New Course Alert: Georgia Laws, Rules, and Ethics for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors now have another course available for PDH continuing education

By: Ryan Malone
Published: 12/18/2022

This Georgia Laws, Rules, and Ethics course satisfies 3 of the 30 hours of Professional Development Hours (PDH) required for Georgia licensed professional engineers and 3 of the 15 required hours for Georgia licensed Professional Land Surveyors. This PDH Course is designed as a distance learning interactive course that allows the Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor to review the cannons of ethics and legal aspects that govern the practice of professional engineering and land surveying in the state of Georgia.

In addition to meeting education, experience, and examination requirements the professional engineer or land surveyor must become familiar with state law and rules to practice engineering or land surveying in any state.  The laws and rules vary from state to state, but the basic requirements for qualifications and professional conduct are very similar throughout the United States.

Many state boards publish disciplinary actions taken against licensees who violate board rules.  The most common types of violations are:

1. Performed services outside the area of competence
2. Practiced engineering or land surveying without being licensed in the state of the project
3. Practiced or offered to practice engineering or land surveying without being properly licensed
4. Failed to properly sign, seal, and date documents.
5. Sealed work not done under direct supervision or responsible charge
6. Sealed inadequate design documents, failing to protect the public

Other types of violations include:

1. Produced a deficient, substandard, or inaccurate report, failing to protect the public
2. Contracted with non-licensed person to provide a professional service
3. Conflict of interest
4. Committed a crime

To avoid these or other violations, professional engineers or land surveyors should periodically review the Board Law and Rules.  As a professional engineer or land surveyor, the licensee must recognize the obligation to protect the safety, health, property, and welfare of the public.  If a licensee’s engineering judgement is overruled under circumstances where the safety, health, or welfare of the public is endangered, the licensee shall inform the proper authorities and employer of the situation.