Professional

Ethics
DR. MUHAMMAD ASIM
 Today’s  What are ethics in engineering?

Lecture’s  What are different general rules of practicing

engineering?

Road Map What are different codes of ethics?

Engineering Ethics
Engineering Ethics is about
◦ how we must act and live as an engineer,
◦ what we must consider when making decisions,
◦ according to what standards are these actions right or wrong.

Shortly engineering ethics is how engineers morally act as an Engineer.

This is professional ethics NOT personal ethics.
Engineering codes of ethics
Guidelines and principles for evaluation of ethical conflicts
Not laws but often basis for laws
Developed for most engineering disciplines
Formally accepted by professional engineers
Purposes
for code • Provide positive stimulus for ethical conduct
• Helpful advice concerning the primary obligation of “engineers”
of ethics • Guideposts in interpreting ethical dilemmas

for
engineers
 Engineers have professional responsibilities to various
stakeholders within society i.e., engineers in their professional
relationships with clients, employers, other engineers, and the
Importance general public;

of These obligations include

 honesty and competence in technical work,
Engineering  confidentiality of proprietary information,

Ethics  collegiality in mentoring and peer review,

 the safety and welfare of the public,

Engineers' decisions can significantly affect society and the

environment.
General Rules
1. Hold paramount the safety 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 ethically, and lawfully to enhance the honor and usefulness of the
profession.
Professional Obligations
1. Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and
integrity.

2. Engineers shall always strive to serve the public interest.

3. Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.

4. Engineers shall not disclose, without consent, confidential information concerning the
business affairs or technical processes of any present or former employer on which they
serve.

5. Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional duties by conflicting interests .

Professional Obligations
6. Engineers shall not attempt to obtain employment or advancement by untruthfully criticizing
other engineers.

7. Engineers shall not attempt to injure or falsely the professional reputation of other engineers.
Engineers who believe others are guilty of unethical shall present such information to the
proper authority for action.

8. Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for their professional activities, provided,
however, that Engineers may seek indemnification for services arising out of their practice for
other than gross negligence, where the Engineer's interests cannot otherwise be protected .

9. Engineers shall give credit for engineering work to those to whom credit is due and will
recognize the proprietary interests of others.
 Preamble NSPE Code of Ethics
• Engineering is an important and learned
profession.
National • Engineers are expected to exhibit the
highest standards of honesty and
Society of integrity.

Professiona • The services provided by engineers require

honesty, fairness and equity, and must be
l Engineers dedicated to the protection of the public
health, safety, and welfare.
(NSPE) • Engineers must perform under a standard
of professional behavior that requires
adherence to the highest principles of
ethical conduct
 1. 1. to accept responsibility in making
decisions consistent with the safety, health
and welfare of the public, and to disclose
promptly factors that might endanger the
public or the environment;
2. 2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of
IEEE – code interest
3. 3. to be honest and realistic in stating
of ethics claims or estimates based on available data;
4. 4. to reject bribery in all its forms;
5. 5. to improve the understanding of
technology, its appropriate application, and
potential consequences
 6. to maintain and improve our technical
competence and to undertake technological tasks for
others only if qualified by training or experience, or
after full disclosure of pertinent limitations;
7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of
technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors,
IEEE – code 8.
and to credit properly the contributions of others;
to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors
of ethics as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national
origin;
9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation,
or employment by false or malicious action;
10. to assist colleagues and co-workers in their
professional development and to support them in
following this code of ethics
Big Picture

Codes of ethics are not Ethical behavior is not Frequently ethical Many companies Ethically aware
a law always protected by behavior may be realize that ethical companies
law perceived as disloyalty behavior is essential Provide help to
for their long-term employees facing
prosperity ethical conflicts
Allow employees to
rise ethical concerns
anonymously
Explicitly prevent any
forms of retaliation for
reporting unethical
behavior
Some of the Worst
Engineering
Failures
 Ford Pinto gas tank disaster

•Faulty designed gas tank led to the deaths

of hundreds of people.
•Ford knew the problem existed before
production.
•But the all-mighty dollar led to the car
being produced in its dangerous form.
Ford’s Problems
Ethical issue with conflict between Engineering and Business Issues.
Use of Cost-Benefit analysis caused the loss of life of hundreds.
Ford figured they would kill 180 people with the pinto, which would
cost them 49.5 million dollars.
The cost of making the car safe was 11 dollars a car, for a grand total of
137 million dollars.
 Since the cost of the projected lawsuits was less
than the cost of making the car safe. Ford made the
death trap.
The horror In the end though just one lawsuit against the
of bad company cost Ford 128 million dollars. Also, the
engineering Pinto ruined the reputation of Ford.

ethics
Union Carbide Chemical Leak
On December 3, 1984 Union Carbide leaked a poisonous gas into
the slum neighborhood in Bhopal, India
Once again the pursuit of increased profits cost the lives of
innocent people.
Effects of the Gas Leak
4,000 people died the night of gas leak
15,000 people died as a direct result of leak
More than 500,000 people have filed claims for injuries from the
leak.
Irresponsible safety actions taken on the part
of the company

As the plant became less profitable, the major

Reasons
corporation made the plant cut back all safety
programs to save money.
for the
Leak
Even though safety programs were needed,
the lives of people around the plant were
deemed expendable to produce more profits.
 Was originally sued for 3 Billion dollars.
Effects on Only had to pay out 470 million, because there influence with the

Union Indian Government.

One of the worst public relations nightmares ever.
Carbide Company lost most of its worth, in falling stock prices.
Chernobyl Nuclear
Disaster
The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was a result of a flawed reactor
design that was operated with lightly trained personnel and
without proper regard to Safety.

The accident was a steam explosion and fire that resulted in the
release of 5 percent of the radioactive core to the atmosphere.
 30 people were killed, and there have been 10 other to die of thyroid
cancer due to the accident.
The effects of the radiation are still being seen today in birth defects.
Effects of 70 cases of thyroid cancer were reported.

Chernobyl The nuclear industry was forever scared by a horrible public image.
Ford Explorer
Rollovers
A combination of a vehicle with a high center
of gravity created with tires that were
separating at speed caused a roll over
condition.
More than 200 hundred people died as a result
of rollover accidents involving the Ford
Explorer and Firestone Wilderness AT tires.
Who Fault is
it anyways?
The issue of the Explorer Rollovers is one of the most
contested engineering disasters.

Both companies have spent millions blaming each

other.

In the end both companies were to blame for the

deaths of the individuals.
The courts found that products were defective by
design.