CIVL 402A – Professionalism in Civil Engineering
Professionalism & Professional
Engineering
Dr. M. Isaacson, P.Eng.
September 2019
Coverage
1. Introduction
2. Professionalism
– professional conduct in this course
3. Roles and Responsibilities of Professional Engineers
4. Professional Engineering
5. EGBC
6. EGBC's Quality Management Guidelines
7. The Iron Ring
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1. Introduction
Elliot Lake Mall Roof Collapse
See video 1
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Elliot Lake Mall Roof Collapse
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What are a few key words that are conveyed by the
video clip ??
Elliot Lake Mall Roof Collapse
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• In June 2012, mall roof collapsed killing 2 people and
injuring 19.
• In July 2012, Ontario government established an
independent public inquiry with Commissioner
Belanger. (The inquiry cost some $20 million.)
• Final report was released in October 2014
Elliot Lake Mall Roof Collapse
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• Prior to failure, inspecting engineer had claimed building
was “structurally sound”; at mall owner's request (to
ease a refinancing application), he changed report after
sign-off, removing photographs and references to
"ongoing" leakage
• Commissioner stated that some of the engineers forgot
the “moral and ethical foundation” of their vocation, and
were more concerned with pandering to clients than
protecting the public
• The report made 71 recommendations re. maintenance,
inspections and emergency response capability
• The engineer's trial began in September 2016 – found
not guilty in June 2017 (insufficient evidence to support
criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt)
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2. Professionalism
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What is Professionalism?
• Dictionaries state: “The conduct, aims or qualities that
characterize a professional person”; “set of attitudes
and behaviours believed to be appropriate to a
particular occupation"
• The EGBC Code of Ethics states: “Members and
licensees shall act at all times with fairness, courtesy
and good faith to their associates, employers,
employees and clients, and with fidelity to the public
needs. They shall uphold the values of truth, honesty
and trustworthiness and safeguard human life and
welfare and the environment.”
What is Professionalism?
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• CEAB states: “An understanding of the roles and
responsibilities of the professional engineer in
society, especially the primary role of protection of
the public and the public interest.”
• Codes of Conduct: Some companies have adopted
a Code of Conduct that may relate to additional
aspects of professional behaviour. For example, to
competency; conflict of interest; perception of
conflict of interest; confidentiality; respect for privacy;
environmental stewardship; cultural sensitivity;
equity; discrimination; harassment; occupational
health and safety; alcohol and drug use; …
What is Professionalism?
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As indicated, professionalism is comprised of attitudes,
behaviours and qualities. These may relate to: (??)
Broader Aspects of Professionalism
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In this course, professionalism is extended so as to
reflect, not only professional behaviours, but also
aspects of professional participation in engineering
projects so as to include the following:
• Knowledge and application of approval processes for
civil engineering projects – which in turn include:
o adherence to relevant codes and standards
o a consideration of environmental and societal impacts, and
o consultation and engagement processes
• Sustainability and environmental stewardship
• Public health and public safety
Professional Conduct
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• Professional conduct is a critical requirement in the
workplace
• Note: unprofessional conduct may be a basis for
disciplining a Professional Engineer!
• In a university setting, we are unable to simulate
completely the workplace environment; however, we
seek to instill and assess professional conduct in a
coursework context in some courses
• That is, while we require professional behaviours
throughout our courses, we deliberately seek to
instill and assess professional conduct through
selected courses such as this one
Professional Conduct
In the Civil Engineering program, we see to instill
aspects of professional conduct as follows:
1. Knowledge – awareness of issues
2. Honesty and integrity
3. Courtesy and respect
o Classroom etiquette
o Team etiquette
o Communication
4. Conformance
Summary comments on each of these follow ...
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Professional Conduct
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1. Knowledge
• Awareness of professional conduct requirements
and issues
2. Honesty and Integrity
• Trustworthiness is key to success as a consulting
engineer
• Breaches have negative consequences that may
be both incremental and disruptive
• The same is true in an academic setting re. the
avoidance of academic misconduct, including
cheating and plagiarism
Professional Conduct
3. Courtesy and Respect
Components in a coursework context:
• Classroom etiquette – see syllabus
• Team etiquette
• Communications – oral and e-mail communication
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Professional Conduct
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4. Conformance
• Adherence to all requirements, rules and deadlines,
without a reliance on trivial clarifications and/or
exemption requests
• Professional environment – non-conformance
leaves negative impressions with clients, project
managers, ...
• Classroom environment. Seek to avoid a reliance
on trivial clarifications and/or deadline extensions
and special considerations such as may relate to lost
or broken laptops, sick pets, conflicting schedules,
dental appointments, etc.
Professional Conduct
Reminder re. assessments in CIVL 402A – assessments
indicated in blue
1. Knowledge (assessed in quizzes / exam, but not towards
the professional conduct mark)
2. Honesty and integrity
3. Courtesy and respect
o Classroom etiquette
o Team etiquette – via peer evaluations
o Communication – via assessments of all e-mails
4. Conformance – via assessments of adherence
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3. Roles and Responsibilities of
Professional Engineers
Roles & Responsibilities of Engineers
Generally:
• Demonstrating professionalism in undertaking
engineering practice
• Adhering to the EGBC Code of Ethics (yet to be
described)
Specifically:
•
Protection of the public
•
Serving the public interest
These refer primarily to public safety, but also to the
economy and the environment
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Roles & Responsibilities of Engineers
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• Protection of the Public
o EGBC Code of Ethics: "Hold paramount the safety (and)
health ... of the public, ..."
o Minimizing the risk of failure impacting public safety with respect
to design, construction and operation of facilities
o Minimizing the negative impacts on public safety that arises from
a failure or from operational activities
Roles & Responsibilities of Engineers
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• Serving the *Public Interest
o EGBC Code of Ethics: "Hold paramount the ... welfare of the
public ..."; "Members ... shall act at all times ... with fidelity to the
public needs"
o Reducing / balancing negative social, economic and
environmental impacts, even if private profits are reduced
*Public interest: (?)
Note: it may be unclear if a particular decision is in the public interest
• Other Roles and Responsibilities
o Professional engineers may taken on other roles and
responsibilities, not identified in the Code of Ethics (e.g.
entrepreneurship, profit-making, volunteerism, ...)
o However, these may still be impacted by the Code of Ethics
and codes of conduct
Roles & Responsibilities of Engineers
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Competing Stakeholders Interests
• A key dilemma arising in many civil engineering
projects relates to competing stakeholder interests
• Examples include:
o "NIMBY" (not in my back yard)
o Economic development versus increased levels
environmental protection
• The role of the engineer is often to provide informed
options for the consideration of decision-makers,
backed up by a sound rationale
• See Video 2
• See Assignment 1 re. competing interests
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4. Professional Engineering
Pre-Professional Engineering
in Ancient Times
•
Early building blocks
•
Major early structures
•
In Canada and BC, many activities of First Nations
communities
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Origins of Professional Engineering
• But professional engineering is more than building
a structure; it also involves also acquiring and
applying scientific, mathematical, economic,
social, and practical knowledge in order to design,
construct, ...
• Three additional ingredients were needed for
engineering to develop fully as a profession:
1. The Printing Press
2. The Industrial Revolution
3. Organization and Regulation
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Origins of Professional Engineering
1. The Printing Press: around 1400;
major impact on the development and
spread of knowledge, ideas, science
2. The Industrial Revolution: 1750 –
1850; major advances in areas such as
textiles, metallurgy, mining, chemicals,
agricultural machinery, transportation
– canals, roads, railways, ...
3. Organization and Regulation. In the UK:
1771: Society of Civil Engineers (social / technical)
1818: Institution of Civil Engineers (all disciplines)
1890's: introduction of exams for professional
engineering qualifications
Development of Professional
Engineering in Canada
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In the following, we distinguish between origins and
development of Engineering Practice and Engineering
Regulation
• Engineering Practice – refers to engineering projects
that have been undertaken
• Engineering Regulation – refers to the regulation of the
engineering activities
These are considered in turn
Development of Engineering
Practice in Canada
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• Early focus on transportation (railways, roads,
bridges) and resource development (mining, forestry)
• 1800’s: explorers, the gold rush,
mining, road and rail
construction
• Two early examples:
o 1829: Welland Canal bypassing
Niagara Falls; elevation change
of about 100 m through a series
of locks
o 1885: "the last spike",
symbolizing the completion of
the Canadian Pacific Railway
across Canada
Development of Engineering
Practice in Canada
• More recent examples, include major recordbreaking achievements though civil engineering
projects:
• 1959: St. Lawrence Seaway: system of locks, canals
and channels – including the Welland Canal and the
St. Lambert Lock shown below
o Extends over 600 km (route to west end of Lake Superior is
about 2,600 km) and involves a 170 m elevation change
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Development of Engineering
Practice in Canada
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More recent examples (contd.):
• 1997 (production begins): Hibernia Platform – largest oil
platform worldwide
• 1997: Confederation Bridge – longest bridge worldwide
over ice-covered water
Development of Engineering
Regulation in Canada
Background
•
The engineering profession is regulated by various
jurisdictions worldwide to protect the safety, wellbeing and interests of the public
•
Licensure provides the title “Professional
Engineer" (P.Eng.) or equivalent, and grants the
right to practice professional engineering
•
The P.Eng. title can only be used by licensed
engineers; it grants the authority to take legal
responsibility for engineering work
•
The practice of engineering is protected in law and
enforced in all provinces
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Development of Engineering
Regulation in Canada
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Origins in Canada
1887:
Canadian Society of Civil Engineers formed
(all disciplines)
1918:
Name changed to Engineering Institute of
Canada (EIC)
1920’s: provincial associations (PEO, APEGGA,
EGBC, OIQ, ... or forerunners), along with
provincial acts regulating engineering
1970’s: EIC’s divisions spun off to technical
societies ... CSCE, CSME, CGS, ...
Development of Engineering
Regulation in Canada
Origins in BC
•
In 1920, Province passed the Engineering
Profession’s Act, associated with the founding of
the Association of Professional Engineers of BC
•
[N.B. engineering education in BC started with
UBC’s founding in 1915]
•
In 1990, geoscience was included, resulting in a
name change to APEGBC and to a revised act
entitled the Engineers and Geoscientists Act
•
In 2017, APEGBC changed its brand name to
Engineers & Geoscientists BC, EGBC
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Regulation of Engineering in Canada
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The Concept of Self-Regulation
• Self-regulation refers to: (?)
• In BC, the engineering profession is self-regulated
through EGBC on the basis of powers provided to it
through the Engineers & Geoscientists Act
• An alternative model is direct regulation by government
though a government ministry, department or body.
• Sometimes self-regulation may be curtailed or
withdrawn (see examples 1.1):
o Teachers in BC
o Engineers in Quebec
o Reduction in degree of self-regulation of engineers in BC
Regulation of Engineering in Canada
National Roles
•
EGBC and other provincial and territorial
associations are constituent members of Engineers
Canada
•
Engineers Canada includes the Canadian
Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) and the
Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board (CEQB);
it is also engaged in advocacy and promotion and in
the development of national policies, positions and
guidelines
o CEAB is responsible for accreditation of engineering
programs across Canada
o CEQB is responsible for developing national guidelines for
professional engineering qualifications, standards of
practice, ethics and professional conduct
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Regulation of Engineering in Canada
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Engineering Accreditation
•
CEAB accredits engineering programs across
Canada
•
Graduates of accredited programs meet the
academic requirements for the P.Eng.
•
CEAB accredits by assessing conformance with
criteria that relate to:
o Graduate attributes (knowledge base, problem analysis,
investigation, design, professionalism, …)
o Students (admissions, promotion, counseling, …)
o Curriculum content and quality (natural sciences, engineering
design, laboratory experience, …)
o Program environment (faculty members, leadership, financial
resources, …)
o …
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5. EGBC
Note:
• EGBC is the acronym for Engineers & Geoscientists
BC
• Legal name is Association of Professional
Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia
Roles of EGBC
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• Under provincial law, Engineers & Geoscientists of
BC – EGBC (legally known as the Association of
Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC),
regulates engineering practice in BC
• Specifically, EGBC is authorized under the
Province’s Engineers and Geoscientists Act to
uphold and protect the public interest with respect to
engineering – by licensing all individuals who
practice professional engineering in BC and by
regulating the engineering profession in BC
• EGBC also has some non-regulatory roles
Regulatory Roles
•
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Regulation activities relate to:
o Registration of suitably qualified individuals
o Required standards of practice (through practice reviews, …)
o Investigation and discipline (?)
o Enforcement (?)
o See Examples 1.2
•
EGBC also liaises on regulatory matters with
Engineers Canada and with other non-engineering
organizations – most notably as relating to foresters,
architects and technologists
Roles Supporting Professional Practice
•
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Development of Quality Management Guidelines –
described shortly
•
Development of Professional Practice Guidelines –
see: https://www.egbc.ca/Practice-Resources/Professional-PracticeGuidelines
•
Promotion of Organizational Quality Management that
supports quality assurance in companies as relating
to engineering practice
•
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) support
Other Roles
•
Advocacy and promotion of engineering with the
public and governments
•
Promoting careers in engineering, in part through
student scholarships (via the EGBC Foundation)
•
Branch activities and other forms of membership
engagement and support
•
Other member benefits such as through publications
and through the “affinity" program
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Governance and Operation
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• EGBC is governed by a Council
o
o
o
o
13 elected members
4 lay members appointed by Lieutenant Governor
Faculty and PGEO appointees if neither elected
Council includes the President, Vice-President and
immediate Past-President, each with one-year terms
•
A CEO and Registrar, reporting to the Council, is
responsible for EGBC's operational activities
•
The membership is engaged through branches,
committees and other ways, and also votes in
elections and on issues from time to time
•
Key standing committees includes the registration,
discipline and investigation committees
Evolving Changes to Governance, Roles
and Responsibilities
Triggered by the Mount Polley failure, the provincial
government has undertaken a process to review and
make changes to the governance, roles and
responsibilities of EGBC and some other professional
associations. Changes underway include:
•
Appointment of the Superintendent of Professional
Governance, to oversee EGBC and some other
associations
•
Councillors no longer freely nominated or elected
•
Regulation of companies, not just individuals
•
Mandatory CPD (continuing professional
development)
•
...
Becoming a P.Eng.
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P.Eng. designation on the following basis:
•
Canadian citizen or permanent resident
•
Academic qualifications – accredited program or
completion of specified courses / exams
•
Four years satisfactory engineering experience (one
year in Canada)
•
Law & Ethics seminar
•
Professional Practice Exam (PPE) – 3-hour exam,
including a one-hour essay
•
English Language Competency – via PPE essay
and referee comments
•
Evidence of good character – via referee comments
En Route to the P.Eng. – the EIT
•
Engineer-in-training (EIT) status is granted to
individuals meeting the academic requirements of
the P.Eng. and who are working towards the fouryear work experience requirement
•
Experience requirement is normally under the
supervision of a P.Eng.
•
EIT’s participate fully in branch activities and enjoy
several member benefits
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Benefits of the P.Eng.
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•
Employment requirement of many positions with
many employers
•
Right to practice professional engineering
•
Right to the P.Eng. title, and the use of stamp and
seal
•
Prestige, distinction and professional excellence
•
Engagement in branches, professional committees,
…
•
Access to EGBC publications, services, professional
development, employment resources, affinity
programs and mentoring
The Various Forms of Membership
P.Eng. and Engineer-in-Training are known. But also:
• Engineering Licensee – license to practice within a
prescribed scope of practice
• P.Eng. with non-practicing status
• Non-Resident Licensee – licensed to practice in BC
• Inter-Association Mobility Agreement – applicant who
is a P.Eng. or EIT in another province
• International Agreement – applicant with P.Eng.
equivalent from a designated country
• Provisional Member – applicant working towards the
one-year Canadian experience requirement
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6. EGBC's Quality
Management Guidelines
Quality Management Guidelines
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Members must comply with the requirements of 6 Quality
Management Guidelines:
1. Direct Supervision
2. Documented Checks of Engineering and Geoscience
Work
3. Documented Independent Review of Structural
Designs
4. Documented Field Reviews During Implementation or
Construction
5. Retention of Project Documentation
6. Use of Seal
These have been posted on Canvas
Quality Management Guidelines
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Each of these Guidelines includes the following:
•
To comply with the Act (or a Bylaw), Engineering
Professionals must ...(adhere to each of the
guidelines)
•
"This QM guideline is a minimum standard for
Engineering Professionals. Failure to meet the intent
of this QM guideline may be evidence of
unprofessional conduct and may give rise to
disciplinary proceedings by EGBC."
•
The test is: "will (a member's actions) meet the
standard of care that would be exercised by other
reasonable, prudent, and competent Engineering
Professionals performing the same work."
Quality Management Guidelines
1. Direct Supervision
• The Act permits assisting in the performance of
professional engineering
• The Guideline describes the circumstances and
procedures for the delegation of professional
engineering work to a Subordinate working under
Direct Supervision
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Quality Management Guidelines
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2. Documented Checks
• Bylaw requires a "Documented Quality Control
process that includes checks appropriate to the risk
level"
• Regular documented checks of engineering work
using a written quality control process including:
scheduling, resourcing, and budgeting for QA / QC;
self-checking or check by others as appropriate;
documenting and retaining appropriate records of
checks, ...
Quality Management Guidelines
3. Independent Structural Designs
• Bylaw requires: "Documented independent review
of structural designs prior to construction ... The
reviewer shall examine representative samples of
the structural assumptions, ... The review and any
follow up action must be completed before the
documents are issued for construction."
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Quality Management Guidelines
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4. Field Reviews
• Bylaw refers to documented field reviews by
professional engineers of their domestic projects
during implementation or construction
• A field review is a review of the engineering work
conducted at the site in order to ascertain whether
the implementation or construction of the work
substantially complies ...
• "domestic" refers to engineering projects or work
located in Canada
Quality Management Guidelines
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5. Document Retention
• Bylaw refers to retention of complete project
documentation for a minimum of 10 years
• Requires a documented process for retaining
complete project documentation including: which
documents; roles and responsibilities; digital record
keeping; and consideration of organizational vs.
individual ownership of documentation
Quality Management Guidelines
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6. Use of Seal
• The Act requires that: “A member must use the
seal or stamp, with signature and date, to seal or
stamp estimates, specifications, reports, ... that
have been prepared and delivered by the
member ... in the member's professional
capacity, .... "
• The Guideline clarifies which documents, who
seals, how to seal, ...
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7. The Iron Ring
The Iron Ring
•
In 1922, seven EIC past-presidents conceived of the
“iron ring” ceremony; first ceremony in 1925
•
Focused on “The Ritual of the Calling of an
Engineer” developed by English poet Rudyard
Kipling
•
Distinct from EGBC and from PEng status
•
Serves as a reminder of the obligations, ethics and
humility associated with the engineering profession
The Iron Ring Ceremony
Isaacson's advice at past ceremonies includes:
•
Remember the big picture. Apart from needed
specifics, make sure that the overall direction is
the right one.
•
Expect the unexpected. Be prepared that
something new or unaccounted for arises. We
have developed systems of checks, reviews and
quality control just to anticipate such situations.
•
Don't be a rubber-stamp. Encourage
diverse viewpoints, maintain independent
thinking and ask the tough questions (Code of
Ethics includes: "accept, as well as give, honest
and fair professional comment")
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