Pathway 3: Becoming an association with a professional standards scheme for members
Associations can apply to the Professional Standards Councils to approve a scheme made under state-based professional standards legislation. for Professional Engineers providing engineering services for Class 2 buildings, or buildings with a class 2 part, in any of the six classes of engineers:
- civil
- electrical
- fire safety
- geotechnical
- mechanical
- structural.
Professional Engineers under a professional standards scheme can benefit from:
- a fast-tracked registration process onto the Public Register for Design and Building Practitioners
- a known, maximum amount of damages payable in a successful claim - and a guarantee that the amount to be paid is available through professional indemnity insurance policies
- improved consumer protections
- the potential for better affordability and availability of professional indemnity insurance, and
- a regulatory scheme which may operate consistently in all states and territories, with mutual recognition.
A professional standards scheme gives consumers a layer of additional assurance that the association determines the assessment, recognition or registration, and ongoing oversight of the conduct of Professional Engineers registered with them. The association will be publicly identified as operating a professional standards scheme.
Those members of the an association to whom the scheme applies within the association’s professionals standards scheme can then apply to NSW Fair Trading providing evidence of their participation in the scheme and have their details fast tracked onto the Design and Building Practitioner Public Register. Also known as the pathway 3 registration process.
Eligibility
To be an eligible association to apply for approval of a scheme, an association must meet the definition of ‘occupational association’ and satisfy the requirements of the Professional Standards Act 1994 (NSW), including providing evidence of:
- compliance and risk management arrangements
- insurance and compensation requirements for members
- continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for members
- capacity to monitor compliance with professional standards legislation and , scheme requirements, and
- complaints resolution and disciplinary systems.
Associations which operate professional standards schemes will be required to report to the Professional Standards Councils on their statutory compliance obligations and the operation of the scheme under the Act.
How to apply
Associations that are considering applying to have a professional standards scheme approved should contact the Professional Standards Councils for assistance with the application process.
List of associations with a professional standard scheme
Details of associations with a professional standards scheme are published on the Professional Standards Council's website.