WAC 196-27A-020   Fundamental canons and guidelines for professional conduct and practice.  Registrants are to safeguard life, health, and property and promote the welfare of the public. To that end, registrants have obligations to the public, their employers and clients, other registrants and the board.

     (1) Registrant's obligation to the public.

     (a) Registrants are obligated to be honest, fair and timely in their dealings with the public, their clients and other licensed professionals.

     (b) Registrants must be able to demonstrate that their final documents and work products conform to accepted standards.

     (c) Registrants must inform their clients or employers of the harm that may come to the life, health, property and welfare of the public at such time as their professional judgment is overruled or disregarded. If the harm rises to the level of an imminent threat, the registrant is also obligated to inform the appropriate regulatory agency.

     (d) Registrants shall maintain their competency by continuing their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those individuals under their supervision.

     (e) Registrants shall be objective and truthful in professional documents, reports, public and private statements and testimony; all material facts, and sufficient information to support conclusions or opinions expressed, must be included in said documents, reports, statements and testimony. Registrants shall not knowingly falsify, misrepresent or conceal a material fact in offering or providing services to a client or employer.

     (f) Registrants shall offer their services in a truthful, objective, professional manner that effects integrity and fosters public trust in the engineering and land surveying professions.

     (g) Registrants should endeavor to extend the public knowledge of engineering and land surveying.

     (h) Registrants shall accurately represent their academic credentials, professional qualifications and experience.

     (i) Registrants may advertise professional services only in ways that are representative of their qualifications, experience and capabilities.

     (j) Registrants shall forbid the use of their name or firm name by any person or firm that is engaging in fraudulent or dishonest business or professional practices.

     (2) Registrant's obligation to employer and clients.

     (a) Registrants are expected to strive with the skill, diligence and judgment exercised by the prudent practitioner, to achieve the goals and objectives agreed upon with their client or employer. They are also expected to promptly inform the client or employer of progress and changes in conditions that may affect the appropriateness or achievability of some or all of the goals and objectives of the client or employer.

     (b) Registrants and their clients should have a clear and documented understanding and acceptance of the work to be performed by the registrant for the client. The registrant should maintain good records throughout the duration of the project to document progress, problems, changes in expectations, design modifications, agreements reached, dates and subject of conversations, dates of transmittals and other pertinent records consistent with prudent professional practice.

     (c) Registrants shall seal only documents prepared by them or under their direct supervision as required by RCW 18.43.070.

     (d) Registrants shall be competent in the technology and knowledgeable of the codes and regulations applicable to the services they perform.

     (e) Registrants must be qualified by education or experience in the technical field of engineering or land surveying applicable to services performed.

     (f) Registrants may accept primary contractual responsibility requiring education or experience outside of their own fields of competence, provided, their services are restricted to those parts and aspects of the project in which they are qualified. Other qualified registrants shall perform and stamp the work for other parts and aspects of the project.

     (g) Registrants shall act as faithful agents or trustees in professional matters for each employer or client.

     (h) Registrants shall advise their employers or clients in a timely manner when, as a result of their studies and their professional judgment, they believe a project will not be successful.

     (i) Registrants shall avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest, with their employers or clients. Registrants must promptly inform their employers or clients of any business association, interest, or circumstances that could influence their judgment or the quality of their services or would give the appearance that an existing business association, interest, or circumstances could result in influencing their judgment or the quality of their services.

     (j) Registrants shall accept compensation from only one party for services rendered on a specific project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to by the parties of interest.

     (3) Registrant's obligation to other registrants.

     (a) If registrants issue statements, critiques, evaluations or arguments on engineering or land surveying matters, they shall clearly indicate on whose behalf the statements are made.

     (b) Registrants shall negotiate contracts for professional services fairly and on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications for the type of services required.

     (c) Registrants shall respond to inquiries from other registrants regarding their work in a timely, fair and honest manner as would be expected from a prudent practitioner.

     (4) Registrant's obligation to the board.

     (a) Registrants shall cooperate with the board by providing, in a timely manner, all records and information requested in writing by the board, or their designee.

     (b) Registrants shall respond to, or appear before the board at the time, date and location so stated in a legally served board order.

     (c) Registrants shall notify the board of suspected violations of chapter 18.43 or 18.235 RCW or of these rules by providing factual information in writing to convey the knowledge or reason(s) to believe another person or firm may be in violation.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.43.035. 02-23-027, § 196-27A-020, filed 11/12/02, effective 12/13/02.]