Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
(OP)
I recently discovered another engineer providing engineering services to a city works department without a license. He created a report on a hydroelectric plant, covering the condition of the piping, generating capacity, cost estimates to return plant to operational condition. He also specified a couple of upgrade options to increase the generating capacity by using newer turbines.
As a licensed professional engineer, I am obligated by my state laws to file a complaint and allow them to investigate. My question is do I do this anonymous or do it "loud and proud"? I would like to do this type of work, and also do contract work with the city in the future. Putting my name on the complaint form won't help me build a positive reputation because it's a small town and word will get around. However, being anonymous is also not the most ethical way to go.
Thoughts?
As a licensed professional engineer, I am obligated by my state laws to file a complaint and allow them to investigate. My question is do I do this anonymous or do it "loud and proud"? I would like to do this type of work, and also do contract work with the city in the future. Putting my name on the complaint form won't help me build a positive reputation because it's a small town and word will get around. However, being anonymous is also not the most ethical way to go.
Thoughts?





RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Regards
Pat
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RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Sometimes, if the complainer comes across as someone who just complained to "steal the work" from the hard working, but unlicensed engineer it can hurt the complainer with potential clients. On the other hand if he comes across as someone interested in protecting public safety then he might do OK. Complaining is not without risks.
David
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
In the described case, the municipality should be making a complaint as well, since in every state law I've read, there is a clear obligation for reports such as this to be signed and sealed by a licensed professional engineer.
The OP could go to the municipality and point out that they also violated the law and entice them to make the complaint or he could make the complaint directly.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
This board provides a copy of the complaint to the person accused in the complaint as part of the fact-finding mission.
David, I'm not even sure that the person is an engineer. Nothing in any articles that I can find state his qualifications, background, experience. All I can find is that he is a "consultant" for green energy. (My mistake in the original post - I called him an engineer but I don't know that is the case.)
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Peter Stockhausen
Senior Design Analyst (Checker)
Infotech Aerospace Services
www.infotechpr.net
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Personally, I don't entertain complaints from anyone lacking the intestinal fortitude to identify himself.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
What did the RFP or RFQ ask for, assuming that there was one, and there should have been?
Do some further research here to avoid any embarrasment on your part.
Having worked for the City of Seattle in the past, it sounds real funny to me that the local jurisdiction would not have picked up on the PE requirement.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
David
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Is he making construction drawings?
The guy could be a retired operator of a hydro plant, a pipe fitter etc. As long as he is qualified and not really engineering.
He could be recomending new turbines based on general industry knowledge. He could be saying "I recommend an engineering study to evaluate the Acme Turbine. etc. etc.
Jupming in without all the facts will usually endear you to the board. If you kow whats going on and it's wrong sign your name.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
David
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
[quote Civil engineering embraces the following studies or activities in connection with fixed works for irrigation, drainage, waterpower, water supply, flood control, inland waterways, harbors, municipal improvements, railroads, highways, tunnels, airports and airways, purification of water, sewerage, refuse disposal, foundations, grading, framed and homogeneous structures, buildings, or bridges:
(a) The economics of, the use and design of, materials of construction and the determination of their physical qualities.
(b) The supervision of the construction of engineering structures.
(c) The investigation of the laws, phenomena and forces of nature.
(d) Appraisals or valuations.
(e) The preparation or submission of designs, plans and specifications and engineering reports.
(f) Coordination of the work of professional, technical, or special consultants.
(g) Creation, preparation, or modification of electronic or computerized data in the performance of the activities described in subdivisions (a) through (f).
Civil engineering also includes city and regional planning insofar as any of the above features are concerned therein.]
TTFN
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RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
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"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
If you haven't done yet, read the full report. You'll see what I mean. I'm sure it lacks the specifics and more on generalities with the technical recommendations.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Sounds like Seattle City Light. They have been know to hire some of their retired buddys as consultants. If not retired buddies then other friends and relatives.
There's not a lot of people out there that know hydro. The ACOE has a lot, Bonneville power and TVA have some.
For the right kind of report I'de hire a retired operator, warn him about engineering and probabley get more information that I would from a real engineers report.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
True -but you might have got your brother in law ( or retired buddy etc.) some easy money.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
If it's just a matter of reporting because the law says you need to, but you don't know of any really vital issues involved, go with the anonymous tip. If it's ignored, it's the board ignoring it, not you.
From your descrition, it's not altogether clear that the report IS engineering.
"condition of the piping"- this is covered by inspectors in their reports all the time, and isn't necessarily engineering
"generating capacity"- that sounds like it could be pretty variable. If he surveyed the place and added up the capacity of each generator, that's not exactly engineering either.
"cost estimates to return plant to operational condition"- Contractors do cost estimating, and it isn't normally considered engineering
"He also specified a couple of upgrade options to increase the generating capacity by using newer turbines"- that would be pretty dependent on the nature of the recommendation/ specification. If I tell you to scrap your Model T and get a new car, am I practicing engineering?
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
I like your suggestion about reporting it anonymously and letting the board decide if they want to act on it.
Yes, putting my name on a complaint would be a career limiting move to make. That is not something that I wish to do.
I don't know for sure if the report does actual engineering. I'm trying to get a copy of it, but the description of the overall work (as described in newspaper articles) appears to be engineering work. The city wants $50 to provide me with a copy of the report and I'm not willing to pay for it. My hope is they have an electronic copy they can e-mail at no charge.
Cedar Bluff Engineering
http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
You do not even know if something wrong has occurred.
What are your motives? To be "pure" to the law and your profession . . . so you are telling me you never softened the blow with a client by not telling them the whole unadulterated truth? Or are you jealous?
Do no harm is something to think about, especially if the city did not want professional engineering services but just an opinion (did the report require a PE stamp?).
My recommendation . . . forget it and spend more time developing your business. You could be damaging some folks who don't need the damage and you seem to have admitted you don't have the whole story.
RE: Anonymous vs. non-anonymous complaint to licensure board
Regards
Pat
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