This is not a new law. The only thing that is new is that ‘engineering work’ is now defined. You need to study the definition for yourself. I will highlight some aspects for you to hopefully jolt you into action before you are labelled a criminal, with a huge fine to your name.
You are doing engineering work at a technician, technologist or engineer level if you:
• Manage plant control systems. Maintenance supervisors beware.
• Maintain control systems. Maintenance staff beware.
• Plan software applications that influence any part of process control systems such as MES type applications. System integrators and MES practitioners beware.
• Design and develop signal processing algorithms and implement these through appropriate choice of hardware and software. Sales teams and MES practitioners beware.
• Design, specify, implement control and instrumentation of plant processes. System integrators, consultants, sales teams and maintenance teams beware.
• Organise and direct maintenance and repair of existing telecommunication systems, networks and equipment. Maintenance staff beware.
• Organise and direct maintenance and repair of existing telecommunication systems, networks and equipment. Maintenance staff beware.
• Advise on and design computer-based systems or components, systems equipment, software and distribution centres. System integrators, MES practitioners and sales teams beware.
• Design and develop complex computer-based systems, implement these through the appropriate choice of hardware, and manage the development of the necessary software. System integrators, MES practitioners and sales teams beware.
• Maintain and repair existing computer-based systems, networks and equipment. Maintenance staff beware.
These are but a handful of the examples mentioned in the ‘Identification of Engineering Work Regulations’ document published in the Government Gazette in March 2021. It is your responsibility as a practitioner to establish whether the work you are doing falls into the engineering work category or not, and to take appropriate action, whatever qualification you may or may not have.
Be warned, ignorance of the law is no excuse. For more information, visit the ECSA or SAIMC websites. Time is running out, as from 1 May 2025 you could be prosecuted for doing engineering work.
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