Innovation Fall 2024

PROFESSIONAL PRACTIC E

Professional practice inquiries

What should I do if asked by an approving authority to authenticate a form or assurance statement?

Geoscientists BC professional practice guidelines, or assurance statements developed by municipalities. One other exemption for authenticating administrative documents is during the Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s registration process. Professionals are allowed to certify an EIT or GIT applicant’s identity by authenticating a photocopy of appropriate documentation as a “true copy of the original.” When professionals are asked to authenticate a form that is not endorsed by Engineers and Geoscientists BC, they may consider whether simply providing their signature is adequate. If not, they should inform the requesting party that it is not appropriate to authenticate the form as per section 3.7.1.1 of the quality management guide referenced above and direct them to Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Guidance related specifically to insurance declarations is provided in the practice advisory, Sealing Insurance Declarations. Approving authorities wishing to have a form, assurance statement, or other document endorsed, can reach out to practiceadvisor@egbc.ca to discuss their request. To provide endorsement, Engineers and Geoscientists BC reviews the form to determine whether authentication is appropriate and if so, the review considers professional practice and ethical considerations, as well as a legal review.

The professional seal for engineers and geoscientists, along with the professional’s signature, date, and the permit to practice number, authenticates work products. This authentication indicates the opinions, judgements, or designs were provided by an appropriately registered and qualified individual who is held to high standards of knowledge, skill, and ethical conduct. As outlined in the Quality Management Guides – Guide to the Standard for the Authentication of Documents Section 3.7.1.1, before deciding whether to authenticate a work product, a professional should ask themselves the following three questions: 1. Does it contain information resulting from the practice of professional engineering or professional geoscience? 2. Is it complete for its intended purpose? 3.Will it be relied upon by others (whether for bidding, permitting, construction, implementation, use, or other reliance)? Sometimes engineers and geoscientists are asked to authenticate forms that are administrative in nature. If Engineers and Geoscientists BC has endorsed the authentication of administrative forms, it is acceptable for the professional to authenticate them. Appropriately endorsed documents can include assurance statements such as the Letters of Assurance in the BC Building Code, assurance statements from one of Engineers and

Amy Fehr, P.Eng. Practice Advisor

Upcoming Webinars For a complete list of our upcoming technical webinars, please visit egbc.ca/Events • Professional Practice Guidelines: Use and Development of Seismic Microzonation Maps in BC, September 26, 2024. egbc.ca/Events/Events/2024/24SEPSMM

Innovation Fall 2024

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