Regulation and licensure in engineering: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:53, 12 July 2025

Revision as of 01:46, 11 August 2025

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== Legislative intent ==

It is often illegal for a practicing engineer to jeopardize public safety in any way.<ref>California Professional Engineers Act, Article 2, 6710.1</ref> This means that an engineer must hold herself or himself to the highest level of technical and moral conduct reasonable or suffer litigation if an engineering system fails causing harm to the public, including maintenance technicians. Breaches of engineering law are often sufficient grounds for enforcement measures, which may include the suspension or loss of license and financial penalties. They may also include imprisonment, should gross negligence be shown to have played a part in loss of human life.

An engineering licence provides the public with the assurance that qualified persons are doing or overseeing engineering work. An unlicensed worker or manager has no specific liability, as this is borne by the employer through tort law or engineering legislation, and there is no regulatory authority to enforce acceptable engineering practice in relation to the work.<ref>No Author Listed, FINAL REPORT Repeal of the Industrial Exception Data Gathering and Analysis Research Project, Professional Engineers Ontario, January 2017.</ref>