January 2006 ISSUE
being professional
hOW TO SIGN AND STAMP ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS
This is the first in a continuing series of question-and-answer columns on professional and ethical practice. APEGGA members with questions in these areas are invited to send them to:
Ray Chopiuk, P.Eng.
APEGGA Director, Professional Practice
1500 Scotia One
10060 Jasper Ave NW
Edmonton AB T5J 4A2
If you prefer, you may fax Mr. Chopiuk at 780-426-1877 or e-mail him at rchopiuk@apegga.org.
Q I understand that a professional member is allowed to issue an electronic drawing that can be used for construction purposes without issuing paper documents. If the client is content with PDF or DWF files that are created and e-mailed complete with seals and signatures, without the drawings being encrypted, is this system OK?
A Although a client might be satisfied with simple PDF drawings as the only drawings the client receives, that would not be in keeping with the expectations of APEGGA's Practice Standard for Authenticating Professional Documents. The drawings would still be considered to be unsigned (electronically), even though they contain a visual image of the professional member’s handwritten signature, stamp and date.
As with paper documents, the handwritten signature of the professional member (professional engineer, professional geologist, professional geophysicist, licensee or R.P.T.) is required on the electronic document, together with the appropriate professional member stamp. It should appear across the stamp without obscuring the professional member’s name. The digitized image of the signature may be generated from his or her own handwritten signature.
The date on which the drawing is stamped is also required. It can be put there in any fashion: typed, handwritten etc.
A document that is properly signed (secured) electronically requires a password supplied by the member so the client is able to open the encrypted file and read it. The electronic signature process issues a certificate to the client verifying that
the document was signed by the engineer and no one else (non-repudiation)
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the information in the document has not been altered or modified since it was signed (data integrity).
APEGGA leaves it up to its members to choose a commercially available encryption/certificate process that will satisfy those requirements.
Presumably, the client has previously confirmed or already knew that the individual he or she is dealing with is, indeed, registered with APEGGA.