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The “Groundhog Day” Effect

United States National Weather Service

 

Research Without Old Data and Old References

 

Background: The use of older data and references is becoming increasingly disfavored for publication. A myopic focus on newer research risks losing sight of important research questions already addressed by now-invisible older studies. This creates a ‘Groundhog Day’ effect as illustrated by the 1993 movie of this name in which the protagonist has to relive the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over and over within a world with no memory of it. This article examines the consequences of the recent preference for newer data and references in current publication practices and is intended to stimulate new consideration of the utility of selected older data and references for the advancement of scientific knowledge.

Methods: Examples from the literature are used to exemplify the value of older data and older references. To illustrate the recency of references published in original medical research articles in a selected sample of recent academic medical journals, original research articles were examined in recent issues in selected psychiatry, medicine, and surgery journals.

Results: The literature examined reflected this article’s initial assertion that journals are emphasizing the publication of research with newer data and more recent references.

Conclusions: The current valuation of newer data above older data fails to appreciate the fact that new data eventually become old, and that old data were once new. The bias demonstrated in arbitrary policies pertaining to older data and older references can be addressed by instituting comparable treatment of older and newer data and references.

Related:

ASTM International: Standard Practice for Calculating and Using Basic Statistics

Groundhog Day: Ancient Origins of a Modern Celebration (Library of Congress) 

IMSDb: “GroundHog Day” The Complete Script

Harvard Business Review: When the Groundhog Predicts an Early Spring, Investors Get Optimistic

Indiana University: Groundhog Day Probability in Perspective

Standards Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

Weather Resilience

During today’s session we approach disaster avoidance, management and recovery literature from a different point of view than our customary approach — i.e. what happens when, a) there is failure to conform to the standard, b) there is no applicable standard at all.  This approach necessarily requires venturing into the regulatory and legal domains.


We will confine our approach to the following standards development regimes:

  1. De facto standards: These are standards that are not officially recognized or endorsed by any formal organization or government entity, but have become widely adopted by industry or through market forces. Examples include the QWERTY keyboard layout and the MP3 audio format.
  2. De jure standards: These are standards that are formally recognized and endorsed by a government or standard-setting organization. Examples include the ISO 9000 quality management standard and the IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standard.
  3. Consortium standards: These are standards that are developed and maintained by a group of industry stakeholders or organizations, often with the goal of advancing a particular technology or product. Examples include the USB and Bluetooth standards, which are maintained by the USB Implementers Forum and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, respectively.
  4. Open standards: These are standards that are freely available and can be used, implemented, and modified by anyone without restriction. Examples include the HTML web markup language and the Linux operating system.
  5. Proprietary standards: These are standards that are owned and controlled by a single organization, and may require payment of licensing fees or other restrictions for use or implementation. Examples include the Microsoft Office document format and the Adobe PDF document format.
  6. ANSI accredited standards developers with disaster management catalogs

We may have time to review State of Emergency laws on the books of most government agencies; with special attention to power blackout disasters.

Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Case Briefings

Managing Disaster with Blockchain, Cloud & IOT

Readings / Emergency Telecommunication Plans

Homeland Power Security

High Tea Wichita

🌻 Standards Kansas 🌻

Newman University hosts its Heritage Month in February to celebrates the English heritage of the university’s namesake, St. John Henry Newman. It typically takes place in the Dugan-Gorges Conference Center following the St. Newman Mass and features meticulously prepared finger foods, English breakfast or Earl Grey tea, and elegant tea sets, fostering a sense of community among students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Why and How High Tea Originated as a Working-Class Custom: High tea, despite its modern association with elegance and afternoon tea, began as a practical, working-class custom in 19th-century Britain. Its origins lie in the Industrial Revolution, when factory workers, miners, and laborers, typically from the lower classes, returned home after long, physically demanding shifts. Unlike the leisurely afternoon tea enjoyed by the upper classes, high tea was a hearty, substantial meal served around 5–7 p.m., designed to sustain workers after a grueling day.

Why It Was Working-Class:Timing and Necessity: Workers couldn’t afford mid-afternoon breaks for tea, as their schedules revolved around factory or manual labor. High tea was served after work hours, replacing or supplementing dinner with affordable, filling foods like meat pies, bread, cheese, and tea, which provided energy and comfort.

Economic Constraints: The working class lacked the resources for the delicate sandwiches and pastries of upper-class afternoon tea. High tea used simple, inexpensive ingredients, reflecting the economic realities of laborers.
Cultural Context: Tea was a cheap, widely available beverage by the 19th century, thanks to Britain’s colonial trade. It became a staple for workers, offering warmth and stimulation, while the meal addressed their hunger.

How It Developed: High tea was served at a high dining table (unlike the low tables of aristocratic tea settings), where families gathered for a practical meal. The term “high” referred to the table height, distinguishing it from the refined “low tea” of the elite.
Food and Function:

The meal included robust dishes like stews, cold meats, or potatoes, paired with strong tea. It was less about social ritual and more about nourishment, often the main meal of the day for working families.
Social Evolution:

As tea became a British cultural staple, high tea spread across classes, but its working-class roots remained evident in its heartier fare and evening timing, contrasting with the lighter, earlier afternoon tea of the wealthy.

By the late 19th century, high tea’s association with the working class faded as middle and upper classes adopted and refined it, leading to its modern, more elegant connotations.

Snow Management

“A Morning Snow–Hudson River” 1910 George Wesley Bellows | Smithsonian American Art Museum

This time of year in the Northern Hemisphere we keep an eye on snow management  standards; among them titles developed by the Accredited Snow Contractors Association.  The barriers to entry into this domain are relatively low and, arguably undisciplined; hence the need for standards setting.  Even when only partially adopted, use of ANSI accredited standards reduces the “wheel reinvention” that is common to the business side of the education industry when new initiatives, or continuous improvement programs are undertaken without consideration of already existing leading practice discovery by ANSI-accredited technical committees.  Start here:

ASCA Standards Home Page

The parent title for the emergent ASCA bibliography is System Requirements for Snow and Ice Management Services; free to ASCA members.  The current version is dated 2014 and will likely be updated and/or re-affirmed.  The circumstances of the pandemic has slowed the work of many standards setting committees.  The safety and sustainability concepts remain intact, however.  Among them:

  • If snow can be removed from a lot or hard surface and appropriate room exists, always push the snow as far back as possible beyond the curb or lot edge to make room for additional snow.
  • If snow cannot be removed from a lot or hard surface, always place snow piles on a predetermined spot approved by the client and marked on the snow contractor’s preseason site report.  
  • Do not pile snow in a handicap parking space.
  • Do not bury or plow snow onto a fire hydrant, post indicator valve, or fire hookup along the building wall.
  • Avoid placement of snow piles where thaw/melt off can run across the parking lot surface. Try to place piles near drain grates to avoid icy situations during thaw-and-refreeze periods.
  • Do not push snow against a building.
  • Do not block building doorways or emergency exits.
  • Do not block pedestrian walks or paths with snow piles.
  • Do not push snow onto motor vehicles.
  • Do not plow snow in front of or bury trash containers. Sidewalk labor must shovel inside trash container enclosure for access to the doors. If the container is not in an enclosure, create a clear path to the access doors or panels.

"Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth" - (Letter to James Madison, March 2, 1788)“The cold was our pride, the snow was our beauty.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald ('Wiinter Dreams' 1922)

ASCA has more recently released another title — Standard Practice for Procuring and Planning Snow & Ice Management Services — that seems (by its title alone) to be a companion consensus product.  From its prospectus:

This standard of practice covers essential procuring and planning for snow and ice management services. Standards for procuring and planning are essential for business continuity and to improve safety for patrons, tenants, employees, and others in the general public. Knowing how to describe service requirements in a snow and ice management request for proposal (RFP) is an important component to providing effective services, particularly where winter weather is a variable. This standard practice provides guidance on the snow and ice management procurement and planning process to aid in the creation of RFPs, contracts, agreements, and monitoring procedures. This standard will not be submitted for consideration as an ISO, IEC, or ISO/IEC JTC-1 standard.

Apart from these titles, we do not see any recent happening in the ASCA standards setting enterprise.  We will pass information along as it becomes available.  Alternatively, you may communicate directly with ASCA, 5811 Canal Road  Valley View, OH 44125, Ph: (800) 456-0707.  Most education communities employ a combination of permanent and contract staff for these services.

We maintain the ASCA bibliography on our Snow & Ice colloquia  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [13-104]

Category:  Grounds and Landscaping, Exterior, Public Safety, Risk Management

Colleagues: John Lawter, Richard Robben

More>>

ARCHIVE / Snow & Ice

 

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

 

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

C. Sandberg

Tyco Thermal Controls

N.R. Rafferty – M. Kleinehanding – J.J. Hernandez

E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, Inc 

 

Abstract:  In the past, electrical heat tracing has been thought of as a minor addition to plant utilities. Today, it is recognized as a critical subsystem to be monitored and controlled. A marriage between process, mechanical, and electrical engineers must take place to ensure that optimum economic results are produced. The Internet, expert systems, and falling costs of instrumentation will all contribute to more reliable control systems and improved monitoring systems. There is a harmonization between Europe and North America that should facilitate design and installation using common components. The future holds many opportunities to optimize the design.

CLICK HERE to order complete paper

 

Heat Tracing Installation

Industrial electroheating and electromagnetic processing

Pipe Heating

Heat Tracing

Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code

“Mechanic and Steam Pump” | Lewis W. Hine (1921)

 

The heating and cooling requirements of K-12 schools, college and university educational, medical research and healthcare delivery campuses are a large market for boiler pressure vessel manufacturers, installers, maintenance personnel and inspectors.  The demand for building new, and upgrading existing boilers — either single building boilers, regional boilers or central district energy boilers — presents a large market for professional engineering firms also.  A large research university, for example, will have dozens, if not well over 100 boilers that heat and cool square footage in all climates throughout the year.  The same boilers provide heating and cooling for data centers, laundry operations, kitchen steam tables in hospitals and dormitories.

The safety rules for these large, complex and frankly, fearsome systems, have been developed by many generations of mechanical engineering professionals in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC).   From the BPVC scope statement:

“…The International Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code establishes rules of safety — relating only to pressure integrity — governing the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels, and nuclear power plant components during construction. The objective of the rules is to provide a margin for deterioration in service. Advancements in design and material and the evidence of experience are constantly being added…”

Many state and local governments incorporate the BPVC by reference into public safety regulations and have established boiler safety agencies.  Boiler explosions are fairly common, as a simple internet search on the term “school boiler explosion” will reveal.  We linked one such incident at the bottom of this page.

University of Michigan Central Heating Plant

The 2023 Edition of the BPVC is the current edition; though the document is divided into many sections that change quickly.

ASME Codes & Standards Electronic Tools

ASME Proposals Available For Public Review

ASME Section IV: Rules for the Construction of Heating Boilers (2019)

Public consultation on changes to the BPVC standard for power boilers closes February 3rd.   

This is a fairly stable domain at the moment.  We direct you elsewhere to emergent topics:

Ghost kitchens gaining steam on college campuses

College: the Next Big Frontier for Ghost Kitchens

Illinois Admin. Code tit. 77, § 890.1220 – Hot Water Supply and Distribution

Design Considerations for Hot Water Plumbing

FREE ACCESS: 2019 ASME Boiler and Pressure Code (Section VI) 

Plumbing

 

 

Two characteristics of the ASME standards development process are noteworthy:

  • Only the proposed changes to the BPVC are published.   The context surrounding a given change may be lost or not seen unless access to previous version is available.  Knowledgeable experts who contribute to the development of the BPVC usually have a previous version, however.  Newcomers to the process may not.
  • The BPVC has several breakout committees; owing to its longer history in the US standards system and the gathering pace of complexity in this technology.

We unpack the ASME bibliography primarily during our Mechanical, Plumbing and Energy colloquia; and also during our coverage of large central laundry and food preparation (Kitchens 100) colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting, open to everyone.

Issue: [12-33] [15-4] [15-161] [16-77] [18-4] [19-157]

Category: District Energy, Energy, Mechanical, Kitchens, Hot Water

Contact: Eric Albert, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel

More:

Standards Michigan BPVC Archive

ASME BPVC Resources

Big Ten & Friends Energy Conference 2023

Standards Michigan Workspace (Requires access credentials from bella@standardsmichigan.com).

School Boiler Maintenance Programs: How Safe Are The Children? 

Boiler Explodes at Indiana High School

Create a Winter Bird Haven

Illinois

Also from the University of Illinois:

Why so much slip and fall attorney advertisements after SCOTUS Bates v. State Bar of Arizona (1977)

Nourriture Hiver

Western Colorado University Center for Cold Climate Food Security

Today we break down the catalog for food safety in education communities; with primary attention to consultations from private standard developing organizations and federal agencies charged with food safety.  We do so with sensitivity to animals and plants and sustainability of the global food supply chain.   Many schools are the communal cafeterias for the communities that own and operate them and run at commercial scale.

We prepare responses to public consultations released by standards developing organizations which, in many cases, have significant conformance enterprises.

ANSI Standards Action | Current Weekly Edition

Note the call for public comment on proposed WTO Agriculture, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures (Page 48)

Core titles are published by the ANSI accredited organizations listed below:

3-A Sanitary Standards

Catalog

ASHRAE International

The ASHRAE catalog is the most cross-cutting and fastest moving catalog in the land.   If you claim ownership of the United States energy domain you pretty much capture everything related campus safety and sustainability.  Best to deal with it on a day-by-day basis as we usually do according to daily topics shown on our CALENDAR.

Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

National Electrical Safety Code   (Our particular interest lies in the safety and reliability of off-campus agricultural and research facilities that receive power from regulated utilities)

Kitchen Safety and Security System for Children

TupperwareEarth: Bringing Intelligent User Assistance to the “Internet of Kitchen Things”

Designing an IoT based Kitchen Monitoring and Automation System for Gas and Fire Detection

Re-Inventing the Food Supply Chain with IoT: A Data-Driven Solution to Reduce Food Loss

International Code Council

Commercial Kitchens

International Building Code Assembly Group A-2

International Building Code Group U Section 312 Agricultural Buildings

International Building Code Moderate Hazard Factory Industrial Group F-1 (Food Processing)

Who Gets Rich From School Lunch

National Fire Protection Association

Kitchen Wiring

National Electrical Code Article 210 (Branch Circuits)

National Electrical Code Article 547 (Agricultural Buildings)

Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

NSF International

Food Equipment

Commercial Warewashing Equipment

Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers

Commercial Cooking, Rethermalization and Powered Hot Food Holding and Transport Equipment

Commercial Powered Food Preparation Equipment

US Federal Government:

US Department of Agriculture

Food & Drug Administration (HACCP)

State Governments:

Lorem ipsum @StandardsState

Global:

International Organization for Standardization

International Electrotechnical Commission

Codex Alimentarius

Food safety and sustainability standards populate are of the largest domains we track so if we need a break0-out session, let’s do it.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Agenda / Farm & Table

More

Standards supporting vertical farming

STANDARDS SUPPORT SOPHISTICATED FARMING METHODS THAT BRING PRODUCE TO YOUR TABLE

US Food & Drug Administration: Food Facility Registration Statistics (as  of January 11, 2021)

National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry

The U.S. Land-Grant University System: An Overview

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Standards Development

The origin of the Land grant act of 1862 

International Electrotechnical Commission: Keeping food safe from farm to plate

 Codex Alimentarius

Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education: Dining Services Programs

Science and Our Food Supply: A Teacher’s Guide for High School Classrooms

Food Code 2017

Du froid

“Weather is fate”

— Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu

“Road to Versailles at Louveciennes” 1869 Camille Pissarro

Heat tracing is a process used to maintain or raise the temperature of pipes and vessels in order to prevent freezing, maintain process temperature, or ensure that products remain fluid and flow through the system properly.  Without electric heat tracing; much of the earth would be uninhabitable.

Heat tracing works by using an electric heating cable or tape that is wrapped around the pipe or vessel, and then insulated to help retain the heat. The heating cable is connected to a power source and temperature control system that maintains the desired temperature by regulating the amount of heat output from the cable. Heat tracing is commonly used in industrial applications where temperature control is critical, such as in chemical plants, refineries, and oil and gas facilities.

There are several types of heat tracing, including electric heat tracing, steam tracing, and hot water tracing, each of which have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. The selection of the appropriate type of heat tracing depends on the specific application and the required temperature range, as well as factors such as cost, maintenance, and safety considerations.

Heat Tracing for Piping Specification | NECA Standards (N.B. Link unstable)

2026 NEC CMP-17 Public Input Report | 2026 NEC CMP-17 Second Draft Report

Northern Michigan University | Marquette County

Today we review the literature for snow and ice management (and enjoyment) produced by these standards-setting organizations:

Accredited Snow Contractors Association

American Society of Civil Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASTM International

FM Global

Destructive Deep Freeze Strikes Cold and Hot Regions Alike

Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers

Electrical Heat Tracing: International Harmonization — Now and in the Future

International Code Council

International Building Code: Chapter 15 Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures

National Electrical Contractors Association

National Fire Protection Association

Winter is Coming: Is Your Facility Protected? (Holly Burgess, November 2022)

National Electrical Code: Articles 426-427

National Floor Safety Institute

Snow and Ice Management Association

Underwriters Laboratories

Manufacturers:

Chromalox Electrical Heat Tracing Systems Design Guide


It is a surprisingly large domain with market-makers in every dimension of safety and sustainability; all of whom are bound by state and federal regulations.

Join us at 16:00 UTC with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.


There have been several recent innovations that have made it possible for construction activity to continue through cold winter months. Some of the most notable ones include:

  1. Heated Job Site Trailers: These trailers are equipped with heating systems that keep workers warm and comfortable while they take breaks or work on plans. This helps to keep morale up and prevent cold-related health issues.
  2. Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs): ICFs are prefabricated blocks made of foam insulation that are stacked together to form the walls of a building. The foam insulation provides an extra layer of insulation to keep the building warm during cold winter months.
  3. Warm-Mix Asphalt (WMA): WMA is a type of asphalt that is designed to be used in colder temperatures than traditional hot-mix asphalt. This allows road construction crews to work through the winter months without having to worry about the asphalt cooling and becoming unusable.
  4. Pneumatic Heaters: These heaters are used to warm up the ground before concrete is poured. This helps to prevent the concrete from freezing and becoming damaged during the winter months.
  5. Electrically Heated Mats: These mats are placed on the ground to prevent snow and ice from accumulating. This helps to make the job site safer and easier to work on during the winter months.

Overall, these innovations have made it possible for construction crews to work through the winter months more comfortably and safely, which has helped to keep projects on schedule and minimize delays.

Somewhat related:

Why so much slip and fall attorney advertisements after SCOTUS Bates v. State Bar of Arizona (1977)

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

 

 

 

Pipe Heating

Capital Construction and Planning

Standards Colorado

 

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