Mechanical or Civil or both

[Atwerp]

I am writing to get clarification on the qualifications of professional mechanical engineers in California.

Under the California Professional Engineers Act, Section 6731.6 and 6734.2 the duties of a mechanical engineer are defined in broad terms. I am looking for further clarification on a specific application. The question is related to soil and groundwater remediation equipment. The remediation equipment typically consists of a series of extraction wells, electrical or pneumatic submersible pumps, underground trenching and conveyance piping, above ground piping, a vapor extraction vacuum blower/ventilator, a vapor thermal/catalytic oxidizer, and water treatment equipment including pumps, particulate and carbon filter vessels, and electronic controls.

It is assumed that the extraction wells will be located and designed by a licensed Civil Engineer or Professional Geologist


The question is can a licensed mechanical engineer do any of the following?
1. Design/specify the in-situ equipment including submersible pumps and trenching and conveyance piping?

2. Design/specify the above ground vapor and water treatment and filter systems.

3. Prepare periodic operations and monitoring reports for the treatment systems

Thank you very much.

 

[jte]

Atwerp-

I think you need to keep reading the act:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/pe_act.pdf

I think you'll find that the excemption in Section 6747 may apply to your case, thus making even a mechanical PE unnecessary. For example, there is no Califonia requirment for a vessel designed to ASME VIII Div. 1 or a pipe system to ASME B31.3 to be under the responsible charge of a PE.

6747. Exemption for industries
(a) This chapter, except for those provisions that apply to civil engineers and civil engineering, shall not apply to the performance of engineering work by a manufacturing, mining, public utility, research and development, or other industrial corporation, or by employees of that corporation, provided that work is in connection with, or incidental to, the products, systems, or services of that corporation or its affiliates.
(b) For purposes of this section, “employees” also includes consultants, temporary employees, contract employees, and those persons hired pursuant to third-party contracts.

jt

 

[Atwerp]

I am not sure how that applies here. I don't think we fit into any of these catagories "manufacturing, mining, public utility, research and development, or other industrial corporation, or by employees of that corporation, provided that work is in connection with, or incidental to, the products, systems, or services of that corporation or its affiliates."

I admit, I don't understand exactly what that section is trying to say.

 

[jte]

Atwerp-

Call the board of registration. I've spoken with them a few times and they're willing to provide guidance on issues like this. My interpretation is that your described activities fall into this extremely broad excemption.

jt