Engineers and Geoscientists BC OQM program – innovative idea to a national success

Marg Latham, P. Eng., CMCAqua Libra Consulting Ltd.

What you can expect?

About:

• What it takes to develop and implement a

profession-wide quality management program

• How the bar for professional practice

(engineering and geoscience) quality

management is being raised

• Successful implementation more than an

excellent quality program or QMS

Your Speaker TodayMarg Latham, P.Eng., CMCPresident, Aqua Libra Consulting Ltd:• Consultant since 2011 for Engineers and

Geoscientists BC (“the Association”)• Instrumental in developing the Association’s

OQM Program and Certification• Has assisted over 140 applicant organizations in

their quest for OQM Certification• Assists other clients in improving quality

management and professional practice

Engineers and Geoscientists BC • Regulator for engineering and geoscience

professionals• Governed by Engineers and Geoscientists

Act of BC• Continuously seeking ways to improve

professional practice

The Problem

What were the issues?

Years of the Association’s practice review with findings primarily about:• Professional practice quality management• Not technical knowledge and competence

Quality assurance in professional practice influenced at two levels:1. At an individual level through the practice of

engineering and geoscience professionals• Regulated by Engineers and Geoscientists

BC 2. At an organizational level through QM

policies and procedures implemented by engineering organizations• No mandated authority to regulate

What were the issues?

What was needed?• Voluntary program that organizations would

choose to implement• Adoptable by:

– Any organization employing engineers or geoscientists

– Sole practitioners up to large multi-nationals– Public and private sector organizations– In all sectors

What was needed?• Program that provided benefits to attract

applicants• Guidance to organizations about how to

support their professionals in meeting their quality management obligations

The Project - Developing and Implementing OQM

Developing OQM

• Concept• OQM Committee• Pilot Program in 2010• Development/ industry reviews in 2011• Communication/ winning over Naysayers• Editing and Legal Review in 2012• Launch in fall of 2012

Implementing OQM

• Communicating and Marketing Value• Training Applicant Organization Reps• Publicizing OQM-Certified Organizations

The Solution!

The Organizational Quality Management (OQM) Program

Applying applicable Engineers and Geoscientists BC Professional Practice Guidelines

Retaining project documentation for 10 years

Checking of engineering and geoscience work

Carrying out independent review of structural designs

Authenticating documents using Engineers and Geoscientists BC seals Directly supervising all delegated

engineering and geoscience work

Carrying out field reviews during construction or implementation

Mandated Quality Management Obligations

Why OQM When we have ISO 9001?

• ISO 9001:– Spans organization and

industries– Doesn’t deal with “How?”

• OQM:– Digs deep into professional

practice quality management– Speaks to “How?”

OQM Manual• Section 1: Introduction and Use of OQM

Manual• Section 2: Engineers and Geoscientists BC

Professional Practice Guidelines• Section 3: Retaining Project Documentation• Section 4: Checking Engineering and

Geoscience Work• Section 5: Independent Review of Structural

Designs• Section 6: Use of Engineers and

Geoscientists BC Seal• Section 7: Direct Supervision• Section 8: Field Reviews• Section 9: Implementing OQM

Testimonials

“Good clear language and easy to read”

“Checklists seem thorough and should be very useful in guiding adoption and adherence to the guidelines”

“Well presented manual”

OQM Certification

• Voluntary and market-driven• Recognition• Flexible options to meet criteria• Issued for one year• Random Practice Review exemption

OQM Certification

• Fees based on number of professionals • Policies and procedures consistent with

OQM requirements • Attestation signed by senior professional

registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC

• Annual renewal and review of substantive changes to policies and procedures

• OQM audits on site every 5 years

OQM Training and Support

• Webinars for professionals registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC about Quality Management Guidelines

• Day-long training for organizations about how to implement OQM Program

• OQM Launch Assist

The Achievements – OQM Success

In Review

Launch September 6, 2012

OQM Reception April 25, 2012 CSAEACEAwardSeptember26, 2013

1st

Training SessionNov 20,

2012

1st CertificatesIssuedMarch 20, 2012 Marsh Canada Limited

5% discount

Who’s Certified?

Photo credit: Mits Naga Photography

“We are very proud to have achieved this certification.” Jerry Dobrovolny, General Manager

Engineering Services, City of Vancouver

• Size of OQM certified firms

Who’s Participating?

• Sectors represented by OQM certified firms

Who’s Participating?

Who’s Participating?• Business in Vancouver (local business

newspaper) publishes lists of largest firms in various categories

• Of the 21 largest consulting engineering firms in the BIV, 18 are already certified

• Many were already ISO 9001 certified, but still saw value in OQM

Testimonials• “As a company, Sacré-Davey Engineering Inc.

had been searching for a technical quality management program (other than ISO) for quite some time. We had made various attempts at implementing our own programs, all unsuccessfully. I was given the opportunity to review a draft version of the OQM, and realized it could be just what we needed. I presented the OQM program to the rest of our management team, and it was immediately accepted.”

William J. Alcock, Vice PresidentSacré-Davey Engineering Inc.

Testimonials

“I’ve belonged to 3 APEG associations and two other professional societies for over 30 years. I’ve never seen a program as directly useful to our company and members as this one! We have implemented it for all of our professionals in all jurisdictions.”

Rick Coueffin, P.Eng., PMPDirector of Engineering & Project Management,

Allnorth

Testimonials

“OQM works very well with our existing Integrated Management System (ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 approved) and together these standards help us to achieve our goals for excellence and continual improvement.”

Shannon Gross.Knight Piésold Ltd.

How is OQM Improving Quality• Better understanding of QM obligations• Educating clients and authorities about

expectations and mandated practices• OQM certification as selection criteria for

professional engineering and geoscience• Underwriters seeing value/ providing rebates• Conversations about improving quality

Looking Ahead

Within BC• Impact of recent high profile failures (Mount

Polley and Algo Mall) • Revisiting regulation of engineering and

geoscience organizations in BC• Role of OQM • Continuing to raise the bar for professional

practice quality management in BC• And Canada . . .

OQM Across CanadaEngineers Canada• Umbrella group for provincial regulators• Currently investigating the feasibility of

OQM applying outside of BC• 6 firms from 6 provinces volunteered to

become OQM-certified to demonstrate viability of OQM outside of BC

OQM-Certified Firms across North America

Questions?