P.E. Must Stamp all Engineering Work Products??? 2

[mrg2771]

I work at a small engineering design firm with several registered engineers. Most of our customer base is in the private sector and design work is generally associated with the repairing, modifiying, or upgrading the customer's equipment. Very rarly have we been asked to stamp drawings or reports that we submit. Ohio law states that all work must be stamped (see paragraph below).

"Plans, specifications, plats, reports, and all other engineering or surveying work products issued by a registrant shall be stamped with the seal or bear a computer-generated seal in accordance with this section, and be signed and dated by the registrant".

Is everyone else stamping all engineering work products even if the customer has not requsted it? If I issued some inspection reports with no stamp, am I in violation of the law?

Any comments would be appreicated.

 

[mrMikee]

mrg2771,

There was a discussion recently in thread507-150661 on plan stamping and is discussed on occasion in forum765. I don't have an answer to your question but it is interesting to me because I too am seldom asked to stamp drawings, mostly because of the manufactured nature of the product I design. You could also try searching this site for previous discussions.

Regards,
-Mike

 

[DaveAtkins]

It probably varies from State to State. Here in Wisconsin, the following buildings need not be stamped: federally-owned buildings; 1 and 2 family dwellings; buildings on Native American land; daycare centers and CBRF's serving 8 or less clients; some bed and breakfast inns; and most agricultural buildings.

DaveAtkins

 

[JStephen]

It might be worth a call to your state office to inquire.

Specifically, refer to 4733.18, which exempts practitioners from registration for "the performance of engineering or surveying which relates solely to the design or fabrication of manufactured products". Does that exemption cover your work?

If so, the question to ask the state board is: "If I'm doing work which by law is exempted from requiring registration, am I required to seal it just because I am registered?"

If the exemption doesn't cover your work, I'd seal it all. Refer to state rules to see if each page or a cover page must be sealed, or all items or only "final" items, etc.

There is a bit of prestige value in putting that seal on for your customers.

 

[archeng59]

the Ohio law appears to be the same as Oklahoma law. I seal and sign everything that provides engineering information even if the client doesn't request it. original drawings and reports, for example. If I have a stack of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of sketches or drawings (which is typical for a report), I create a cover letter and put my seal/signature on the cover letter. fee letters are the only thing I don't sign.