Engineering Ethics
You are testing motorcycle helmets manufactured by a variety of your
competitors. Your company has developed an inexpensive helmet with a
liner that will withstand multiple impacts but is less effective on the initial
impact than your competitor’s. The vice president for sales is anxious to
get this new helmet on the market and is threatening to fire you if you do
not release it to the manufacturing division. You barely found this job and
have high student loan payments. What should you do?
a. Follow the VP’s orders, as he/she will ultimately be responsible for the
decision.
b. Call a newspaper to “blow the whistle” on the unsafe company policies
c. Refuse to release the product as unsafe and take your chances on being fired.
d. Stall the vice president while you look for a job at a company.
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Engineering Ethics
Engineering is a profession serving society. As such, society
imposes special obligations on engineers.
These responsibilities are expressed in a code of ethics which all
engineers (as other professionals) are expected to follow.
Ethical responsibilities are placed on engineers because they
provide services or make judgments that are not easily
understood by the general public (because of their high
technical nature).
Furthermore, the results of their work impact society as a
whole. Clients must trust an engineer’s professional judgment.
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Engineering Ethics
Etiquette - rules of acceptable personal
behavior and courtesy when interacting with
others in a social setting – For example
When shopping, do you leave your basket in the middle of
the aisle, so others cannot pass? Do you take up more than
one space when you park? Why are you honking your horn?
Did you interrupt somebody while they are speaking? While
these might seem like small annoyances, what is at their
core is using respect and consideration for others.
What is the consequence of not following
rules of etiquette?
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Engineering Ethics
Laws - a system of rules and punishments
clearly defined and established by a society to
maintain a safe and orderly social
environment– when in doubt, attorneys are
the best point of contact! – For example
Bribing, involving in a deadly accident due to excessive
speeding, stealing…
What is the consequence of not following the
laws?
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Engineering Ethics
Canons – were originally church laws, the
word has come to mean rules of acceptable
behavior for specific groups. – For example
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall
•
•
Hold paramount safety, health, and welfare of the public;
Perform services only in areas of their competence
What is the consequence of not following the
canons?
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Engineering Ethics
Morals - personal rules of right and wrong
behavior derived from a person’s upbringing,
religious beliefs, and societal influences. – For
example
Do not gossip, keep your promises, do not cheat, have
integrity, serve mankind, be generous
What is the consequence of not following the
morals?
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Engineering Ethics
Ethics - a code or system of rules defining moral
behavior for a particular section of the society.
– For example
Honesty, trustworthiness, respect the right of others,
practicing the Golden Rule (1)Practice empathy. ...2)Practice
compassion. ...3)How would you want to be treated? ...4)Be friendly.
...5)Be helpful. ...6)Be courteous in traffic. ...7)Listen to others.
8)Overcome prejudice.)
What is the consequence of not following the
rule of ethics?
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Personal Ethics
Personal ethics are the standards of human behavior that
individuals of different cultures have constructed to make moral
judgments about personal or group situations.
Naturally, they vary over time and from culture to culture,
resulting in conflict when what is acceptable in one culture is
not in another.
For example, the notion of privacy in U.S. culture is very strong,
and a desk is considered an extension of that privacy, whereas in
another culture, such as Japan, office space is open and one’s
desk would be considered public domain.
Any other examples?
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Personal Ethics
Suppose you are a passenger in a car driven by a close friend.
The friend is exceeding the speed limit and has an accident.
There are no witnesses, and his lawyer tells you that if you
testify that your friend was not exceeding the speed limit, it will
save him from a jail sentence.
What do you do?
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Personal Ethics
Lying is more accepted in cultures that stress human
relationships, but it is less accepted in cultures that stress laws.
People in cultures that emphasize human relationships would
most likely lie to protect the relationship
Whereas people in cultures that put greater value on laws
would lie less in order to obey the law.
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The Five Cornerstones of Ethical
Behavior
Do what you say you will do.
Never divulge information given to you in
confidence.
Accept responsibility for your mistakes.
Never become involved in a lie.
Never accept gifts that compromise your
ability to perform in the best interests of your
organization.
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Top ten questions you should ask yourself
When Making an Ethical Decision
Could the decision become habit forming? If
so, don’t do it.
Is it legal? If it isn’t, don’t do it.
Is it safe? If it isn’t, don’t do it.
Is it the right thing to do? If it isn’t, don’t do it.
Will this stand the test of Public Scrutiny? If it
won’t, don’t do it.
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Top ten questions you should ask yourself
When Making an Ethical Decision
If something terrible happened, could I defend
my actions? If you can’t, don’t do it.
Is it just, balanced, and fair? If it isn’t, don’t do
it.
How will it make me feel about myself? If it
feels lousy, don’t do it.
Does this choice lead to the greatest good for
the greatest number? If is doesn’t don’t do it.
WOULD I DO THIS IN FRONT OF MY MOTHER?
If you wouldn’t, don’t do it.
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Professional Ethics
Having a code of ethics enables an engineer to resist the
pressure to produce substandard work by saying, “As a
professional, I cannot ethically put business concerns ahead of
professional ethics.” It also enables the engineer to similarly
resist pressure to allow concerns such as personal desires,
greed, ideology, religion, or politics to override professional
ethics.
As members of this profession, engineers are expected to
exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineers
perform under a standard of professional behavior that requires
adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.
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National Society of Professional
Engineers Code of Ethics
Fundamental canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall
• Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
• Perform services only in areas of their competence.
• Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
• Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
• Avoid deceptive acts.
• Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and
lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness
of the profession.
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Example 1.3 An Ethical Situation
You and your roommate are both enrolled in the same engineering
class. Your roommate spent the weekend partying and did not do
the homework that is due on Monday. You did your homework, and
your roommate asks to see it. You are afraid he/she will just copy it
and turn it in as his/her own work. What are you ethically obligated
to do?
a. Show your roommate the homework.
b. Show the homework but ask your roommate not to copy it.
c. Show the homework and tell the roommate that if the homework
is copied, you will tell the professor?
d. Refuse to show the homework
e. Refuse to show the homework but offer to spend time tutoring
the roommate
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Example 1.3 An Ethical Situation
1) Do what you say you will do.
This implies that answer d or e
2) Never divulge information given to you in confidence.
a. Show your roommate the homework.
This is more support for choice d or e
b. Show the homework but ask your roommate not to
copy it.
3) Accept responsibility for your mistakes.
c. Show the homework and tell the roommate that if the
This is further support for choice d or e
homework is copied, you will tell the professor?
d. Refuse to show the homework
4) Never become involved in a lie.
e. Refuse to show the homework but offer to spend time
tutoring the roommate
This further supports choice d or e
5) Never accept gifts that compromise your ability to perform in the best
interests of your organization.
Since the roommate has not offered anything in exchange for the help, this
standard appears not to apply in this case.
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Engineering Ethics Decision Matrix
Options →
NSPE Canons 
Hold paramount
the safety, health
and welfare of the
public
Perform services
only in the area of
your competence
Go along with the
decision
Appeal to higher
management
Issue public
statements only in
an objective and
truthful manner
Act for each
employer or client
as faithful agents
or trustees
Avoid deceptive
acts
Conduct
themselves
honorably
Exploring Engineering
Quit your
job
Write your state
representative
Call a newspaper
reporter
Engineering Ethics Decision Matrix
To avoid creating an unintentional contrast between
ethics and engineering , you will be asked to focus on
a particular tool: the engineering ethics decision
matrix.
This tool presents a simple way of applying the canons
of engineering ethics and further to see the spectrum
of responses that might apply in a given situation.
In particular, it should give you pause not to accept
the first simple do/do not response that comes to you.
It provides a guideline in responding to ethics
questions.
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Engineering Ethics Decision Matrix
Options →
NSPE Canons 
Hold paramount
the safety, health
and welfare of the
public
Perform services
only in the area of
your competence
Go along with the
decision
Appeal to higher
management
Issue public
statements only in
an objective and
truthful manner
Act for each
employer or client
as faithful agents
or trustees
Avoid deceptive
acts
Conduct
themselves
honorably
Exploring Engineering
Quit your
job
Write your state
representative
Call a newspaper
reporter
Engineering Ethics Decision Matrix
Example 1.4
You are a civil engineer on a team designing a bridge for a state
government. Your team submits what you believe to be the best design
by all criteria, at a cost that is within the limits originally set. However,
some months later, the state undergoes a budget crisis and cuts your
funds. Your supervisor, also a qualified civil engineer makes design
changes to achieve cost reduction that he/she believes will not
compromise the safety of the bridge. You are not sure, though you
cannot conclusively demonstrate a safety hazard. You request that a
new safety analysis be done. Your supervisor denies your request on
the grounds of time and limited budget. What do you do?
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