Professional Fines 2

[BobPE]

Was in a State PE board web site and stumbled across this action the took. It was among many actions posted, but I was drawn to this one because of the $$$ stated for a fine.


MR. XXXXX, no license, of Conneautville, Crawford County was assessed a civil penalty of three thousand nine hundred dollars ($3900.00) and ordered to immediately cease and desist from the practice of engineering in any manner whatsoever because he practiced the profession without holding a license to do so in the Commonwealth.


I have been noticing that fines have been increasing over the years...I think the future of many states may be to look at our practice as a general revenue funding machine...It seems that unlicensed practice is among those law infractions that draw the highest fines...but I also see paper work type infratctions generating large fines....like not renewing your license in a timely fashion....

The question I pose is: What do members of the forum feel about fines and such?

BobPE

 

[QCE]

I think the fine is the only way to go.

I would rather be fined $4000 from the engineering association than be fined a couple million dollars for a bridge collapsing and killing people.

 

[epoisses]

Me too... I guess that fine is not going to stop him! (unless I really overestimate the US engineers' salaries).

 

[swertel]

I think more fines for engineers practicing without a license is most welcome, and about time. Engineers often get a bad rep because of so many non-engineers practicing engineering. The state boards need to take a more pro-active approach in limiting this negligence.

--Scott

For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376

 

[dporte17]

In a slightly different case, our board assigns a fine to engineers found negligent which is proportional to the cost of the hearing/investigation. Why not apply that to non-engineers found guilty of practicing?

In the end we will be able to have a self-funding body that will be able to police non-engineers practicing.

I know, there are a whole host of issues with that, but it could be the other end of the continuum from where we are now, with the goal of ending up with a system somewhere in the middle.

Dave

 

[TheTick]

referring to the initial post...

What discipline was this gentleman practicing? (Civil, mecahnical, other...) I looked, but could not find more information beyond the state report online.

 

[BobPE]

TheTick:

I do not believe the PE Board made reference to the division of practice in the disposition. I believe they only limited the fine to the practice of "engineering" with no consideration as to what area.

BobPE

 

[NickelMet]

The state in which I practice posts actions against such people (engineers and land surveyors) on a monthly basis. I've seen fines as high as $10,000 (US) but also legal actions, ethics training classes, etc. as additional "punishment". I haven't noticed the fines for not doing the paperwork or paying fees though.

I think it is a good thing to do, this "policing" of the engineering community. The chaff needs separated from the wheat every now and then. And bad engineering is more readily publicized than good engineering. (Think about it...it's true.) A good image is much harder to maintain than no image at all.

Also, I don't know to what level the information is being shared, but a national database here in the USA concerning state engineering board actions would probably be beneficial, if it hasn't already been created. People and companies can switch locations so quickly these days. Tracking the bad apples seems a very plausible thing to do. Anyone know if such a beast exists?

~NiM