No. S 12
Professional Engineers Act
(CHAPTER 253)
Professional Engineers
(Amendment) Rules 2017
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 36 of the Professional Engineers Act, the Professional Engineers Board, with the approval of the Minister for National Development, makes the following Rules:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Rules are the Professional Engineers (Amendment) Rules 2017 and come into operation on 18 January 2017.
Amendment of rule 3
2.  Rule 3(1) of the Professional Engineers Rules (R 1) (called in these Rules the principal Rules) is amended by deleting the words “referred to in rule 4A(1)” in sub‑paragraph (b) and substituting the words “mentioned in rule 4A(1)(a)(ii) or the oral examination mentioned in rule 4A(1)(b), as the case may be”.
Amendment of rule 4A
3.  Rule 4A of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraph:
(1)  The prescribed examinations for the purposes of section 15(2)(b) of the Act are —
(a)2 written examinations comprising —
(i)the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination, which tests the applicant’s knowledge of fundamental engineering subjects in the appropriate branch of engineering; and
(ii)the Practice of Professional Engineering Examination, which tests the applicant’s ability to apply the applicant’s knowledge and experience in professional engineering practice, and the applicant’s knowledge of the rules and regulations regulating the practice of professional engineering in the appropriate branch of engineering; or
(b)an oral examination, which tests the applicant’s knowledge, expertise, experience and achievements in the appropriate branch of engineering.”;
(b)by deleting sub‑paragraph (a) of paragraph (2) and substituting the following sub‑paragraph:
(a)conduct the oral examination mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) and appoint a Committee of Examiners to conduct the written examinations mentioned in paragraph (1)(a);”; and
(c)by deleting sub‑paragraph (c) of paragraph (2) and substituting the following sub‑paragraph:
(c)determine the frequency of such examinations, provided that the written examinations mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) are conducted at least once per year;”.
Amendment of rule 4B
4.  Rule 4B of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraph:
(1)  Every application to sit for an examination mentioned in rule 4A(1) must be —
(a)made in such form and manner as the Board may determine;
(b)in the case of a written examination mentioned in rule 4A(1)(a), submitted not less than 60 days before the date of the examination; and
(c)accompanied by the appropriate fee specified in the Third Schedule.”;
(b)by deleting the words “referred to in rule 4A(1)(a)” in paragraph (2) and substituting the words “mentioned in rule 4A(1)(a)(i)”;
(c)by deleting the words “referred to in rule 4A(1)(b)” in paragraph (3) and substituting the words “mentioned in rule 4A(1)(a)(ii)”;
(d)by deleting the words “3 years” in paragraph (3)(a) and substituting the words “2 years and 6 months”;
(e)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (3), the following paragraph:
(3A)  A person may apply to sit for the oral examination mentioned in rule 4A(1)(b) if —
(a)the person was previously registered under the Act as a professional engineer or is an experienced applicant;
(b)the person has not applied to sit for any of the written examinations mentioned in rule 4A(1)(a); and
(c)where applicable, a period of 12 months has elapsed from the date of the person’s last unsuccessful application to sit for the oral examination.”;
(f)by deleting the words “referred to in” in paragraph (4) and substituting the words “mentioned in”;
(g)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (4), the following paragraph:
(5)  In this rule and rule 5, “experienced applicant” means a person who —
(a)before 1 December 2005, obtained a qualification specified in Part I or III, Division II, III or IV of Part IV or Division II of Part V of the Schedule to the Professional Engineers (Approved Qualifications) Notification 2009 (G.N. No. S 653/2009); and
(b)has not less than 25 years of such practical experience in professional engineering work as may be acceptable to the Board, of which at least 10 years must be obtained in Singapore.”; and
(h)by deleting the words “written examination” in the rule heading and substituting the words “prescribed examinations”.
Amendment of rule 5
5.  Rule 5 of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by deleting sub‑paragraph (b) of paragraph (2) and substituting the following sub‑paragraph:
(b)where the person seeks to be registered in the electrical or mechanical engineering branch, the practical experience must be obtained in Singapore during a period of not less than 2 years (in aggregate) whilst under the supervision of any registered professional engineer who has in force a practising certificate in either —
(i)design and supervisory work; or
(ii)design and supervisory work, and any combination of electrical or mechanical engineering work, as the case may be, involving inspection, investigation, evaluation, or testing and commissioning; or”;
(b)by deleting the words “any branch of engineering” in paragraph (2)(c) and substituting the words “the civil, electrical or mechanical engineering branch”; and
(c)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (2), the following paragraph:
(3)  Paragraph (2) does not apply to a person seeking to be registered in any branch of engineering who was previously registered under the Act as a professional engineer or is an experienced applicant.”.
Amendment of Third Schedule
6.  The Third Schedule to the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after item 2, the following item:
2A.
Application to sit for the oral examination (rule 4B(1))
$450
”; and
(b)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (b) of item 6, the following paragraphs:
(c)lift and escalator engineering
$450
(d)crane engineering
$450
(e)access platform engineering
$450
(f)pressure vessel engineering
$450
”.
Amendment of Fourth Schedule
7.  The Fourth Schedule to the principal Rules is amended by inserting, immediately after item 2, the following items:
3.Lift and escalator engineering
Electrical or Mechanical
The applicant is required to satisfy any of the following sets of conditions:
 
 
Set (A)
(i)the applicant is approved by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health under section 33 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act (Cap. 354A) as an authorised examiner for the purpose of carrying out any prescribed examination or test of any hoist or lift; and
 
 
(ii)the application for registration as a specialist professional engineer is submitted before 18 January 2018;
 
 
Set (B)
(i)the applicant is approved by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health under section 33 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act as an authorised examiner for the purpose of carrying out any prescribed examination or test of any lifting machine as defined in section 4(1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act;
 
 
(ii)the applicant has sat for and passed a specialist registration examination on lift and escalator engineering conducted by the Board; and
 
 
(iii)the application for registration as a specialist professional engineer is submitted before 18 January 2018;
 
 
Set (C)
(i)the applicant has not less than 5 years (in aggregate) of such experience in lift and escalator engineering or in any field related to lifting equipment engineering or building services engineering (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) as may be acceptable to the Board, of which at least 3 years of that experience was obtained whilst practising as a registered professional engineer in Singapore;
 
 
(ii)the applicant has successfully completed a training course conducted by the Building and Construction Authority on lift and escalator engineering as specified by the Board; and
 
 
(iii)the applicant has sat for and passed a specialist registration examination on lift and escalator engineering conducted by the Board.
4.Crane engineering
Mechanical
The applicant is required to satisfy any of the following sets of conditions:
 
 
Set (A)
(i)the applicant is approved by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health under section 33 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act as an authorised examiner for the purpose of carrying out any prescribed examination or test of any lifting machine that includes any crane, crab, winch, teagle, runway, transporter, piling frame or piling machine; and
 
 
(ii)the application for registration as a specialist professional engineer is submitted before 18 January 2018;
 
 
Set (B)
(i)the applicant has not less than 5 years (in aggregate) of such experience in crane engineering or in any field related to crane engineering (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) as may be acceptable to the Board, of which at least 3 years of that experience was obtained whilst practising as a registered professional engineer in Singapore; and
 
 
(ii)the applicant has sat for and passed a specialist registration examination on crane engineering conducted by the Board.
5.Access platform engineering
Mechanical
The applicant is required to satisfy any of the following sets of conditions:
 
 
Set (A)
(i)the applicant is approved by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health under section 33 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act as an authorised examiner for the purpose of carrying out any prescribed examination or test of —
 
 
(A)any hoist or lift; or
(B)any lifting machine that includes any work platform or suspended scaffold capable of being raised or lowered by climbers, winches or other powered device; and
 
 
(ii)the application for registration as a specialist professional engineer is submitted before 18 January 2018;
 
 
Set (B)
(i)the applicant has not less than 5 years (in aggregate) of such experience in access platform engineering or in any field related to access platform engineering (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) as may be acceptable to the Board, of which at least 3 years of that experience was obtained whilst practising as a registered professional engineer in Singapore; and
 
 
(ii)the applicant has sat for and passed a specialist registration examination on access platform engineering conducted by the Board.
6.Pressure vessel engineering
Mechanical
The applicant is required to satisfy any of the following sets of conditions:
 
 
Set (A)
(i)the applicant is approved by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health under section 33 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act as an authorised examiner for the purpose of carrying out any prescribed examination or test of any pressure vessel; and
 
(ii)the application for registration as a specialist professional engineer is submitted before 18 January 2018;
 
 
Set (B)
(i)the applicant has not less than 5 years (in aggregate) of such experience in pressure vessel engineering or in any field related to pressure vessel engineering (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) as may be acceptable to the Board, of which at least 3 years of that experience was obtained whilst practising as a registered professional engineer in Singapore; and
 
 
(ii)the applicant has sat for and passed a specialist registration examination on pressure vessel engineering conducted by the Board.
”.
Transitional provision
8.  Any application for registration as a professional engineer in the electrical or mechanical engineering branch received by the Board before 18 January 2017 will be considered by the Board in accordance with rule 5(2)(b) of the principal Rules in force immediately before that date.
[G.N. Nos. S 165/95; S 670/2003; S 765/2005; S 72/2011; S 818/2013; S 536/2014]
Made on 11 January 2017.
HO SIONG HIN
President,
Professional Engineers Board,
Singapore.
[ND202/01-036V7; AG/LEGIS/SL/253/2015/4 Vol. 1]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 36(3) of the Professional Engineers Act).