The new Engineering Consultancy Law – entitled the Law
Regulating the Work of Engineering Consultancy Offices – was
enacted on 12 May 2016. It repeals and replaces the former
Engineering Consultancy Law (SD 120/1994), by which the engineering
consultancy profession in the Sultanate has been regulated for the
past 20 years or so. Much of what is contained in the new law
is familiar, however a significant amount has been expanded,
clarified and brought up to date. For instance, the new law
contains entirely new chapters dealing with engineers in employment
(chapter 3), the establishment of a reorganised disciplinary
committee known as the Violations Committee (chapter 5) and, in
chapter 6, a new regime for penalties for non-compliance with the
licensing requirements and for "grossly negligent"
work. These new penalties extend to imprisonment and
fines.
