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CANELA Learning Activity - NSPE Code of Ethics

Engineer A observed structural issues with a building they were investigating that could lead to collapse. Engineer A informed the building owner and county official, but did not receive a response. Engineer A has an ethical obligation to continue pursuing resolution by notifying additional authorities in writing.

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Christian Canela
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153 views

CANELA Learning Activity - NSPE Code of Ethics

Engineer A observed structural issues with a building they were investigating that could lead to collapse. Engineer A informed the building owner and county official, but did not receive a response. Engineer A has an ethical obligation to continue pursuing resolution by notifying additional authorities in writing.

Uploaded by

Christian Canela
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: CANELA, CHRISTIAN V.

Learning Activity
Engineering Coe of Ethics
Direction: Analyze and study the following cases bearing in mind those at are stated in
the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers. In all your answers, cite a specific section of
the aforementioned code of ethics.

Case 1:
Engineer A is a professional engineer and owner of ABC Engineering. Engineer A
recently learned that Engineer B, a former employee of ABC who recently started his
own firm (EFG Engineering), is claiming “extensive project experience.” The EFG
Engineering website references a list of “past clients” and “past projects.” In fact,
Engineer A was the Engineer of Record and it was Engineer A’s company (ABC
Engineering) that was responsible for the design of the “past projects” referenced for
“past clients.” On none of the projects Engineer B lists on the EFG website was
Engineer B the Engineer of Record. Engineer B was an engineer-intern for most of
Engineer B’s tenure with ABC Engineering. While Engineer B performed tasks for the
referenced clients and on “past projects,” Engineer B’s role was as a junior member of
the design team.

Question(s):
What are Engineer A’s ethical responsibilities?

Answer:

Engineer A should consider sending a letter to Engineer B, noting the fact that Engineer
B and Engineer B’s firm are improperly and falsely claiming credit for work for which
they were not responsible or in which Engineer B played a minor role; demanding that
Engineer B and Engineer B’s firm cease and desist from including the subject
references on their website; and where appropriate, Engineer A shall report Engineer B
to the state board of professional engineers.
Case 2:
Engineer A is hired by Client B to conduct a building investigation to determine the
origin and cause of a fire resulting in financial loss. During the investigation, Engineer A,
who was also a structural engineer, observes that the building is structurally unstable.
Engineer A performs a preliminary investigation of the building and after speaking with
Client B, concludes that there were recent structural changes made to the building that
may have caused the roof to sag and the walls to lean outward due to insufficient lateral
restraint. Engineer A also learns that following construction modifications, the building
was issued a certificate of occupancy by a county building official. Although not
imminent, collapse of the building is a danger, Engineer A believes. Engineer A
immediately advises Client B and calls the county building official. The county building
official did not return Engineer A’s phone call. Engineer A also recommended to the
owners to brace the building to prevent its collapse.

Question:
What are Engineer A’s ethical obligations under the circumstances?

Answer:

Engineer A had an obligation to continue to pursue a resolution of the matter by working


with Client B and in contacting in writing the supervisor of the county official, the fire
marshal, or any other agency with jurisdiction, advising them of the structural
deficiencies.
Case 3:
Engineer A, a professional engineer in private practice, is appointed to a public utility
board selection committee for the purpose of hiring an engineer for a sewer project.
Engineer B, a professional engineer in private practice, subsequently submits a
statement of qualifications for the sewer project. Engineers A and B have their own
engineering firms and compete in the same geographic area where the sewer project is
being proposed. Engineer A is not competing for this project. During the utility board
selection process, Engineer A evaluates and assigns Engineer B a low score. Engineer
B was not selected for the sewer project. Instead, Engineer C, the engineer with the
highest-ranked score, is retained by the public utility to perform the engineering
services.

Question(s):
What are Engineer A’s ethical obligations under the circumstances?

Answer:

It was not ethical for Engineer A to submit a proposal to serve as the owner’s
representative for the utility on the project.

Facts:
Engineer A, a licensed professional engineer with expertise in computer programming
and computer coding, is employed by Company X, which manufactures air pollution
monitoring equipment for power generation companies. Engineer A is asked to design,
program, and develop code for a new type of equipment the company is planning to
develop. The computer code Engineer A develops performs well during testing but
causes the company’s equipment to reduce its pollution monitoring capacity during peak
periods of energy consumption, which decreases the amount of actual pollution
reported to the power generating companies—data that is then routinely reported to
state and federal officials. Company X officials advise Engineer A that this reduced
capacity feature will extend the life of the equipment and provide better value to power
generation companies who will purchase it.

Question(s):
Would it be ethical for Engineer A to design, program, and develop code for a new type
of equipment the company is planning to develop for power generation companies with
a feature that reduces the amount of actual pollution reported to the power generation
companies—data that is routinely reported to state and federal officials?

Answer:

It would not be ethical for Engineer A to design, program, and develop code for a new
type of equipment the company is planning to develop for power generation companies
with a feature that reduces the amount of actual pollution reported to the power
generation companies data that is routinely reported to state and federal officials.
Engineer A has an ethical obligation to offer to the client that he attempts to develop a
new code that does not have this reporting deficiency. If Company X chooses to use the
original code without reporting the deficiency to state and federal officials, then Engineer
A has the ethical obligation to report that deficiency.

Notes:
1. Save your file using the file naming format Surname_Learning Activity Title
2. Save in PDF format before submission

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