OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - 4

letterS to the editor

The comments below were originally posted on OSPE's June 7, 2017 Society Notes
blog post (www.blog.ospe.on.ca) 'Statement re: former engineer Robert Wood and
the Algo Centre Mall case', and was approved for re-printing in The Voice magazine
by the author.

A

s an engineer practicing for over forty years, I have seen a shift in attitude
- not the public perception of engineers - but from governments and purchasers of our services. In both cases the shift is driven by an attempt to reduce risk
of the purchaser of services from engineering companies. Governments impose
ever stricter contract terms that are unattainable to all but a few large companies.
Purchasing departments of private companies also impose onerous restrictions
on engineering contracts based on their purchasing policies of equipment or
supplies, not for professional services. There is then the trickle-down effect: large
engineering companies subcontracting engineering services imposing contracts
that they themselves would not sign.
As a profession, the general public holds engineering in high esteem - it is the
buyers of our services that do not. Worse is that we as engineers do not respect
what we do. The example of that is the Algo Centre Mall collapse. Had he respected
what engineers do he would have insisted his report stand and not altered it to
suit the client's request.
Before any changes to regulations will have any impact, we, as engineers, as a
profession, need to learn to respect what we do. We design beams and culverts easily
but lose sight that though it is simple, the advice we give, the designs we do, are
important. We need to insist that as a profession we are compensated properly for
what we do, and then and only then can we provide the service that is demanded.
We need to insist on terms that reflect what we do and not what the customer
demands (when we park in a private parking lot or structure, we are given terms
and conditions with the privilege to use the space - we do not have the option of
altering these terms). We need to establish our terms of service and not bend to
terms that are not realistic. This includes non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and
intellectual property (IP).
Let us all start by taking pride in what we do and our profession. Let us not compete on price for work; let us respect our fellow engineers; if terms and conditions
are not reasonable - then refuse the work. When we do, the necessary changes to
the regulations will have more meaning.
What happened at Algo Centre Mall was tragic and the actions taken by engineers was a wake-up call to our profession. Robert Wood is a name, an engineer, but
this is about how we as a profession practice engineering and not about the event.
It is about how engineering is carried out - the reports, the subsequent actions
taken. Robert Wood could have been any engineer on any project. Let us not use
Robert Wood as a scapegoat, but rather let us reflect on what we do and how we do
it and change. Not only our practices, but our pride in the engineering profession.
- Albert Schepers, P.Eng., OSPE Professional Member
Co-founder, GS Engineering Consultants Ltd.

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4

The VOICe

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September 2017

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PublIsher
Sandro perruzza
edITOr
Carolyn Skinner
COnTrIbuTOrs
Natalia bernatek
Chett bradley
Harleen brar
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - September 2017

OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - Cover1
OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - Cover2
OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - 3
OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - 4
OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - 5
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