B.C. ponders separate geotechnical engineer designation

The Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia (APEGBC) is exploring the idea of creating a new and separate engineering discipline for geotechnical engineers.

As reported in the May/June issue of Innovation, APEGBC’s publication, currently none of the professional engineering licensing organizations in Canada have a discipline specifically for geotechnical engineers.

Furthermore the reason there is no such designation is because there are no undergraduate engineering degrees in Canada for the discipline.

This lack, “can put both APEGBC members and the public in jeopardy,” suggests the article (p. 13). “Some engineers who practice geotechnical engineering may not appreciate that they are working outside their area of expertise, contrary to APEGBC’s Code of Ethics; and the public who retain geotechnical engineers have no way of knowing if these professionals are appropriately qualified to do the work required.”

Currently, engineers who practice geotechnical engineering tend to register with APEGBC under the civil engineering, geological or mining engineering disciplines.

Now APEGBC has set up a task force to draft minimum academic and/or experiential requirements for engineers to register as geotechnical engineers. It envisions that the document will initially bevfor members to use for self-evaluation.

Then, if the association feels the need is warranted, they may decide on establishing a more formal designation.