abilities of a GE, CE and CEG???? 1

[pclcCEG]

I have run into a problem with the City of San Diego. They are saying that A civil engineer, a geotechnicl enginee,r or a Certified engineering Geologist Can NOT finalize a simple helical underpin project with out holding a special inspectors certificate from the city.. Furhter they say that to get the cerfitifcate you must firs obtain a special inspectors lisence from The city of los Angeles ( LABDS) los angeles building dept. The LABDS says that CE GE and CEG are exempt from soils test special indpection lisences. Here is the catch under their discription the area is considered GR grading and includes piles. It cleary states that for soil test areas CE, GE and CEG are exempt.

https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/dsdib320.pdf

https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-...ties-inspection-ib-p-bc2011-035.pdf?sfvrsn=34

To me this is simply outrageous . I am dealing with simple field technicians/ inspectors form the city of San Diego who are telling Me a CEG, my assoiates a CE and GE. That we cannot verify and finalize the recommendations that we wrote and have been implented.

If anyone knows and code sections or other code areas maybe the B and P codes that dispells this I would sure appreciate the help.

Imagine you write a report and reccoment driven piles to x feet deep and some tech form a city tells you you are not liscened to perform that function! as a CE GE or a CEG!

 

[oldestguy]

How about those engineers with a PE license? That would seem to be the main requirement for jobs like this.
It looks like those requirements are for inspectors, not engineers. Writing engineering reports is not usually (in my experience) anything inspectors do. It takes courses and degrees in engineering. Also if you are doing engineering, check on the requirements for insurance, since making a mistake can be very costly.

 

[pclcCEG]

Thanks I have e and o as does my firm. THe issue is how can an ispectors tell a professional CE GE or CEG that he can't verify the work that was based on the report he wrote.

 

[oldestguy]

One more from OG. Ok since when does an engineering course go into some of the details needed for construction, say bolt classifications as marked on the bolt, or calibrating a torque wrench, checking batching scales in a ready mix plant? Hell, I'd bet no engineer's training is fully suitable for complete construction inspection services. I once had an engineer helper fresh from his CE Masters degree who couldn't level a transit. That inspector's job is not likely anything fully taught in engineering classes.

 

[pclcCEG]

Not sure what you are saying , I and my associates have been doing underpinning for th elast 30 years I have over 40yearsexperince as a CEG. MY Ge partner a has 38 years as a civil an d was practicing soils long before there was even a GE lisence. NO the point if I get you correctly is that this inspector is way out of his area and has no business telling a registered professional that he has to get an inspectors certificate to finish the job he wrote the specs for.

 

[oldestguy]

Sure engineers with lots of experience can do all that the code requires checking of. However, considering the cost, more likely beginning small firms can't afford to have degree'd engineers doing work that competitors can do with technicians at lower cost. I say this where competition is tight, but if the job can afford expensive engineers doing what a trained tech can do at lower cost, so be it.
While supposedly engineers know all about these things and should be able to do technician work correctly I cite a field trip where a state agency was about to approve or deny a permit for a sanitary landfill site.. I requested that a test pit could be dug to aid in evaluating the site's soils. In opposition along comes a professor in charge of the geotech section at a large university. He proceeded to run a sand cone density test of the site upper clay layer. The jar was a 2 quart bottle and the cone maybe 4" diameter. Quite obviously he had never run this test routinely on production compaction jobs. In summary, his testimony failed miserably, while an experienced technician would have known better than to depend on the small sample, etc. So, how can a construction site owner know the capabilities of a degree'd, possibly phd, engineer as being trained or well experienced in some of the important job details not usually part of an engineer's formal training? Also, why pay the person at the going engineer's rate?
It's been many years now since those two situations and I have known these to engineers ever since. However, I would not trust either to certify construction of a garage, let along some uderpinning job.

 

[PEinc]

Since when does a designer have to also be the SI? Designing and inspecting are two different responsibilities/duties. The SI should be hired by the owner. I do/will not do SI. I don't mind yelling at my client contractor when they screw up, but I don't want the responsibility of reporting him to the city also. I tell my clients that the project needs SI for more than just items that I design. Therefore, let the owner hire an independent SI to inspect all required items on the project - concrete, welding, earthwork, steel erection, underpinning, etc.

http://www.PeirceEngineering.com