Section 308-15-020. Definitions.

(1) "Board" means the Washington state geologist licensing board.

(2) "Department" means the Washington state department of licensing.

(3) "Geologic interpretation," as applied to the practice of geology and its specialties, is the iterative process by which geologists, using generally accepted geologic principles, determine geologic history, origin and process from observation and testing of rock, soil and water characteristics, contents, distribution, orientation, lateral and vertical continuity; and resulting landforms.

(4) "Geological work of a character satisfactory to the board" means that the applicant's qualifying work history consists of professional experience in the practice of geology. Professional geological work is work performed at a professional level that requires the application of professional knowledge, principles and methods to geological problems through the exercise of individual initiative and judgment in investigating, measuring, interpreting and reporting on the physical phenomena of the earth. Implicit in this definition are the recognition of professional responsibility and integrity and the acknowledgment of minimal supervision. Professional geological work specifically does not include routine activities by themselves such as drafting, sampling, sample preparation, routine laboratory work, or core logging, where the elements of initiative, scientific judgment and decision making are lacking, nor does it include activities which do not use scientific methods to process and interpret geologic data. It also does not include engineering or other physical sciences where geological investigation, analysis and interpretation are minimal or lacking. Professional specialty experience is considered to meet this definition.

(5) "Geologist web site" means the internet web site maintained by the department of licensing.

(6) "National Association of State Boards of Geology" or "ASBOG" means the organization responsible for developing, publishing and grading National Geologist Licensing Examinations.

(7) "Professional specialty practice of a character satisfactory to the board" means that the applicant has qualifying work history pertinent to the specialty that meets the standards for professional geologic work defined above. Elements, typical applications, types of projects, for the engineering geologist and hydrogeologist specialties are outlined in WAC 308-15-053.

(8) "Reciprocity" means the issuance of a license without examination as a geologist or specialty geologist to a person who holds a license or certificate of qualifications issued by proper authority of any state, territory, or possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or any foreign country, if the applicant meets the requirements outlined in WAC 308-15-040 for a geologist license, in WAC 308-15-055 for an engineering geologist license, and in WAC 308-15-057 for a hydrogeologist license.

(9) "Year of professional practice" means at least 1600 hours of work in the practice during a year. Examples of a "year of professional practice" include 200 eight-hour days or 160 ten-hour days during a year. Part-time work will be counted on a prorated basis.

(10) "Year of professional specialty practice" means at least 1600 hours of work in a specialty during a calendar year, per examples given in subsection (9) of this section.

(11) "Geologist in training" means an individual who has met all the educational requirements outlined in WAC 308-15-040(2), and has passed the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology examination, but does not meet the experience requirements outline in WAC 308-15-040(3).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.220.040. WSR 07-13-038, § 308-15-020, filed 6/13/07, effective 7/14/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.220.040, 18.220.050. WSR 05-01-174, § 308-15-020, filed 12/21/04, effective 1/21/05. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.220 RCW. WSR 01-12-023, § 308-15-020, filed 5/25/01, effective 6/25/01.]

RCW 18.220.040. WSR 07-13-038, § 308-15-020, filed 6/13/07, effective 7/14/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.220.040, 18.220.050. WSR 05-01-174, § 308-15-020, filed 12/21/04, effective 1/21/05. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.220 RCW. WSR 01-12-023, § 308-15-020, filed 5/25/01, effective 6/25/01.

Rules

308-15-053,308-15-040,308-15-055,308-15-057,308-15-040,308-15-040,