Class code 8601 — Architect/Engineer — Consulting

This classification is built for architecture and engineering firms whose staff spend most of their time designing, drafting, and consulting from an office, with periodic trips to job sites to check progress or take measurements. It covers principals, project architects, engineers, and drafters who produce plans and specifications rather than perform construction work themselves.

A typical day mixes CAD work, client meetings, and code review at a desk with occasional site walks to confirm that construction matches the design intent. Staff generally don't operate equipment or perform trade work while on-site; they observe, measure, and document. Firms need to keep this distinction clear, because any employee who starts doing hands-on construction or inspection work involving physical risk should be coded separately.

Exposures include the usual office hazards — repetitive strain, slips, and ergonomic issues — plus the added risk of travel to and around active construction sites, where uneven ground, debris, and equipment traffic are present even for a brief visit. Because site visits are occasional rather than constant, this code sits well below the contracting trades on the rate scale, but above pure clerical work.