5 Guidelines for Engineering Practice (Professional Engineers Ontario)

 

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)

Professional Engineers Ontario also known as PEO, is a regulating and licensing authority in the Ontario province of Canada. It expects so much from its engineers who work in this Canadian province. Those engineers must follow some guidelines and rules so that engineering practice and credibility remain with a spotless image.

The main role of engineers working there is to positively contribute to the economy of the province and the country. Therefore, the authority has set some guidelines so that engineers work under a particular limit and follow some specific rules, which will bring the desired results in the country’s economy.

So, if you are preparing for the license to work in Ontario as a professional and engineer, then you must take into account the 5 guidelines for Professional Engineering practice. There are more guidelines for engineers in the province, but we have prepared the 5 most important ones. So, read them one by one and have a better understanding.

5 engineering practice guidelines for a professional engineer in Ontario:

1.   You must use the Professional Engineers’ Seal

You will be provided a seal with your license. Its use is governed by section 53, O. Reg. 941, which clearly states that every engineer, whether they listed on a certificate of authorization, to seal documents prepared or checked by them that are provided to the public as a Professional Engineering service part. You can know the Professional Engineers Ontario or PEO policies for acceptable utilization of the seal given in the guidelines for use of the Professional Engineer’s Seal.

2.   Make healthy relations with employers and clients

You must manage client and employer expectations about the service you are expected to provide. It is a must for you. You have to serve your clients and employers with integrity and objectivity; you must leave no stone unturned in performing given duties in a professional manner.

However, you should also set realistic expectations about the service you provide, and how quickly the task can be completed.

3.   Record all communications

a professional engineer has to record all communications done in a project with proper details so that they may be able to recreate the events in the future.

That’s why email, letters, etc. are more preferred to oral communications. It is because most of the communication happening in a project is oral. You must form the habit of keeping journals. You must make notes during every important conversation or meeting.

It’s wise to use phone logs to keep track of all calls made and tried. In any oral communication, the main conversation parts must be rephrased and repeated back to the client, contractor, employer or any other party to verify that everybody included in the project understands clearly every point and agrees with that.

4.   Always remember to cover confidential information

Section 77(3) of O. Reg. 941/90 deals with confidentiality. It is clearly mentioned that a professional engineer must not leak any information that is sensitive to their employers’, clients’ business to third parties unless they are authorized by their clients or employers or required to do so by the law.

Unreserved communication between engineers, employers or clients is important for delivering professional services efficiently. Your employers and clients must feel that all correspondence between them and you is 100% secure. Confidentiality is an integral part of any business, and the same goes here. Even after when you stop working with them or for them, you must keep the dignity of your professional ethics and not share such sensitive information with anybody so that it cannot be misused.

5.   Make some limits in volunteering

Though your professional engineering experience and knowledge can be valuable for condominium boards, non-profit groups, social organizations and other civic institutions, professional engineers working as volunteers in such organizations must not give engineering services like analysis, design or offer professional opinions.

You must limit your input to explaining technical issues to co-volunteers and constituents, giving a description of the need for professional engineering input and preparing requests for proposals for engineering services.