INNOVATION January-February 2012

r egu la tor y notes

In the May/June 2011 issue of Innovation , we discussed global quality management and the status of the Organizational Quality Management (OQM) program as it progresses towards implementation. In the September/October 2011 issue, we highlighted the new quality management bylaw, Bylaw 14(b), which came into effect in December 2010. This second article focused on the requirement that documented quality control processes must be put in place to deal with the retention of documents, checks, independent review of structural projects, the use of seal, direct supervision and field reviews. The article also related that a multi-disciplinary consultation was underway, channeled through the OQM Committee, for the preparation and drafting of quality management guidelines. That effort has now concluded and has resulted in six guidelines to be approved by the APEGBC Council: • Quality Management Guidelines – Use of the APEGBC Professional Seal • Quality Management Guidelines – Direct Supervision • Quality Management Guidelines – Retention of Project Documentation • Quality Management Guidelines – Documented Checks of Engineering and Geoscience Work • Quality Management Guidelines – Independent Review of Structural Designs • Quality Management Guidelines – Field Review of Projects During Implementation or Construction. While the guidelines on the use of seal and the independent review of structural designs are updates of existing guidelines, the other four guidelines are completely new. In conjunction with the quality management bylaw, they will provide guidance and establish a standard of care for members and licensees to follow in their practices. Quality Management Guidelines – Use of the APEGBC Professional Seal Section 20(9) of the Engineers and Geoscientists Act (Act) is the provision dictating the use of the APEGBC professional seal and the foundation of these updated guidelines. This new version deals more particularly with the notion of professional responsibility and covers a range of quality management practices related to the authentication of engineering and geoscience documents. It also discusses the reasons for sealing professional documents, and provides a wide-ranging discussion on the requirements and circumstances for the use of the APEGBC seal. The guidelines contain extensive tabulated information on the types of documents and circumstances where the APEGBC seal must, or in some cases should not, be applied. Quality Management Guidelines – Direct Supervision While it is mentioned in the Bylaws of the Association, direct supervision is defined in section 1(1) of the Act . The updated guidelines provide basic and general guidance, introduce the notions of “active involvement” and of “adequate supervision,” discuss the responsibility for engineering or geoscience decisions when direct supervision is in effect, and present considerations with respect to experience when delegating professional tasks. The guidelines also contain a range of scenarios that illustrate the delegation of engineering and geoscience work and the application of direct supervision in accordance with the definition found in the Act . New Quality Management Guidelines on the Way

Gilbert Larocque PEng LLB CD Associate Director, Professional Practice

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