Innovation Summer 2024

INNOVATION SUMMER 2024 | volume 28 number 2

VIEWPOINT

Duty to report is our responsibility

ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 | Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

Email: info@egbc.ca | Web: egbc.ca

As we collectively make our way through evolving technologies and intense weather events that create unpredictable engineering and geoscience conditions, we must remain diligent in our professional responsibility to protect the public and environment.

BOARD 2023/2024 C hair : M ichelle M ahovlich , ME ng , P.E ng ., P.G eo ., FCSSE V ice C hair : M ark P orter , P.E ng ., S truct .E ng . I mmediate P ast C hair : M ark A dams , P.E ng . BOARD MEMBERS B ill C han , CPA, CGA, MBA, ICD.D; L eslie H ildebrandt , ICD.D, LLB; V eronica K nott , P.E ng .; E mily L ewis , CPA, CMA; K aren L ing , P.E ng .; C athy M c I ntyre , MBA, C.D ir ; M ahsoo N aderi -D asoar , P.E ng .; M atthew S almon , P.E ng .; J ens W eber , P.E ng . EXECUTIVE TEAM H eidi Y ang , P.E ng ., FEC, FGC (H on .), C hief E xecutive O fficer L iza A boud , MBA, ABC, ICD.D, C hief O perating O fficer J ennifer C ho , CPA, CGA, C hief F inancial and A dministrative O fficer D avid P avan , R.PH., C hief R egulatory O fficer and R egistrar EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Ryan Bird, P.Eng.; Allen Heinrichs, P.Eng.; Mahsa Mohajerani, P.Eng.; Roozbeh Nemati, PMP, P.Eng.; Ian Rodriguez, EIT; Raya Smertina, P.Eng.; Aman Tanvir, P.Eng.; Stefano Vitucci, P.Eng. Innovation is published quarterly by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. As the official publication of the organization, Innovation is circulated to all registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC as well as architects, contractors and industry executives. The views expressed in any article do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Board or Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Sales Representative: Wing-Yee Kwong Tel: 604.681.1811 Email: advertising@egbc.ca For information see: www.egbc.ca/About/Publications/Innovation/How-to-Advertise SUBMISSIONS Innovation does not accept unsolicited articles or photos, but we do welcome article proposals and ideas. Proposals should be of interest and relevant to our readers and recognize the regulatory role of Engineers and Geoscientists BC in ensuring public safety and environmental protection. They should not be a "sales pitch" for a company or organization. Send suggestions to: innovation@egbc.ca. LETTERS Innovation welcomes letters from our readers. All submitted letters may be subject to editing for length, clarity or accuracy. We reserve the right to reject unsuitable letters and we do not publish open letters to third parties. Send letters to: innovation@egbc.ca REPRINTS & COPIES All material is copyright. For reprint permission or extra copies, contact: innovation@egbc.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS All registrants with Engineers and Geoscientists BC receive Innovation in print or digital form. Registrants can update their communication preferences for Innovation in their accounts at egbc.ca/account. Send print or digital subscription requests to: innovation@egbc.ca. MANAGING EDITOR Shelley Nicholl Printed in Canada by Mitchell Press Ltd. on recycled paper ADVERTISING SALES

As part of that commitment, it is our duty to report. The statutory duty to report is a requirement for registrants in the Code of Ethics and within the Professional Governance Act (PGA) . Specifically, we must report the “practice of an identified registrant when there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the identified registrant’s practice may pose a risk of significant harm to the environment or to the health and safety of the public or group of people.” In some cases, determining what should be reported will be obvious, such as identifying an incorrectly designed retaining wall. In other situations, it might be more difficult to recognize what should be reported, such as items not necessarily obvious at first glance like interior building designs or an ethical issue. If you are not sure, you can contact a practice advisor at Engineers and Geoscientists BC for help. The duty to report is not something to take lightly; failure to meet the duty to report is a breach of the Code of Ethics and the PGA and can lead to disciplinary action. However, registrants should be aware that, if they meet their duty to report, they are protected from reprisals. The Engineers and Geoscientists BC Investigation Committee is the independent statutory committee that investigates reports, which can include breaches of the PGA , Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws or the Code of Ethics that all registrants must abide by. The committee determines if the matter should be forwarded to the Discipline Committee, also an independent statutory committee created under the PGA , for consideration and adjudication. The duty to report is one of the tools we have to ensure that engineering and geoscience professionals and firms are meeting their statutory requirements. It is our duty to ourselves.

Michelle Mahovlich, MEng, P.Eng., P.Geo., FCSSE Board Chair info@egbc.ca

WEBSITE & DIGITAL EDITION www.egbc.ca/About/Publications/Innovation

ISSN 1206-3622 Publications Mail Agreement No 40065271. Registration No 09799. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Innovation , Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC V5C 6N2.

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Summer 2024

Innovation