GEOLOGIST LICENSURE, REGISTRATION AND ETHICS — GEOLOGY IN THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC

James E. Slosson authored a paper entitled, Standard Practice Equals Continuing Losses, in which he evaluated the history of landslide failures in urban development projects and determined that there is: "no valid reason that these losses should continue except that the majority of the professionals, because of marketing constraints and poor advice from defense attorneys, limit their scope and professional effort to: 1. the “standard of care” or “standard of practice” as they perceive it, and 2. the minimum requirements required by codes and regulations.” The driving force behind the licensure and registration of geologists is exactly the point that Dr. Slosson made in this paper — Geologists, especially Environmental and Engineering Geologists, are professionals who have a primary obligation to protect the health, safety and well-being of the public. Today's Registered Professional Geologist is no longer offered the opportunity to follow the “minimum required in the code” when doing so may lead to a loss to the public. In many states, even today, geologists must work under the supervision of a Professional Engineer because their state does not recognize that the improper practice of geology can result in human losses and even deaths. The licensure and registration of Professional Geologists has elevated the profession to that of the Professional Engineer in which the state legislature has accepted that “Bad Geology Can Kill People”. Licensure and registration not only increases the demand for professional skills but, more importantly, it demands a Professional Ethic. All Professional Geologists now have a responsibility to the profession and to the protection of the public by exercising the police power that comes with professional licensure. Only you, the Professional Geologist, can prove Dr. Slosson's paper Standard Practice Equals Continuing Losses wrong!