Role of the consulting engineer in quality assurance

By definition the consulting engineer has a unique position of authority and influence at the centre of the majority of engineering projects undertaken in the manufacturing, construction and service industries worldwide. The quality of materials, equipment and services is a high-priority consideration for the consultant, particularly when he is involved in engineering project management. The `quality¿¿ of his own consulting services is also of paramount importance. The paper discusses the impact of the quality assurance (QA) concept on the consulting engineer´s activities and examines some of the challenges and problems which the QA philosophy poses for the consultant in his task of looking after the client´s overall interests.