions Motors at Emerson Motor Co.; Donald Mader, Senior Vice President at Underwriters Laboratories (UL); and Everett Scherrer, Rea Magnet Wire Co.'s Vice President of Technical Services. The award recognizes individuals who have advanced the interest of the electrical industry through active and sustained involvement in NEMA activities.

November 26, 2007 NEMA has published NEMA HP 6-2007 Electrical and Electronic Silicone and Silicone-Braided Insulated Hook-Up Wire Types S (600 V), ZHS (600 V), SS (1,000 V), ZHSS (1,000 V), and SSB Braided (1,000 V). It covers requirements for silicone rubber-insulated stranded wire that is used in the internal wiring of electrical/electronic equipment. Standard permits continuous conductor temperature ratings of -55 to +150ºC for tin-copper or +200ºC for silver-copper with tin- or silver-coated conductors.

November 23, 2007 The EPSA Best Practices Survey, used in states that have competitive procurement for electric power resources, identified 5 elements recommended for use in a state model rule for the NARUC and FERC. Elements that characterize competitive bidding regimes include integrated resource/least cost planning; a Request for Proposal (RFP) process; independent oversight; clearly defined role for the utility; and procurement of renewable power resources.

November 23, 2007 Jonathan Lesser, Ph.D., expert on competitive electricity markets, said that electric industry restructuring has provided benefits to Pennsylvania consumers and businesses, such as shifting risk from ratepayers to investors. In a white paper titled The Benefits of Electric Restructuring to Pennsylvania Consumers, he offers several points including that since restructuring its electric industry in 1996, the state's nuclear plants alone generate almost 2 million megawatt-hours.

November 21, 2007 The EPSA filed a request with the FERC that the Commission grant rehearing of its September 18, 2007 Order Granting Extension of Broad Constrained Area Mitigation for the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO). The request states that the FERC erred in permanently extending the BCA mitigation on the basis that the MISO market intends to make progress regarding resource adequacy in the near term. Also, the cost-benefit analysis MISO filed was fatally flawed in its conclusions.

November 21, 2007 The EPSA released Decoding Developments in Today's Electric Industry - Ten Points in the Prism, which finds that global conditions, increased demand, and needed industry investments to address environmental concerns will continue to put upward pressure on electricity prices. The study also notes the role competition plays in enabling customers to better manage their electricity use and employ innovative energy efficiency and demand reduction tools.