Innovation Spring 2026

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Professional practice inquiries

What are the documentation requirements when directly supervising a subordinate?

Direct supervision is fundamental to the practice of engineering and geoscience, ensuring work delegated by a registrant meets the requirements established by the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws and quality management standards, including the Guide to the Standard for Direct Supervision . These requirements are compliance obligations and may be audited by Engineers and Geoscientists BC under Individual and Firm Compliance Audit Programs. Documentation is a primary means of demonstrating that appropriate direct supervision occurred throughout the work and reflects the complexity and level of risk involved. As the registrant supervising the subordinate is taking ultimate responsibility for the work, they are responsible for ensuring records are kept that accurately reflect their level of involvement as deemed appropriate for the project. If Engineers and Geoscientists BC receives a complaint related to the work that was delegated, the supervising registrant will be asked for documented evidence of their direct supervision. Registrants may face disciplinary action if direct supervision is not adequately documented. Thorough documentation safeguards registrants and subordinates by clearly demonstrating that work was performed under appropriate direct supervision. Records should, at a minimum, include the scope of work, duties and responsibilities, communication plan (method, frequency, etc.), key decisions made and associated rationale, and any limitations with respect to the subordinate’s independent actions. Records must also indicate any concerns raised in the course of the

activities performed under direct supervision, how those concerns were addressed, and what corrective action, if any, was identified, approved, and undertaken. It is important for records to demonstrate that the registrant exercised direct supervision and decision making throughout the project, not merely at the final review stage. Simply being available for questions or signing off at the end does not meet the standard. Subordinates may assist the supervising registrant in demonstrating compliance by documenting and retaining working files that show what tasks were performed, guidance received, and when work was reviewed or revised following supervisory input. Documents, including calculations, field notes, and correspondence, form part of the project records and should be maintained in a manner that allows registrants to review, verify, and rely on the work. Registrants must keep complete project records, including those related to supervision, for at least ten years after project completion or ten years after documents in ongoing projects are no longer in use. This requirement supports continuity, decision-making, legal defensibility, and regulatory compliance. Whether records are maintained individually or through a firm’s Professional Practice Management Plan, they should be accessible, organized, and preserved in accordance with Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s requirements. Leane Holloway, MSc., GIT Practice Advisor

Regulatory Learning Module Practising registrants must complete the mandatory Regulatory Learning Module in the current reporting year (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026). This year’s module focuses on deepening awareness of Indigenous Peoples, their histories, and the ongoing impacts of colonization. Scan to see the course in the Knowledge Centre.

Innovation Spring 2026

13