The PEGG

September, 2000

Disciplinary Action

Re: A Professional Engineer
and
An APEGGA Permit Holder

The Discipline Committee has issued a decision for a stipulated order whereby the engineer voluntarily admitted that he and his permit holding company had conducted themselves in a manner that constituted unprofessional conduct and unskilled practice in connection with services provided on a foundation wall for a home under construction.

The engineer's design recommendations for reinforcing steel placement and section dimensions, which he issued to the contractor, did not provide the factor of safety for overturning as required by the Alberta Building Code. In addition, the reinforcing steel he recommended did not meet the requirements of CSA Standard A23.3 - Design of Concrete Structures.

Disciplinary Action: The engineer was ordered to be reprimanded for unskilled practice and unprofessional conduct. His practice is restricted to designing structures which fall under Part 9 of the Alberta Building Code (housing and small buildings) and to determining soil-bearing capacities for those structures. Furthermore, he must practice under the supervision of a professional engineer for at least one year. He or his company must bear the costs of that supervision, including quarterly reports to APEGGA. An article not identifying the engineer or the permit holder was ordered to be published in The PEGG.

For the APEGGA Discipline Committee,
R. G. Chopiuk, P.Eng.
Director, Professional Practice