Author Archives: mike@standardsmichigan.com

Defining “accepted good practice” (or closely related terms like “good engineering practice,” “recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice” (RAGAGEP), or “accepted good practice for the given local conditions”) in electrical engineering standards is inherently challenging. Standards bodies (e.g., IEEE/NESC, NFPA/NEC, IEC, UL) often use these phrases as a flexible benchmark for safety, design, installation, and maintenance when specific rules do not apply, or as the foundation for the standards themselves.

Here are some of the particular problems that arise in trying to define and apply it consistently:Subjectivity and ambiguity in the definition: The term is rarely defined with precision in codes. It relies on professional judgment, expert consensus, and “what is generally accepted” at a given time, which can lead to disputes among engineers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), regulators, or courts. For example, NESC Rule 012 (and similar clauses) explicitly falls back to “accepted good practice for the given local conditions” for any situation not specifically covered, creating a circular or open-ended reference point.

Rapid technological evolution outpacing standards: Electrical engineering advances quickly (e.g., widespread EVs, renewables integration, smart grids, arc-flash mitigation, or digital protection systems), but consensus-based standards update slowly (often on 3–6 year cycles). New techniques may not yet be “accepted,” while legacy practices embedded in older equipment can become obsolete or non-compliant under current interpretations, even if they met the standard at the time of installation.

Jurisdictional, regional, and international variations: What counts as good practice differs across borders or even within a country (e.g., NEC for building interiors vs. NESC for utility supply/communications lines; ANSI/NFPA vs. IEC). Local conditions (climate, soil, usage patterns) are explicitly factored in, making a universal definition impractical and leading to harmonization difficulties in global supply chains or cross-border projects.

Consensus development process limitations: Standards are created by committees representing utilities, manufacturers, regulators, and users, which can result in compromises, delays, or exclusion of innovative (but not yet widespread) practices. This process itself defines “accepted” practice, but it may lag behind actual field innovations or favor minimum requirements over optimal ones.

Conflicts between overlapping or hierarchical sources: Engineers must navigate multiple layers—mandatory codes (NEC/NESC), recommended practices (IEEE “Color Books”), manufacturer guidelines, internal utility standards, and non-consensus documents. Deciding which takes precedence, or whether a practice must be “recognized” (widely adopted) versus merely “good,” creates practical confusion. “Shall” (mandatory) vs. “should” (recommended) language adds further interpretive gray areas.

Legal, liability, and enforcement challenges: In regulatory audits, incident investigations, or product-liability cases, proving (or disproving) adherence to an ill-defined standard can be difficult. OSHA, for instance, treats RAGAGEP as a performance-based benchmark in process safety, but determining it for older equipment or non-consensus practices requires case-by-case analysis. This is compounded by the fact that codes are often minimum requirements, not necessarily “best” practice.

Trade-offs between safety, cost, reliability, and innovation: Good practice must balance competing priorities (e.g., selective coordination for emergency systems vs. arc-flash hazards, or added costs for enhanced grounding/EMI protection). Defining it objectively is hard when economic or practical constraints vary by project.

While phrases like “accepted good practice” provide essential flexibility in electrical standards, their vagueness, dependence on context, and the dynamic nature of the field make them difficult to pin down uniformly. Practitioners typically resolve this through engineering judgment, reference to interpretations (e.g., IEEE NESC interpretations), peer review, or consultation with AHJs.

"Appalachian Spring" | 1944 Aaron Copland @SydneyCameratahttps://t.co/z4wMEmbtOdhttps://t.co/ektDJAAEWZ pic.twitter.com/M8RadfCSYA

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) March 22, 2026

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

— William Butler Yeats

Anglo-americká vysoká škola, z.ú. Czech Republic

Today we walk through literature governing the safety and sustainability of the open space features of education community estates.   Unlike the titles for the building envelope, which are known to most design professionals and contractors, the standards for grounds and landscaping are widely scattered; many of them occupational safety related; created, administered and enforced by units of government.

Bucolia 100.  We present a broad overview of the dominant standards catalogs incorporated by reference into public safety and sustainability legislation.

Bucolia 200.  We drill into technical specifics of the titles in Bucolia 100.

Bucolia 400.  We pick through case studies in landscape, garden, tree and water literature.  We also track titles about the reclamation of building roofs for permeable surfaces and gardens.

Smart Garden Watering and Lighting System Integrated with Machine Learning Model to Maintain Urban Gardens

During the winter months (Bucolia 200) in the northern hemisphere we include snow and ice management; while covering summer month technologies for southern hemisphere (and vice-versa).  Snowfalls in the southern hemisphere are mainly contained to the highlands and mountain ranges, which are almost exclusively in Victoria and Southern New South Wales, as well as the mountains in Tasmania.   Winter does not pose as much of a cost burden to education facilities in the southern hemisphere as it does in the northern hemisphere.

Landscape standards refer to guidelines or regulations that specify the requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, streetscapes, and public spaces. Landscape standards typically cover various aspects of landscape design, including vegetation selection, planting arrangements, irrigation systems, hardscape materials, and lighting. These standards may be set by government agencies at the federal, state, or local level, or by professional organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape standards aim to ensure that outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing while also promoting sustainability and environmental protection. Landscape standards may also address issues such as accessibility for people with disabilities, water conservation, stormwater management, and erosion control. They may vary depending on the specific location, climate, and intended use of the outdoor space. Compliance with landscape standards may be required for approval of development projects, public funding, or other permits.

We track the standards catalog of two ANSI-accredited standards developers:

American Hort

Tree Care Industry Association

Additional practice titles applicable to accessory systems:

ASABE/ICC 802 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard 

ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

National Electrical Code: Article 411 Low-Voltage Lighting

Upcode Article 411

National Electrical Code: Article 225: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders

Illumination Engineering Society (Lighting Library)

Land F/X: Landscape Lighting, Codes, Guidelines and Techniques  

OSHA Landscape and Horticultural Services

Sports Turf Managers Association

As a cross-cutting subjectSports Turf Managers Association ( involving soil and water and sun many other standards developers, and all levels of government, produce best practice literature for today’s topic.  We’ll have a look at what’s moving among those.

To join us use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Recent Research:

Smart Garden Watering and Lighting System Integrated with Machine Learning Model to Maintain Urban Gardens