BC engineering and forest professional associations addressing construction of resource roads
September 18, 2017
By
CCE
"As the regulatory bodies overseeing engineers, geoscientists, and forest professionals, we are committed to upholding high standards of professional practice," said Ann English, P.Eng., CEO, Engineers and Geoscientists BC.
Engineers and Geoscientists BC and the Association of BC Forest Professionals have announced that they are taking action to address concerns raised by the Forest Practices Board about the construction of resource roads in steep terrain.
In its report released September 13, the Forest Practices Board (FPB) cited several instances in which professional guidelines and standards for construction on steep terrain were not followed, resulting in unsafe segments of road.
“As the regulatory bodies overseeing engineers, geoscientists, and forest professionals, we are committed to upholding high standards of professional practice,” said Ann English, P.Eng., CEO and Registrar for Engineers and Geoscientists BC. “We’ll be working together to gather more information in order to assure this work is undertaken with the appropriate professional oversight, and by individuals equipped with the necessary skills and competencies for this work.”
Engineers and Geoscientists BC and the Association of BC Forest Professionals are the independent regulators of professional engineering and geoscience, and professional forestry through the administration of the Engineers and Geoscientists Act and Foresters Act respectively. The two associations have an existing Joint Practice Board composed of experienced professional engineers and forest professionals who work together to provide standards, guidance and other direction to professionals on forest crossings and forest bridges.
Over the past year, both associations have worked with the Forest Practices Board to provide their members with specialized professional development around construction of roads on steep slopes.
In 2012, the associations also jointly released Guidelines for Professional Services in the Forest Sector – Forest Roads, which sets the standard of professional practice for the construction, maintenance and deactivations of forest roads. The guidelines were cited by the FPB in its report as the standard of practice to follow.
The Association of BC Forest Professionals and Engineers and Geoscientists BC will be responding to the FPB by the requested date of March 31, 2018 and advising them of the steps planned or taken to address the professional issues identified.
