OACETT IEPPE cheat sheet

Professional practice is regulated in Ontario under the Professional Engineers Act; a licensed professional engineer holds a P.Eng., while OACETT certifies engineering technologists (C.E.T.) and technicians (C.Tech.).

Scope-of-practice rule: work requiring professional engineering (design of works affecting public safety, signing/sealing engineering documents) is reserved to P.Eng. holders; certified technologists practise within their certified scope and under appropriate supervision where the Act requires.

The 'practice of professional engineering' includes design, evaluation, inspection, and reporting on engineering works where the work affects public safety, health, or welfare.

OACETT certification grades: C.Tech. (technician, typically 2-year diploma plus experience), C.E.T. (technologist, typically 3-year diploma plus experience), and associate/student categories.

Technologist deliverables must be traceable: calculations, assumptions, references, and approval signatures recorded so another competent practitioner can verify the work.

When scope of a task exceeds certified competence, the correct action is to escalate to a P.Eng. or qualified specialist rather than proceed independently.

Continuing competence is a condition of certification; OACETT requires ongoing professional development and periodic reporting.

Core ethical hierarchy: public safety, health, and welfare first; then client/employer interests; then professional reputation and personal interest.

Conflict-of-interest rule: disclose any financial or personal interest that could bias judgment; recuse when a reasonable observer would question objectivity.

Confidentiality applies to client information obtained in the course of work; exceptions are legal compulsion (court order, regulator), imminent danger to life, or client-authorized release.

Signing or sealing a document attests personal review and technical responsibility; endorsing work not reviewed is a falsification of professional record.

Gifts or inducements that could influence technical decisions must be declined or disclosed per employer policy.

Whistleblower duty: where an employer's action endangers public safety, the technologist must report internally first, then to the regulator or authority if unresolved.

Accountability means documenting decisions contemporaneously - a defensible record shows what was known, decided, and why at the time.

Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) establishes the internal responsibility system: employers, supervisors, and workers each have defined duties.

Employer duties under OHSA s.25 include providing a safe workplace, information, instruction, supervision, and prescribed protective equipment at no cost to the worker.

Worker rights under OHSA: right to know hazards, right to participate (JHSC), right to refuse unsafe work (s.43), and right to stop work in certain circumstances.

Work refusal procedure: report to supervisor, supervisor investigates with worker and a JHSC member/health and safety representative present; unresolved refusals go to an MLITSD inspector.

Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is required at workplaces with 20+ workers; certification of at least one worker and one management member is required at 20+ (and other prescribed) workplaces.

Critical injury and fatality notification: report immediately to the MLITSD, JHSC, and union; preserve the scene except to prevent further harm.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) requires labels, safety data sheets, and worker training for controlled products.

Hierarchy of authority: statute (Act) > regulation made under the Act > adopted standard/code > project specification > manufacturer instruction.

Ontario Building Code (OBC) is a regulation under the Building Code Act; compliance is verified through building permits and inspections by the principal authority.

Canadian Standards Association (CSA), ASTM, and National Building Code of Canada standards are often incorporated by reference; the edition referenced governs, not the newest edition.

A building permit is required before construction or alteration of most structures; work without a permit can trigger stop-work orders and demolition orders.

Environmental permits: Ontario Regulation 1/17 (Environmental Activity and Sector Registry) and Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECAs) under the Environmental Protection Act govern discharges to air, land, and water.

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) regulates fuels, boilers, pressure vessels, and elevating devices; installation requires TSSA-registered contractors and inspection.

Electrical work in Ontario is governed by the Electrical Safety Code and inspected by ESA (Electrical Safety Authority).

Drawing types: plan (top view), elevation (vertical face), section (cut view), detail (enlarged portion), and isometric/pictorial views.

Scale is the ratio of drawing dimension to real dimension; a 1:50 scale drawing means 1 unit on paper equals 50 units in reality.

Line conventions: object lines (thick continuous), hidden lines (dashed), centre lines (long-short dash), dimension/extension lines (thin continuous), and break lines.

Dimensioning rule: place dimensions on the view that best shows the feature; avoid duplicate dimensions; do not scale a drawing when a dimension is given.

Title block content: project name, drawing number, scale, date, revision, designer/checker initials, and professional seal where required.

Specification divisions follow MasterFormat (e.g., Division 03 Concrete, Division 05 Metals, Division 26 Electrical); the specification governs quality, the drawing governs quantity and location.

Revision control: superseded drawings must be marked void and removed from active use; a revision cloud and delta mark identify changed areas.

Critical path method (CPM): the critical path is the longest-duration path through the network; its total float equals zero, so any delay there delays project completion.

Float (slack) = late start − early start = late finish − early finish; total float is shared along a path, free float is available without delaying the successor.

Earned Value formulas: CV = EV − AC; SV = EV − PV; CPI = EV / AC; SPI = EV / PV; EAC ≈ BAC / CPI.

Cost variance interpretation: CPI < 1 means over budget per unit of work performed; SPI < 1 means behind schedule.

Contract types: lump sum (fixed price), unit price (measured quantities), cost-plus (time and material), and design-build; risk allocation shifts with contract type.

Change order control: any scope change requires documented authorization before execution; track against contingency and update the schedule baseline.

Three-point estimate: expected duration = (optimistic + 4×most likely + pessimistic) / 6 (PERT).

Quality assurance (process-focused, preventive) differs from quality control (product-focused, inspection and testing of outputs).

Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) defines hold points (work cannot proceed without sign-off) and witness points (notification required, work may proceed).

Sampling and acceptance: concrete compressive strength is assessed on cylinders tested at 7 and 28 days; slump and air content are tested at placement.

Non-conformance report (NCR) documents the deviation, disposition (rework, repair, use-as-is, reject), and corrective action to prevent recurrence.

Calibration of test equipment must be traceable to a national standard; out-of-calibration instruments invalidate results obtained with them.

Statistical process control uses control charts; a process is out of control when points exceed control limits or show non-random patterns (trends, runs).

Root cause analysis tools include the 5-Whys, fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram, and Pareto analysis of defect frequency.

Communication model: sender → encoding → medium → decoding → receiver, with feedback and noise as the distortion factors.

Active listening behaviours: paraphrasing, clarifying questions, summarizing, and withholding judgment until the speaker completes the point.

Written technical communication structure: purpose/scope, findings, recommendation, and supporting data; lead with the conclusion for decision-makers.

Conflict resolution sequence: address privately, focus on interests not positions, agree on facts first, then negotiate options.

Client expectation management: document scope, exclusions, and assumptions in writing; verbal agreements must be confirmed by email or memo.

Team roles (Belbin-style): coordinator, implementer, shaper, plant, resource investigator, monitor-evaluator, teamworker, completer-finisher, specialist - balance improves performance.

Escalation protocol: notify the appropriate level within the agreed timeframe and in writing when a risk to schedule, cost, or safety emerges.

Environmental Protection Act (Ontario) prohibits discharge of contaminants into the natural environment that causes or may cause an adverse effect.

Spill reporting: report spills immediately to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) Spills Action Centre (1-800-268-6060) and to the municipality where required.

Waste hierarchy, in order of preference: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover (energy), treat, dispose.

Environmental assessment (EA) process under the Environmental Assessment Act applies to public-sector and prescribed undertakings; Class EAs streamline routine projects.

Design for sustainability: life-cycle assessment, energy modelling, water conservation, low-impact development for stormwater, and material selection with recycled content.

Designated substances (e.g., asbestos, lead, silica) and excess soil management are regulated; soil must be characterized before off-site movement under Ontario Regulation 406/19.

Greenhouse gas accounting: Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (purchased energy), Scope 3 (value chain) emissions.

OACETT is governed by a Council and administered by a Registrar and staff; chapters provide local professional development and networking.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement: members maintain and report professional development activities on a defined cycle to retain certification.

Certification maintenance requires good standing: payment of annual fees, adherence to the Code of Ethics, and compliance with CPD reporting.

The OACETT Code of Ethics obliges members to hold public safety paramount, practise competently, maintain confidentiality, and avoid conflicts of interest.

Competency categories typically tracked: technical competence, communication, project/management skills, and ethical/legal knowledge.

Mentoring and volunteer chapter involvement count toward professional development and are recognized through OACETT awards and recognition programs.

Discipline process: complaints are reviewed by a Complaints Committee and may proceed to a Discipline Committee; sanctions range from caution to revocation of certification.

Document retention: keep design calculations, test records, and inspection reports for the period required by contract and statute; engineering records commonly retained for the life of the asset plus limitation period.

Limitation period in Ontario for civil claims is 2 years from discovery, with an ultimate 15-year limit from the act or omission.

Occupational Health and Safety re certification: the C.E.T./C.Tech. credential is a protected title; misrepresentation of certification is an offence.

Safety in design: apply the hierarchy of controls - eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrate, then PPE as the last line.

Risk assessment formula: risk = likelihood × severity; prioritize controls by reducing either factor.

Record keeping for permits: maintain inspection records, permits, and approvals on site and available to the inspector on request.

Ethical use of AI and software tools: the certified member remains responsible for the output; verify calculations and never seal unreviewed automated output.