lect 8 engineering ethics

7/21/2019 Lect 8 Engineering Ethics

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Ethics in Engineering

Concepts and Cases


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Introduction

What do we mean by Ethics?

a body of moral principles

Standards, rules and guidelines

Socially approved conduct

istinguished from matters of legality

! set of rules and behaviors


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Professional Ethics

Who ecides?

Standards adopted by "rofessional

#ommunity

$E%, &'E,!S%E, etc( %ay conflict with personal ethics

#ase studies used to set e)amples,

standards


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$E% *ules of "ractice1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of th

public.

a+ $f engineers -udgment is overruled under circumstances that endangelife or property, they shall notify their employer or client and such otheauthority as may be appropriate(

b+ Engineers shall approve only those engineering documents that are inconformity with applicable standards(

c+ Engineers shall not reveal facts, data or information without the prior

consent of the client or employer e)cept as authori.ed or re/uired bylaw or this #ode(

d+ Engineers shall not permit the use of their name or associate inbusiness ventures with any person or firm that they believe areengaged in fraudulent or dishonest enterprise(

e+ Engineers having 0nowledge of any alleged violation of this #ode shalreport thereon to appropriate professional bodies and, when relevant,also to public authorities, and cooperate with the proper authorities infurnishing such information or assistance as may be re/uired(


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2. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of

their competence.

a+ Engineers shall underta0e assignments only when /ualifiedby education or e)perience in the specific technical fields

involved(

b+ Engineers shall not affi) their signatures to any plans or

documents dealing with sub-ect matter in which they lac0

competence, nor to any plan or document not prepared

under their direction and control(

c+ Engineers may accept assignments and assume

responsibility for coordination of an entire pro-ect and sign

and seal the engineering documents for the entire pro-ect,provided that each technical segment is signed and sealed

only by the /ualified engineers who prepared the segment(

$E% *ules of "ractice


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$E% *ules of "ractice

3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objectiveand truthful manner.

a+ Engineers shall be ob-ective and truthful in professionalreports, statements, or testimony( 1hey shall include allrelevant and pertinent information in such reports, statements,or testimony, which should bear the date indicating when itwas current(

b+ Engineers may e)press publicly technical opinions that arefounded upon 0nowledge of the facts and competence in thesub-ect matter(

c+ Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments

on technical matters that are inspired or paid for by interestedparties, unless they have prefaced their comments bye)plicitly identifying the interested parties on whose behalfthey are spea0ing, and by revealing the e)istence of anyinterest the engineers may have in the matters(


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$E% *ules of "ractice4. Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents

or trustees.

a+ Engineers shall disclose all 0nown or potential conflicts of interestthat could influence or appear to influence their -udgment or the

/uality of their services(b+ Engineers shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise,

from more than one party for services on the same pro-ect, or forservices pertaining to the same pro-ect, unless the circumstancesare fully disclosed and agreed to by all interested parties(

c+ Engineers shall not solicit or accept financial or other valuableconsideration, directly or indirectly, from outside agents inconnection with the wor0 for which they are responsible(

d+ Engineers in public service as members, advisors, or employees ofa governmental or /uasi2governmental body or department shallnot participate in decisions with respect to services solicited orprovided by them or their organi.ations in private or publicengineering practice(

e+ Engineers shall not solicit or accept a contract from a governmentalbody on which a principal or officer of their organi.ation serves as amember(


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IEM Rules of Practice5. Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts.

a+ Engineers shall not falsify their /ualifications or permitmisrepresentation of their or their associates/ualifications( 1hey shall not misrepresent or e)aggeratetheir responsibility in or for the sub-ect matter of priorassignments((

b+ Engineers shall not offer, give, solicit or receive, eitherdirectly or indirectly, any contribution to influence theaward of a contract by public authority, or which may bereasonably construed by the public as having the effectof intent to influencing the awarding of a contract( 1hey

shall not offer any gift or other valuable consideration inorder to secure wor0( 1hey shall not pay a commission,percentage, or bro0erage fee in order to secure wor0,e)cept to a bona fide employee or bona fide establishedcommercial or mar0eting agencies retained by them(


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IEM Professional Obligations

3( Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest

standards of honesty and integrity(4( Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest(

5( Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceivesthe public(

6( Engineers shall not disclose, without consent, confidential

information concerning the business affairs or technicalprocesses of any present or former client or employer, orpublic body on which they serve(

7( Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional dutiesby conflicting interests(

8( Engineers shall not attempt to obtain employment oradvancement or professional engagements by untruthfullycritici.ing other engineers, or by other improper or/uestionable methods(


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IEM Professional Obligations9( Engineers shall not attempt to in-ure, maliciously or

falsely, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation,prospects, practice, or employment of other engineers(Engineers who believe others are guilty of unethical orillegal practice shall present such information to theproper authority for action(

:( Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for theirprofessional activities, provided, however, that Engineersmay see0 indemnification for services arising out of theirpractice for other than gross negligence, where theEngineers interests cannot otherwise be protected(

;( Engineers shall give credit for engineering wor0 to thoseto whom credit is due, and will recogni.e the proprietaryinterests of others(


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Social Contract

ServicePromoting well being of general public

Ensuring competence of professionals

SelfRegulationCreate and enforce high standards

!utonom"

#ou are the professional


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Responsible Engineering

$hat we do matters a great deal!ccidents are costl"

Public health at sta%e

Environmental impact Minimal legal standards

!c%nowledgement of fault

!bove and be"ond call of dut"


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Introduction to Moral &hin%ing

E'perience education( wor%( relationships Personal and Common Moralit" religion(

famil"

Ethical Sensitivities

)uestions

Problems

!nal"sis


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&ests in Moral Problem Solving

Prudence Is it *ustified because it is in our own best interest+

Cost , -enefit

Is the most economic decision the most moral+

.olden Rule

/do unto others01

Rights

2reedom( wellbeing( moral( legal( laws3ust because it is legal( is it right+


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4onest"( &ruth( Reliabilit"

!ccurate and complete technical %nowledge5nreliable *udgment worse than none at all

6"ing

7eliberate deception

2ailure to see% truth


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Problem Solving in Engineering Ethics

State the "roblem

iewpoints

=ormulate 'pinion

ualify

*ecommendation


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State the Problem

Clearl" define e'act nature of ethical problemor dilemma

8eed to be clear so that we can anticipate the

%ind of solution that is re9uired

$ant to provide an answer that is relevant to

the interests at sta%e:


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.et the 2acts

$ant to ma%e an informed decision:

Must possess and understand the relevant

facts

Must ma%e clear an" interpretations of factual

matters or the values than underlie conflicting

moral viewpoints:


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Identif" ; 7efend Competing Moral


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2ormulate an Opinion

!s engineers we do not have the lu'ur" ofpostponing 9uestions or leaving a 9uestion

unresolved

7ecide which of the compelling viewpoints is the

most compelling

&he committee approach =voting> is advantageous

because the decision is representative of the

general public


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)ualif" the Opinions or

Recommendation Committees must 9ualif" the recommendations

the" ma%e b" describing the level of consensus

that was received Should include the voting distribution and an"

dissenting opinions


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Case Studies

Engineering ethics is often times best

e'plained through the use of case studies:

Case studies allow e'amples of good and

bad decision ma%ing in a real world conte't:


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Credit for Engineering $or%

Introduction

Engineer ! is designing a bridge as part ofan elevated highwa" s"stem

Engineer - is as%ed to help with the designand helps design critical elements of thebridge:

Engineer ! enters the bridge design into anational competition and wins( but fails tocredit Engineer - for her part in the design:


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)uestion

$as it ethical for Engineer ! to fail to give

credit to Engineer - for her part in the

design+


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Code of Ethics References

Issue public statements only in an objective and truthfulmanner.Engineers shall be objective and truthful in

professional reports, statements or testimony. They shallinclude all relevant and pertinent information in suchreports, statements or testimony.

Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice which is likelyto discredit the profession or deceive the public.

Engineers shall not accept financial or otherconsiderations, including free engineering designs, frommaterial or equipment suppliers for specifying their

product.Engineers shall, whenever possible, name the person or

persons who may be individually responsible for designs,inventions, writings, or other accomplishments.


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7iscussion

/-asic to engineering ethics is the responsibilit" to

issue statements in an ob*ective and truthful manner

=Section ?:@:> &he concept of providing credit for

engineering wor% to those to whom credit is due isfundamental to that responsibilit": &his is particularl"

the case where an engineer retains the services of

other individuals because the engineer ma" not

possess the education( e'perience and e'pertise toperform the re9uired services for a client:1


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7iscussion( continued

/$hile each individual case must be understood

based upon the particular facts involved( webelieve that Engineer ! had an ethical

obligation to his client( to Engineer - as well as

to the public to ta%e reasonable steps to identif"

all parties responsible for the design of the

bridge:1


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Conclusion

/It was unethical for Engineer ! to fail to give

credit to Engineer - for his part in the design:1


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!n EngineerAs Right to Protest

Introduction Bim wor%s as an engineer for a civil engineering

contractor reviewing the wor% of subcontractors:

Bim discovers that certain subcontractors havemade submissions with e'cessive cost( time

dela"s or substandard wor%

Bim advises management to re*ect these *obs and

re9uire subcontractors to correct the problem


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Introduction( continued

!fter an e'tended disagreement about the

subcontractorAs wor%( management places a

warning in BimAs file and places Bim on

probation( warning of future termination


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)uestion

7oes Engineer ! have an ethical obligation(

or an ethical right( to continue his efforts to

secure change in the polic" of his emplo"erunder these circumstances( or to report his

concerns to proper authorit"+


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Code of Ethics References

"Engineers shall at all times recognie that their primary

obligation is to protect the safety, health, property, and welfare

of the public. If their professional judgment is overruled under

circumstances where the safety, health, property, or welfare of

the public are endangered, they shall notify their employer orclient and such other authority as may be appropriate."

"Engineers shall not complete, sign, or seal plans and!or

specifications that are not of a design safe to the public health

and welfare and in conformity with accepted engineering

standards. If the client or employer insists on such

unprofessional conduct, they shall notify the proper authorities

and withdraw from further service on the project."


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7iscussion

/4ere the issue does not allege a danger to public health

or safet"( but is premised upon a claim of unsatisfactor"

plans and the un*ustified e'penditure of public funds:1

/!s we recognied in earlier cases( if an engineer feels

strongl" that an emplo"erDs course of conduct is

improper when related to public concerns( and if the

engineer feels compelled to blow the whistle to e'pose

the facts as he sees them( he ma" well have to pa" the

price of loss of emplo"ment:1


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7iscussion( continued

/$e feel that the ethical dut" or right of the engineer

becomes a matter of personal conscience( but we are

not willing to ma%e a blan%et statement that there is an

ethical dut" in these %inds of situations for the engineerto continue his campaign within the compan"( and ma%e

the issue one for public discussion: &he Code onl"

re9uires that the engineer withdraw from a pro*ect andreport to proper authorities when the circumstances

involve endangerment of the public health( safet"( and

welfare:1


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Conclusion

/Engineer ! does not have an ethical obligation to

continue his effort to secure a change in the polic"

of his emplo"er under these circumstances( or toreport his concerns to proper authorit"( but has an

ethical right to do so as a matter of personal

conscience:1


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$ithdrawal of Offer

Peter( an unemplo"ed graduate engineer who recentl"received certification as an .raduate Engineer( is

see%ing emplo"ment with a consulting firm: Peter is

contacted b" Engineer !( a principal with a large

consulting firm: !fter a long discussion including

such matters as wor%ing conditions( salar"( benefits(

etc: Engineer ! offers and Peter accepts a position

with the firm: Peter cancels several additional *obinterviews with other individuals:


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$ithdrawal of Offer

&wo da"s later( in a meeting with other principalsof the firm( it was agreed b" the firmDs

management( including Engineer !( that the

vacanc" should be filled b" an engineering

technician: 8ot until a wee% and a half later did

Engineer ! contact Peter and rescind the firmDs

offer:

7id the actions of Engineer ! in his relations withSmith constitute unethical conduct+


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$ithdrawal of Offer

7iscussion

Engineers should be faithful to emplo"er:

Emplo"er should disclose full" all information to

emplo"ees on wor%ing conditions and other conditionsof emplo"ment:

/3ust as a prospective engineer emplo"ee has an

obligation to act in good faith with a potential emplo"er(

an engineer emplo"er owes a dut" to deal honestl"(

fairl" and openl" with a prospective engineer

emplo"ee:1


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$ithdrawal of Offer Engineer ! %nowingl" made commitments to Peter which were

relied and acted upon b" Peter:

Engineer !( as a principal in the firm( %new or should have

%nown all necessar" facts and circumstances involved in filling

the vacanc" in the firm:

Engineer ! let a wee% and a half pass before informing Peter that

the offer had been rescinded:

&he actions of Engineer !( in his relations with Peter( constituted

unethical conduct:

2urthermore( the involvement of all the principals of the firm( in

connection with the withdrawal of the emplo"ment offer(

constituted unethical conduct:


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EngineerDs 7ispute $ith Client Over 7esign

Client hires Engineer ! to design a particular pro*ect: Engineer !develops what he believes to be the best design and meets with theclient to discuss the design: !fter discussing the design plans andspecifications( the client and Engineer ! are involved in a disputeconcerning the ultimate success of the pro*ect:

&he client believes Engineer !Ds design is too large and comple'and see%s a simpler solution to the pro*ect:

Engineer ! believes a simpler solution will not achieve the resultand could endanger the public:

&he client demands that Engineer ! deliver over to him thedrawings so that he can present them to Engineer - to assistEngineer - in completing the pro*ect to his li%ing:


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EngineerDs 7ispute $ith Client Over

7esign

&he client is willing to pa" for the drawings( plans(

specifications( and preparation but will not pa" until Engineer

! delivers over the drawings:

Engineer ! refuses to deliver the drawings:

)uestion $ould it be ethical for Engineer ! to deliver over the

plans and specifications to the client+



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Engineer ! has an ethical obligation to the public good:

&his obligation assumes that Engineer ! is in possession of verifiable facts or

evidence which would substantiate a charge that an actual danger to the public

health or safet" e'ists:

In this case( Engineer ! ma%es the overl" broad assumption that if he were to

deliver over to the client the drawings so that the client can present them to

Engineer - to assist Engineer - in completing the pro*ect to the clientDs

li%ing( Engineer - would develop a set of plans which would endanger the

public health and safet":

Such an assumption is illfounded:

In reviewing the conduct of Engineer ! ( Engineer ! went as far as he was

ethicall" re9uired to go in preparing what he believed was the best design for

the pro*ect and in informing the client of the dangers of proceeding with the

clientDs simplified solution:


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In the event( however( that Engineer ! does deliver over to the

client the plans so that the client can present them to Engineer -for completion of the pro*ect to the clientDs li%ing( and thereafter

Engineer ! discovers that Engineer - developed plans which

constitute a danger to the public( certain actions would then be

re9uired b" Engineer !:

!n" verifiable conduct on the part of Engineer - which indicates

that Engineer -Ds plans are a danger to the public( should be

brought to the attention of the proper authorities( i:e:( the

responsible professional societies or the state engineering

registration board: !nswer It would be ethical under the above circumstances for

Engineer ! to deliver over the plans and specifications to the

client:

E i i 7i t


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Engineering 7isaster&he 2ord Pinto Case

/not to weigh an ounce over

FGGG pounds and not to cost a

cent over HFGGG:1

6ee Iacocca

Crash tests reveal defect in gas

tan%

Rearend collisions over F mph

resulted in rupture and e'plosion


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Cost Benefit Analysis The Ford Pinto Scandal

Safet" problems Rear end shunt J rupture of fuel tan% J fire

Spotted during design and manufacture

H?? at manufacture stage would have fi'ed problems

Refused on KCost-enefitA anal"sis


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2ord Pinto 7esign Methodolog"

Cost-enefit !nal"sis of 7angerous 7esign!ccording to 2ord( the unsafe design would

cause ?LG -urn 7eaths

?LG Serious burn in*uries

F?GG -urned vehicles per "ear

2ord assumed it would have to pa"

HFGG(GGG per death HN(GGG per in*ur"

HNGG per vehicle


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2ord Pinto 7esign Cost !nal"sis

Cost-enefit !nal"sis of 7angerous 7esign

!n alteration would cost H??:GG per car:

Cost to ma%e safe cars

?F: million cars ' H?? H?@N million

-enefits

?LG 7eaths( ?LG In*ured( F?GG -urned Cars

H Q: million


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Cost -enefit !nal"sis &he 2ord Pinto Scandal

?QN??QNL 5pto GG deaths caused b" Pinto fires

7eath to serious in*ur" ratio actuall" much higher

=??G> Q would have survived with a better design

H alternative was actuall" available


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2ord Pa"s

6awsuits and personal in*ur" cases total over HGmillion even as 2ord continues to argue the carwas safe if driven correctl"

Over GG documented deaths related to rearendcollisions in Pintos

Compan" nearl" folds after lawsuits and lac% oftrust in 2ord products


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Pinto 7ebate

$ho is to blame for 2ordAs design+

Chairman( Engineer( 7esigner

$as the decision ma%ing unethical+

Is costbenefit anal"sis a reliable ethics

techni9ue+

lect 8 engineering ethics

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