The Board has viewed with concern the low registration number of existing Inspector of Works (IOW) as on 31st January 2018. A possible reason is that many IOWs and their Employers (Engineering Consulting Practices) are not fully aware of the consequences of IOWs not registering during this transition grace period given for all existing IOWs to preserve their existing rights to work in this area.
There are several consequences for existing IOWs for failing to register by the given deadline which are highlighted below:-
- Existing IOWs without the stipulated qualifications for new IOWs will not be allowed to be registered as IOW. Qualifications such as SPM, Architectural, Drafting, Quantity Surveyor, Land Surveyor and Geology will not be considered. Those with Engineering Certificate qualifications will not be considered after end of 2018.
- Existing IOW having the stipulated qualifications to be registered as IOW will have to undergo the process of applying as a new IOW with the attendant internship period. During his internship he is not qualified to certify completion of any works he supervised which shall be done by his immediate superior (registered IOW or Site Supervising Engineer). He is not allowed to work unsupervised on any site.
The ECP and/ or the Professional Engineer with Practising Certificate (PEPC) in charge of the ECP under Section 7B (2) (d) of Registration of Engineers Act 1967 (REA) shall ensure that only registered IOWs and those under internship are deployed to their project sites.Failing which the ECP and/or the PEPC shall be liable for disciplinary action and to be charged under Section 24 of REA for employment of unregistered IOW(s) to carry out supervision of engineering works on site. This should apply to IOWs seconded over from the Clients to them.
The Board has agreed to extend the deadline to register existing IOWs under the employment of ECPs to 31st August 2018.