Engineering is an important and learned profession. As a member of the engineering profession, you are expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity. In order to continue this effectiveness, the services that you as an engineer provide require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public safety, health, and welfare. Engineers must adhere to a standard of professional behavior upholding the highest principles of ethical conduct. We call the standard of behavior “engineering ethics,” and embody it in the codes of ethics published by the state boards and by professional societies, such as NSPE.
In this third course, we will continue the direction of the NSPE Code of Ethics by looking at a few case studies and how they apply specifically to the Code. We will look into the topic of using existing work for different clients and disclosing required information. We will look at cases involving conflict of interest and the engineer’s responsibilities for handling incomplete specifications. Finally, we will look at the ethical responsibility to notify authorities and owners of potentially dangerous conditions.
