Engineering Ethics

& Professional
Codes

Ethics
What are Ethics
Ethics

is the area of philosophy which studies

the moral life of an individual i.e. his human life
as a person, considered from the point of view of
goodness or badness.
A system of principles determined by society.
Rules of conduct recognized in respect to a
particular class of human actions or a particular
group, culture, etc.
Ethics are not directly enforced by the law.
Ethical standards are usually relative and
personal, there is seldom an absolute standard

Ethics
Ethical Dilemmas at Work Place
If

you knew that a co-worker was drinking on the

job?
If you were given a set of drawings designed by
junior engineers and asked to put your seal on
them without a thorough review?
If you were asked to submit a design for a new
school building and your spouse was on the
school board?
Taking office supplies for home use (paper,
pencil, pen, etc.)
Using phone for personal use on company time
Putting personal expenses as business expenses.

Ethics
How Ethical You Are?
Software piracy
Copying of homework or tests
Extra money paid to TC for ticket
reservations
Copying of Videos or CDs
Plagiarism
Presentation made by a single student
which is assigned to a group of four or
five.
Driving a vehicle despite not having a
driving license
Giving bribe to traffic officers rather
than paying fine

Engineering Ethics
Ethics and Legality
Are

all illegal things unethical

Are all unethical things illegal

Engineering Ethics
What are Engineering Ethics
Engineering

ethics is the study of moral issues

and decisions confronting individuals and
organizations engaged in engineering.
Is the study of the decisions, policies and values
that are morally desirable in engineering
practice and research.
Engineering ethics is not about preaching virtue
rather, its objective is to increase engineers
ability to responsibly confront moral issues
raised by technological activity.

Engineering Ethics
Scope of Engineering Ethics

Engineering Ethics- Cases

1973: Ford Pinto - Fuel System

design

Rear end gas tank that could

potentially be puncture in a rear end
collision due to design.

Car doors could potentially jam after a

collision which resulted in passengers
being trapped

Design of an automobile component

that later proved to fail under certain
conditions and could be replaced for
$11 under a recall?

BENEFIT ANALYSIS

180 deaths, 180 serious injuries, 2,100

burned vehicles

COST ANALYSIS

$11 per vehicle to recall

Total cost of $137 million

Engineering Ethics- Cases

1984: Bhopal Accident(India) Chemical Plant

Factors leading to the magnitude
of the gas leak include:
Storing the chemical in large tanks
and filling beyond recommended
volume.
Poor maintenance after the plant
ceased production of MIC towards
the end of 1984.
Failure of several safety systems
(due to poor maintenance).
Safety systems being switched off
to save moneyincluding the MIC
tank refrigeration system which
could have mitigated the severity
of the disaster.

Engineering Ethics- Cases

The Hyatt Regency Walkway kansas city
(1981)

If you were asked to sign off on a set

of shop drawings that had come from
a reliable vendor with whom you had
a very good working relationship?
Support system was changed in the
shop drawings by the steel fabricator
Engineer failed to review the shop
drawings and therefore did not
discover the change
The change doubled the load on the
supports
32 ton walkways collapsed
114 deaths
200 injuries
Engineers prosecuted

Ethics Cases
Some Issues
Incidents,

Accidents or Disasters?
More risky technology v/s Less risky technology?
Responsibility: the company or the engineer?
Economics v/s Ethics?

Engineering Ethics
Primary Causes for Engineering
Disaster
Human factors (including both 'ethical' failure
and accidents)
Design flaws (many of which are also the result
of unethical practices)
Material failures
Extreme conditions or environments
Most commonly and importantly, combinations
of these reasons

NSPE Code of Ethics for

Engineers

Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional

duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of
the public
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and
truthful manner
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents
or trustees
5. Avoid deceptive acts
6. Conduct
themselves honorably, responsibly,
ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor,
reputation, and usefulness of the profession

Code of Ethics
Safety, Health, Welfare of Public
Notify

client and appropriate authority

circumstances that endanger life or property.

Approve

of

only engineering documents that

conform with applicable standards.
Report alleged code violations to appropriate
professional bodies and, when relevant, to public
authorities

Code of Ethics
Work Only in Area of
Competence
Undertake assignments only when qualified by
specific technical education or experience.
Do not sign plans or documents when you lack
competence or supervisory control.

Issue Truthful and Objective Public

Statements
Be objective and truthful in professional
reports, statements, or testimony.
Publicly
express technical opinions
founded upon facts and competence.

Code of Ethics
Avoid Deceptive Acts

Do
not
falsify
or
misrepresent
qualifications
or
pertinent
facts
pertaining to you or your associates.
Do not offer, give, solicit or receive,
(directly or indirectly) a bribe or kickback.

Act as Faithful Agent

Disclose all known or potential conflicts of

interest
Do not accept compensation from more than
one party for services pertaining to the same
project, without full disclosure and agreement.

Engineering Ethics
How to Evaluate Ethical
Solutions
Stakeholder/Utilitarian Theory: Greatest good to
the greatest number.
Rights Theory: Rights set forth by a society are
protected and given the highest priority.
Justice Theory: Fair distribution of benefits and
burdens: Can harm to individual be justifiable?
Categorical Imperative: What if everyone took
such action?
Front Page Test: What if my decision was
reported on the front page of the Times of India?