2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 5 - Businesses and Professions › Chapter 5-8 - Engineers › Section 5-8-2. - Definitions.

§ 5-8-2. Definitions.
As used or within the intent of this chapter:
(a)
“Accredited program” means specific engineering curricula within established institutions of higher learning that have both met the criteria of, and have been designated by, the following commissions of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (“ABET”): the Engineering Accreditation Commission (“ABET-EAC”) and the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (“ABET-ETAC”).
(b)
“Board” means the state board of registration for professional engineers subsequently provided by this chapter.
(c)
“Department” means the department of business regulation.
(d)
“Director” means the director of the department of business regulation or his or her designee.
(e)
“Engineer” means a person who, by reason of his or her special knowledge and use of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences and the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design, acquired by engineering education and engineering experience, is qualified to practice engineering, as subsequently defined, and as attested by his or her registration as an engineer.
(f)
“Engineer-in-training” means a person who complies with the requirements for education, experience, and character, and has passed an examination in the fundamental engineering subjects, as provided in §§ 5-8-11 and 5-8-13.
(g)
“National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)” is a nationally recognized organization that assists state boards and territorial boards to better discharge their duties and responsibilities in regulating the practice of engineering and land surveying.
(h)(1)
“Practice of engineering” means any service or creative work, the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to services or creative work, such as consultation, investigation, evaluation surveys, planning and design of engineering systems, and the supervision of construction for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications; and embracing those services or work in connection with any public or private utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, work, or projects in which the public welfare or the safeguarding of life, health, or property is concerned.
(2)
Any person shall be construed to practice or offer to practice engineering, within the meaning and intent of this chapter, who:
(i)
Practices any branch of the profession of engineering;
(ii)
By verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or in any other way represents himself or herself to be an engineer, or through the use of some other title implies that he or she is an engineer or that he or she is registered under this chapter; or
(iii)
Holds himself or herself out as able to perform, or who does perform any engineering service or work or any other service designated by the practitioner or recognized as engineering.
(i)
“Professional engineer” means a person who has been registered and licensed by the state board of registration for professional engineers.
(j)
“Responsible charge” means direct control and personal supervision of engineering work.
(k)
“Rules and regulations” means that document of the same title, as amended from time to time, subject to the director’s approval, that has been adopted by the board and filed with the secretary of state in accordance with §§ 42-35-3(a), 42-35-4(b), and 5-8-8.
History of Section.
P.L. 1990, ch. 330, § 2; P.L. 1991, ch. 304, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 420, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 298, § 2; P.L. 2013, ch. 378, § 2; P.L. 2021, ch. 162, art. 9, § 1, effective July 6, 2021.