Definition of responsible chrage.

[32romeo]

OK, here's one for all the PE's out there.....how exactly would you define "responsible charge"? Would simply reviewing the drawings for accuracy before signing them meet the criteria? Or does it mean periodic review of drawings and calcs at every stage of project development? Perhaps it's easier to define what is NOT responsible charge than to define what IS responsible charge?
Just curious what other engineers think about this. Thanks.

 

[BJC]

All of the above plus the authority to change or direct a change of anything you want.
In other words your driving the mules, not riding int wagon checking the load.

 

[IRstuff]

The simple answer is that the person in "responsible charge" is where the buck stops, i.e., when the sh*t hits the fan, he can blame no one else, he can have no excuses.

Whatever it takes, therefore, to prevent that from happening is what is needed to done to be in "responsible charge."

TTFN

 

[whyun]

The definition varies slightly in each state and it has been changing over time.

California's definition can be found in

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/2006_boardrules.pdf

page 5.

 

[rday]

From Colorado's Revised Statutes

(14) "Responsible charge" means personal responsibility for the control and direction of engineering work within a professional engineer's scope of competence. Experience may only be classified as "responsible charge" if the engineer is licensed pursuant to this part 1, unless the work involves an activity exempted pursuant to section 12-25-103.

With additional information here:

http://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/Rules-PEPLS.pdf

 

[DRC1]

It means you are rsponsible for insuring to the public that engineering principals have been properly applied and that relevant sections of the code have been properly addressed. How you meet that obligation is up to you. It will probably vary with who is doing the work (a 30 year vetern or a new graduate) and the level of complexity (a simple modification on a residental house or a high rise structure). As a PE you need to be able to say "I believe this to be correct".