Geotechnical News • December 2017
25
GEOHAZARDS
framework for at least some of the
answers within which geoscientists
and geotechnical engineers can look
for ways to provide reliable, trans-
parent results, while helping clients
understand how to best use and inter-
pret them. The main points identified
above are as follows:
• Get independent review of your
work, solicit advice, mentor young
staff;
• Respect specialization and work in
teams, use engineering geologists/
geomorphologists and geotechni-
cal engineers together where pos-
sible (this may be a river hydrolo-
gist/civil engineer combination for
rivers);
• Find adequate balance and com-
municate clearly the benefits of
increased data and the risks as-
sociated with insufficient informa-
tion. This is particularly true for
locations where variability and
the consequences are high (BC for
instance);
• Provide language that helps clients
understand how reports should be
used and what other conditions
might be expected;
• Communicate as applicable: con-
fidence, uncertainty and residual
risk;
• Increase your knowledge base and
work with other specialists in com-
plimentary fields;
• Recognize the inherent difficulty
in understanding probabilities and
find ways to communicate them
such a manner that a client is able
to make knowledge-based deci-
sions.
References
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R.H.Guthrie, M.Sc., Ph.D., P.Geo.
Senior Principal, Director,
Geohazards and Geomorphology
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
200-325 25 Street SE, Calgary AB
T2A 7H8
T: 403-441-5133
E:
