With an out of control regulatory environment in Washington, we expect doctors to practice defensive medicine. Is defensive engineering next? What happens when OSHA regulators disagree with state fire marshals? We now have an example of Obama-engineering to consider. One company in Illinois has been told by an OSHA inspector to install an emergency pressure relieving device on a water tank to handle the admittedly rare but ominous "fire case." The Illinois State Fire Marshal told the same company not to bother. So who should prevail in this case of dueling regulators? You decide. The state relies upon the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. That code differentiates between fired pressure vessels, such as boilers and water heaters, and unfired pressure vessels. It requires pressure relieving devices such as relief valves or rupture discs in cases where there exist scenarios where there is a reasonable chance that a pressure excursion...(Read Full Post)