The Professional Surveyor

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The ProfessionalSurveyor

• and the
• Institution of Surveyors, Victoria

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Definition of a Profession

• A profession is a disciplined group of
  individuals who adhere to ethical standards and
  hold themselves out as, and are accepted by the
  public as possessing special knowledge and skills
  in a widely recognised body of learning derived
  from research, education and training at a high
  level, and who are prepared to apply this
  knowledge and exercise these skills in the
  interest of others.
• Acknowledge Professions Australia 1997

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Definition of a Profession

• It is inherent in the definition of a profession
  that a code of ethics governs the activities of
  each profession.
• Such codes require behaviour and practice beyond
  the personal moral obligations of an individual.
• They define and demand high standards of
  behaviour in respect to the services provided to
  the public and in dealing with professional
  colleagues.
• Further, these codes are enforced by the
  profession and are acknowledged and accepted by
  the community.
• Acknowledge Professions Australia 1997

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FIG Definition of the Functions of a Surveyor

• A surveyor is a professional person with the
  academic qualifications and technical expertise
  to conduct one, or more, of the following
  activities
• ? to determine, measure and represent land,
  three-dimensional objects, point-fields and
  trajectories
• ? to assemble and interpret land and
  geographically related information,
• ? to use that information for the planning and
  efficient administration of the land, the sea and
  any structures thereon and,
• ? to conduct research into the above practices
  and to develop them.

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Career path with options

• Sub-disciplines including Cadastral Surveying,
  Engineering Surveying, Spatial Data systems
  GIS, Mining Surveying, Mapping Photogrammetry,
  GPS Satellite Surveying Satellite Imagery,
  Hydrographic Surveying Charting, Environmental
  Management.
• Mix of office and field work with the opportunity
  to use the latest technology.
• High demand for Surveyors with very good pay
  prospects and wide variety of career paths.

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• ISV members are often at the leading edge of many
  investigations and activities that set the scene
  for future decisions on development and
  infrastructure.
• The surveyor is also usually the first on the
  site when any construction or development is
  planned ie. any road, town building, airport,
  mine or house.
• A large proportion of ISV members are also
  licensed by the State to engage in cadastral
  surveying (boundaries of property rights and
  interests)
• See www.surveyors.org.au

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• Licensed Surveyors, as a group, are key partners
  with government in protecting the integrity of
  the states cadastre and in managing the land
  boundary, administration and planning systems
  which the cadastre supports.
• Victorias property market and confidence
  expressed by the community in the mortgage system
  of wealth generation relies on an accurately
  maintained cadastre.
• The maintenance of the cadastre, and the Govt
  partnership, relies on regulation with built in
  checks and balances, transparency and
  accountability.

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• Formed in 1874
• Professional body for surveyors in Victoria
• Committee is comprised of elected
  representatives from the membership
• All positions are honorary (voluntary)
• Surveyors embrace a diverse and wide range of
  professional responsibilities

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Broad Objectives of ISV

• 1. The advancement and elevation of surveying
  and civil engineering as professions in Victoria
  and the cultivation of friendly relations among
  the members
• 2. As a scientific and professional organisation
  to encourage the study of surveying and to
  improve and elevate the general and scientific
  knowledge of persons engaged or intending to be
  engaged in the profession of surveying.

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The ISV a non-profit association of professionals
to

• promote the common good and welfare of our
  members in their activities in the profession of
  surveying and spatial sciences
• maintain the highest possible standard of
  professional standards and ethics
• serve the community and promote trust in
  surveyors and their work

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• working to determine the future of the
  profession and of the role of the professional
  body
• encouraging members to participate in the
  activities of their professional body
• providing opportunities and resources for
  members to develop their knowledge, skills and
  interact with their fellow professionals

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• Activities
• Continuing professional development (as distinct
  from FPET)
• Monthly magazine - Traverse
• Seminars, forums and conferences
• Annual Surveying Expo
• Quarterly and General meetings (with speaker and
  dinner)
• Represent the profession on the Surveyors Board
  and Architects Board

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• Activities (contd)
• Prizes and awards
• Social functions provide networking for members
• - golf day
• - annual Gala dinner
• - church / community service
• Connections with other professional bodies

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• Code of Ethics
• Ethics are rules of conduct based on honesty,
  justice and courtesy. To merit the trust of the
  Community, the respect of colleagues and the
  support of the Institution, members are required
  to comply with the Code of Ethics.

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The Professional Surveyor

• Code of Ethics
• 1. A member's responsibility for the welfare and
  rights of the community shall come before his or
  her responsibility to the profession of
  surveying, to sectional or private interests or
  to other surveyors.

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• Code of Ethics
• 2. A member shall uphold the standards, the
  honour and the dignity of the profession and
  shall conform to the Institution's decisions on
  questions of ethics and conduct.

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• Code of Ethics
• 3. A member shall accept full responsibility for
  professional advice and work performed and shall
  discharge all duties with integrity to his or her
  clients and employers and shall be scrupulous in
  use of his or her employer's property and
  services.

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• Code of Ethics
• 4. A member shall not undertake professional
  responsibilities beyond his or her competence or
  authority nor allow his or her subordinates to do
  so.

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• Code of Ethics
• 5. A member shall endeavour to advance the
  science and practice of surveying and the objects
  of the Institution and shall continue his or her
  professional development throughout his or her
  career and encourage the development of his or
  her subordinates.

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• Code of Ethics
• 6. A member shall not reveal facts, data or
  information obtained in a professional capacity,
  which are personally identifiable, without the
  prior consent of the client or employer except as
  required by law.

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• Code of Ethics
• 7. A member when acting as a consultant or
  holding public office shall perform all duties
  impartially without fear or favour.

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• Code of Ethics
• 8. A member shall inform his or her client or
  employers of any interest which may adversely
  affect the judgment or the quality of services
  and shall not accept any form of compensation for
  a particular service from more than one source
  without disclosing the circumstances and
  receiving approval from all interested parties.

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• Code of Ethics
• 9. A member shall build his or her reputation on
  merit and shall refrain from any form of unfair
  competition including
• Using a professional designation to which he or
  she has no entitlement.
• Offering inducements to secure work or
  advancement.
• Seeking to supplant another surveyor who has been
  appointed.

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• Code of Ethics
• 9. (contd)
• Neglecting to comply with provisions of rules or
  regulations governing the practice of surveying.
• Accepting a fee which would preclude him or her
  from providing adequate and appropriate
  professional service.
• Advertising in a fraudulent or misleading manner
  or in any other way not in the public interest.

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ETHICAL ISSUE

• Plan of Subdivision using building walls as the
  lot boundary.
• The following scenario is a common problem
  presented to licensed surveyors in private
  practice.
• It involves the needs of the client compared to
  the professional responsibilities of the surveyor
  to ensure the cadastre is correct ie title
  boundaries of a building subdivision correctly
  represent ownership.

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• The surveyor is supplied an architects plan by a
  client with instructions to seek a planning
  permit.
• The client does not want survey work to be
  undertaken at this stage.

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• The plan for planning approval purposes is
  prepared showing un-dimensioned lot boundaries
  along the common walls between units ie a thick
  line with dashes.
• Using the wall as a boundary will ensure that
  the lot boundaries match the building.
• If fully dimensioned boundaries are used then
  there may be differences between the boundary and
  the wall.

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• The planning approval is obtained and the client
  wants to proceed with processing the plan of
  subdivision.
• The licensed surveyor is required to provide the
  signed subdivision plans prior to certification
  by council.

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• The surveyor cannot prepare the plan showing lot
  boundaries along the building until at least
  brick walls are constructed or at least the base
  brick work is started.
• This will ensure the subdivision plan accords
  with the actual construction rather than the
  architects plans.

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Ethical issues

• The surveyor carries out the title survey but as
  no building has commenced cannot confirm the
  position of walls as shown on the architects
  plan.
• The client has financial problems and cannot
  start the building.
• He harangues the surveyor into signing a plan
  based on the architects plan.

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• The surveyor shows the lot boundaries along the
  walls of the building which does not exist.
• Whilst the walls may eventually be built there
  is no guarantee that the as-built building will
  accord with the architects design.
• This could result in differences between the lots
  of the plan ie title and the actual building.

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Solution

• The surveyor should refuse to sign the plan
  (certifying that the plan is accurate) or supply
  form 23 (that the boundaries have been
  appropriately marked) until the building is
  commenced and to a stage where lot boundaries are
  defined by walls.

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• Alternatively the plan can be prepared with lot
  boundaries fully dimensioned (not using walls of
  a building) but with no guarantee that the lot
  boundaries will agree with the as-constructed
  building.
• The surveyor should supply the client a time-line
  indicating when particular actions or plans can
  be supplied.