I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question/comment so if it belongs somewhere else just let me know.
I was renewing a PE license online today and had to certify that I would abide by the states ethical requirements. This was a new item so I decided to look up the pertinent law so that I knew what I was signing for.
One of the standards of conducts states, "Not delegate responsible charge or direct supervisory control to a non-licensed individual to provide professional services".
The firm I work (consulting engineering firm in the power business) for has set up the organization such that we have a chief designer who is responsible for "drawing coordination". I have no problem with that, however in practice this is the way it works. He decides what the framing layout should be, what type of lateral load resisting system should be employed, and indirectly the sizes of the members all on the basis of "that's all the room we have available".
I have spoken with my supervisor (the firms engineering manager) about this. I claim that the chief designer is doing structural engineering without a license. The engineering manager states that since I am the one doing the calculations then I'm doing the engineering. I claim that all I'm doing is certifying someone else's design over which I have very little control, and that this is getting awfully close to plan stamping.
I am considering contacting my states licensing board to get their take on this but thought I would like to hear from some practicing engineers who may be able to shed some additional light on this.
Thank you for your input.
I was renewing a PE license online today and had to certify that I would abide by the states ethical requirements. This was a new item so I decided to look up the pertinent law so that I knew what I was signing for.
One of the standards of conducts states, "Not delegate responsible charge or direct supervisory control to a non-licensed individual to provide professional services".
The firm I work (consulting engineering firm in the power business) for has set up the organization such that we have a chief designer who is responsible for "drawing coordination". I have no problem with that, however in practice this is the way it works. He decides what the framing layout should be, what type of lateral load resisting system should be employed, and indirectly the sizes of the members all on the basis of "that's all the room we have available".
I have spoken with my supervisor (the firms engineering manager) about this. I claim that the chief designer is doing structural engineering without a license. The engineering manager states that since I am the one doing the calculations then I'm doing the engineering. I claim that all I'm doing is certifying someone else's design over which I have very little control, and that this is getting awfully close to plan stamping.
I am considering contacting my states licensing board to get their take on this but thought I would like to hear from some practicing engineers who may be able to shed some additional light on this.
Thank you for your input.