In the interest of protecting the safety, health, and welfare of the public, the Board shall adopt rules of professional conduct applicable to the practice of engineering and land surveying. These rules, when adopted, shall be construed to be a reasonable exercise of the police power vested in the Board of Examiners for Engineers and Land Surveyors. Every person licensed by the Board shall subscribe to and observe the adopted rules as the standard of professional conduct for the practice of engineering and land surveying and shall cooperate fully with the Board in the course of any investigation. In the case of violation of the rules of professional conduct, the Board shall proceed in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 89C-22 (1975, c. 681, s. 1; 1987, c. 827, s. 73; 1998-118, s. 18.)