Practice Notices
APEGA permit holders and licensed professionals must stay informed and up to date with all regulatory requirements and professional obligations. Please be aware of the following notices related to professional practice, which are intended to provide general advice and guidance on emerging trends and issues.
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Translation of Engineering and Geoscience Professional Work Products Into Another Language
APEGA understands that a licensed professional may be required to provide engineering and geoscience professional work products (PWPs) in a language other than their primary working language. When a licensed professional provides a translated PWP, the original and the translated PWP must each be authenticated in accordance with the requirements of APEGA’s Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard.
Licensed professional fluent in both languages
Translation errors or misinterpretations can become practice errors, which could pose a serious risk to public safety. An APEGA licensed professional may authenticate a translated PWP only if they are fluent in the target language and can verify that the translated PWP is identical in meaning to the original. In authenticating a translated PWP, a licensed professional accepts the same professional responsibility for the translated PWP as they do for the original.
If the licensed professional did not translate the PWP themselves, they must only authenticate the translation if they have thoroughly reviewed the translation or if it was completed under their direct supervision and control, in accordance with the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard.
If a licensed professional is unable to verify that a translated PWP is identical in meaning to the original, they must not authenticate it.
Outsourcing translation to another licensed professional
Rule 2 of the Code of Ethics states that a licensed professional “shall undertake only work that they are competent to perform by virtue of their training and experience.” Therefore, if an authenticating licensed professional needs to translate a PWP to a language they are not fluent in, they must engage another licensed professional who is both fluent in the target language and competent in the relevant area of practice. The licensed professional who translates the PWP would then authenticate it, taking professional responsibility for the translated PWP. Engaging a licensed professional to translate and authenticate a PWP is considered outsourcing and must be done in accordance with the Relying on the Work of Others and Outsourcing practice standard
Translation by a non-licensed professional
If someone who is not a licensed professional translates a PWP, the translation is not considered a properly authenticated PWP and must not be relied upon.