What is considered ethical behavior by a technician when communicating with a customer?
The Ethics Panel have developed each scenario's response to be in line with established ethical behaviour, as recognised by the Institution and the Engineering Council. Please note: these scenarios do not provide direct instructions for how to manage the ethical issues you may come across. 1. Dealing with the risk of structural failureYou have discovered an error in the calculations that show a tall building designed by your firm would be at serious risk of collapse in a 50-year wind. The building is complete and occupied. The possibility exists of strengthening the building but at very significant cost to your firm. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEThe wellbeing of those using and around the building is paramount regardless of the costs involved. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)
RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good. • hold paramount the health and safety of others. 2. Dealing with the consequences of structural failuresYou work for a sub-contractor who provides a designed structural element. Your firm’s various competitors are designing very tightly using every device to save cost. You believe that the total factor of safety is gradually being eroded and that this will eventually result in problems. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUESaving money, but risking personal injury. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)
Cannot put safety at risk to save money and this issue should be raised formally with the appropriate authorities not detailed in the Structural Engineer. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
03. Observing a health and safety problemA H&S problem on your site, which you observe, is reported to the contractor who takes no action. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEImproper H&S practice. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)c) Do nothing other than advise the client and/or contractor – it’s their problem once notified. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good • hold paramount the health and safety of others 04. Fixtures and fittingsYou have been appointed to provide structural advice to a tenant fitting out a retail unit. Your scope is limited to specific areas of work e.g. formation of builder’s work holes, a new staircase and floor loading checks on pieces of heavy equipment. A particular shop fitting display case is very heavy but the floor is capable of supporting the load. The item has been used in over 300 stores. You are concerned that if the unit topples and falls, seriously injuries could occur. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEThe health & safety of others. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)b) Do nothing as it is not part of your scope of works RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good. • hold paramount the health and safety of others. 2. Accuracy and rigour. • Identify, evaluate, quantify and mitigate risks. 05. Corruption/briberyA trusted supplier sends you a case of wine each Christmas. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEIs it fair to accept this gift from a supplier? Others may see it as a way to gain preference. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)c) Send a picture of it to your other suppliers to demonstrate how you should be treated. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • avoid deception and take steps to prevent or report corrupt practices or professional misconduct • reject bribery or improper influence 06. Corruption/briberyOne of your colleagues has been given some regular small cash payments from a contractor. They are less than the limits in the gifts and hospitality register and they have reported them as gifts. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEYour colleague should not be accepting cash payments from the contractor outside of the normal payment structure of both companies. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)d) Do nothing as the sums are small and within the limits of the hospitality register. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • avoid deception and take steps to prevent or report corrupt practices or professional misconduct • declare conflicts of interest 4. Leadership and communication • maintain and promote high ethical standards and challenge unethical behaviour 07. Copyright infringementYou are a Technician Member of the Institution. You have started work at a new firm of consulting engineers. You become aware that they use (and therefore you must use) pirated software and you have told the IT manager that this is wrong. He says that everyone does this and then ignores you. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEPirated software is theft. Furthermore, using software that does not receive official updates and support from the programmers means it may not be appropriately updated which could cause structures to be put at risk. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)d) Inform the company whose software has been pirated. It is much better to whistle blow than informing the company whose software has been pirated. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and Integrity • act in a reliable and trustworthy manner 2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good • respect the ownership of intellectual property 4. Leadership and communication • maintain and promote high ethical standards and challenge unethical behaviour 08. Environmental issuesYou are engaged in the design of a project that involves reclaiming land from the sea. The particular area that the client wants to reclaim is inhabited by a rare species of dolphin. You have advised the client that the reclamation will have an adverse effect on the dolphins, but they ignore you. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEProtection of the environment/endangered species. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)d) Call Greenpeace. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good • protect and improve the quality of built and natural environments • maximise the public good and minimise both actual and potential adverse effects for their own and succeeding generations • take due account of the limited availability of natural resources • uphold the reputation and standing of the profession 4. Leadership and communication • are aware of the issues that engineering and technology raise for society, and listen to the aspirations and concerns of others • promote public awareness and understanding of the impact and benefits of engineering achievements • maintain and promote high ethical standards and challenge unethical behaviour 09. Dilemmas created when being asked to serve two mastersAfter doing an initial design your firm has been novated to a design-and-build contractor. The original client with whom you have a long-standing relationship has told you that monthly reports on the performance of the contractor are needed. The contractor who is responsible for the major remaining part of your fee has told you that he does not need or want you to visit site. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEIt is unethical to advise another person on matters that could harm your current Client (in this case the Design-and-Build contractor) even when there is or has been a previous relationship with the other person. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)c) Make clandestine visits to site to be able to make confidential reports to the original client. d) Say nothing to your former client or the contractor and do not provide any reports. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • declare conflicts of interest • respect confidentiality 10. The public goodYou are retained to organise the maintenance and assess the safety of a number of bridges for a public authority. You have reported that a particular bridge has become dangerous and should be immediately and totally closed for urgent repair which will take three weeks. The politicians who have to consider the importance of the route and decide on funding priorities are not easily convinced and want to delay the repair until a less busy holiday period in three months’ time. They point out that the bridge has been carrying normal traffic until now. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEEnsuring the safety of the public is paramount, regardless of political pressure. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)a) Reluctantly give in to the pressure. b) Threaten to resign and go to the press. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good • hold paramount the health and safety of others • protect and improve the quality of built and natural environments • maximise the public good and minimise both actual and potential adverse effects for their own and succeeding generations 11. Plagiarism/impostureYou attend interviews pitching for work to various potential clients with a senior member of your firm who is an Institution Member. Your senior colleague frequently presents examples of “previous” jobs that were not actually done by your firm. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEMisrepresentation of work; plagiarism. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)d) Continue to use the “previous” jobs in future presentations to other potential clients. It would be inappropriate to continue use other firms work as examples of your own. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • avoid deception and take steps to prevent or report corrupt practices or professional misconduct 3. Accuracy and rigour • do not knowingly mislead or allow others to be misled 4. Leadership and communication • are objective and truthful in any statement made in their professional capacity and challenge statements or policies which cause them professional concern • maintain and promote high ethical standards and challenge unethical behaviour 12. Respect for others (and the law)You arrive by car for a pre-contract meeting on an extension to a hospital building. You have been driven there by the senior partner of the firm. You are late and there is no free parking space. The senior sees a place that is reserved for one of the surgeons and parks in it. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEIt would not be appropriate to use the surgeon’s space as it is theirs to use and may affect the surgeon in carrying out his duties. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)d) As you are late for the meeting you do not voice any concerns. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • act in a reliable and trustworthy manner 4. Leadership and communication • maintain and promote high ethical standards and challenge unethical behaviour 13. ConsultantsYou work for a consulting engineer designing an overseas project for an international client. At tender stage the client’s project manager instructs that an item of cost be added to the cost schedule that allows for a number of international trips by members of the client’s team for inspections during construction. A couple of weeks later the client’s project manager asks that this cost item be increased to include the partners of the members of the client’s team. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEIt is unethical to extend expenses to the partners of the client’s team, which could call into question the integrity of all parties involved. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)a) Agree to add the item to the cost schedule because you have been instructed to do so by the client’s project manager. b) Ask the client’s project manager for confirmation that they have approval from senior level in the client’s organisation to do this, and when they confirm that they have approval add the item to the cost schedule. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES1. Honesty and integrity • reject bribery or improper influence • declare conflicts of interest 14. ConsultantsYou work for a consulting engineer that has been asked to work with an architect to inspect and report on an empty mill building with a view to possibly refurbishing it. The mill turns out to be derelict, with most of its roof collapsed, and walls in very bad condition with loose stonework which could easily detach and fall. Therefore, you inspect it externally only and from an access platform. The mill immediately adjoins the towpath of a canal, which is used by local people for walks and cycling. Do you:
Clarification and discussion pointsSUMMARY OF THE ETHICAL ISSUEAs a structural engineer you have a duty of care to the public if you see a dangerous situation that could affect the public. INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE(S)a) Produce a report for your client which sets out the bad condition of the building. Include in your report that the building is dangerous, must be securely fenced-off and that the tow-path is unsafe and access along it should be stopped. RELATIONSHIP TO ENGINEERING COUNCIL'S STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES2. Respect for life, law, the environment and public good. • hold paramount the health and safety of others and draw attention to hazards • uphold the reputation and standing of the profession |