To avoid tragic incidents: PSME mulls providing database to big firms

The Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME) expressed its willingness to provide big establishments with a database of the over 80,000 licensed mechanical engineers to avoid untoward incidents.

PSME national president Vicente B. Vosotros announced the group’s effort in the light of the recent explosion in Glorietta 2 last October 19, which was allegedly caused by methane gas build up.

Although such theory has been downplayed by the Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), the operator of the shopping mall, Vosotros said there is a need for big establishments like malls, hotels, and other manufacturing companies to employ licensed mechanical engineers in order to have the assurance of safety in all mechanical equipment running in the establishments’ operations.

According to Vosotros this is one of the major discussions tackled during the recently concluded 55th annual convention of mechanical engineers at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) held last October 24 to 27.

“Establishments should abide with the law stipulated in the R.A. 8495 to employ licensed mechanical engineer in every shift in a 24-hour operation, to avoid danger of explosion accident,” he said.

PSME will work closely with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to make sure that establishments operating over 2,000 kilowatt-hour are employing competent professional mechanical engineers in their operations. Establishments operating below 2,000 kilowatt-hour however, are still required to hire licensed ME.

He said that many establishments in the country, even the large ones, still operate mechanical equipment that are hazardous and posed risks to the general public, without the presence of licensed mechanical engineers.

Vosotros emphasized that he is not referring specifically to Glorietta 2 mall, as the result of the investigations made by the Philippine National Police on what triggered the explosion, which claimed 11 lives and injured over a hundred persons, is not yet final.

The recent mall explosion has prompted PSME to intensify its campaign on the compliance of establishments to Republic Act 8495, otherwise known as the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Act of 1998.

Article IV, Section 35 of RA 8495, otherwise known as the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Act of 1998, states that: “It is unlawful for any person to order or otherwise cause the fabrication, construction, erection, installation or alteration of any mechanical equipment, machinery or process for any mechanical works, projects, or plants, unless the designs, plans, layouts or specifications have been prepared by or under the responsible charge of, and duly signed and sealed by a professional mechanical engineer.”

PSME has been urging the government to strictly implement the law that requires all establishments to hire a licensed mechanical engineer (ME) to take charge of the mechanical equipment or machineries such as steam, engines and turbines, internal combustion engines, steam generators, elevators, escalators and refrigeration equipment and machinery.

Plants or establishments that consume 2, 000 kilowatt per hour and less require a licensed ME to oversee the operation in full-time while the more than 2, 000 kilowatt per hour-plants require the more experienced ones or the licensed professional MEs.