Introduction to the Ethics of Engineering

1
Introduction to the Ethics of Engineering

• Introduction to Engineering
• College of Science and Engineering

2
Objectives

• Explain the nature of ethics and the difference
  with other kinds of standards and values.
• Explain the basic issues and concepts in the
  codes of ethics of professional engineering
  societies.

3
Introduction

• Engineers are expected to maintain high standards
  of ethical conduct, in their professional lives,
  by the society and their profession.
• Specifically, the National Council of Examiners
  for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) provides
  the Model Rules of Professional Conduct Code.

4
The Nature of Ethics

• Ethics is concerned with standards, rules or
  guidelines for moral or socially approved conduct
  such as being honest or trustworthy, or acting in
  the best interest of society.
• Ethical standards apply only to conduct which
  could have some significant effect on the lives
  of people in general.

5
Legal Standards vs. Ethical Standards

• Legal standards, defined by legal body, determine
  what the law is and who should obey it.
• Ethical standards exist independently of any
  particular group of experts.

6
The Nature of Engineering Ethics

• Engineering ethics is an applied form of ethical
  standards which apply to any human occupation
  (ethical duties of honesty, fair dealing with
  other people, obeying the relevant laws, )

7
Model Rules of Professional Conduct Code

• The Preamble
• The Engineers Obligation to Society
• The Engineers Obligation to Employers and
  Clients
• An Engineers Obligations to Other Engineers

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The Preamble

• It is ethically wrong to cause harm to people
• promote the public welfare.
• to maintain a high standard of integrity and
  practice among engineers.

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The Engineers Obligation to Society

• While performing services, the engineers
  foremost responsibility is to the public welfare.
• Engineers shall approve only those designs that
  safeguard the life, health, welfare and property
  of the public,
• If an engineers professional judgment is
  overruled resulting in danger to the life,
  health, welfare or property of the public, the
  engineer shall notify employer or client and
  authority.

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The Engineers Obligationto Society

• Engineers shall be objective and truthful in
  professional reports.
• Engineers shall not express a professional
  opinion publicly unless it is based upon
  knowledge of the facts and competent evaluation.
• Engineers should explicitly identify the parties
  on whose behalf they are expressing the opinion,
  and reveal the interests the parties have in the
  matters.

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The Engineers Obligation to Society

• Engineers shall not associate in business
  ventures with persons engaging in dishonest,
  fraudulent, or illegal business practice.
• Engineers who have knowledge of a possible
  violation of any of the rules listed shall
  provide pertinent information and assist the
  state board.

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The Engineers Obligation to Employers and Clients

• Engineers shall not undertake technical
  assignments for which they are not qualified by
  education or experience.
• Engineers shall approve or seal only those plans
  or designs that deal with subjects in which they
  are competent.
• Engineers may coordinate an entire project
  provided that each design component is signed or
  sealed.

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The Engineers Obligation to Employers and Clients

• Engineers shall not reveal professional
  information without prior consent, except when
  required by law.
• Engineers shall not solicit or accept valuable
  considerations from contractors.
• Engineers shall disclose to their employers or
  clients potential conflicts of interest.

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The Engineers Obligation to Employers and Clients

• An engineer shall not accept compensation from
  more than one party for services on one project
  unless the details are fully disclosed and
  agreed.
• To avoid conflict of interest, engineers shall
  not solicit or accept a contract from a
  governmental body on which a principal or officer
  of the firm serves as a member.

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An Engineers Obligations to Other Engineers

• Engineers shall not misrepresent or permit
  misrepresentation of their or any of their
  associates academic or professional
  qualifications.
• Engineers shall not give, solicit, or receive any
  gifts or commission in order to obtain work.
• Engineers shall not attempt to injure,
  maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly,
  the professional reputations, prospects, practice
  or employment of other engineers.

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Engineering Ethics and Legal Issues

• Engineers are expected to obey the general rules
  and regulations of the societies which they live
  in.
• Every engineer needs to have a good basic grasp
  of basic transaction legal matters.

17
Open Forum
18
Ethics Challenger

• Roger Boisjoly tried to stop the launch of the
  Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Despite
  Boisjoly's objections, the ship was sent up, only
  to explode just over a minute after take-off,
  killing all the astronauts on board.
• Boisjoly had more than 25 years of experience in
  the aerospace industry when, in 1985, he found a
  problem with the Challenger's seals that he
  thought could jeopardize the safety of the
  mission.
• Although he was asked to soften the urgency of
  the problem he had found, Boisjoly continued to
  voice his concern about going ahead with the
  launch. Unfortunately, Boisjoly was left out of
  the final decision to send up the shuttle.

http//www.graduatingengineer.com/articles/feature
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Case ScenarioExam Copy

• While preparing for a major engineering exam, a
  fellow classmate approaches you and informs you
  that he has a copy of the exam and asks if you
  would like a copy of it. You know that if you
  take the copy of the exam you will get a perfect
  score and most likely end the semester with an
  A in the course. Will you take the copy of the
  exam? Why or why not?

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Case ScenarioLeaving Out Data

• You have spent many months in the lab recording
  test data on a particular material that you have
  designed. All the prior tests indicate that this
  material can be very useful in the industrial
  world. Yet towards the end of the 8th month of
  the material research, you discover that at a
  relatively high temperature the material will
  experience catastrophic failure. This new flaw
  in the material will make the material useless.
  But, if you dont tell anyone about this high
  temperature flaw, you can potentially make
  millions of dollars. Do you leave out the data
  that basically kills your material? Explain your
  decision in detail.