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 Topic of Our
Presentation:
CODES OF ETHICS AND A BALANCED
OUTLOOK ON LAW, CASE STUDIES

We Will divide our presentation into 3 parts:

1- Codes of Ethics
2- Balanced Outlook on Law
3- Case Studies
1- Codes of Ethics:
What are the codes of ethics ?
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Codes of Ethics are:

“a set of rules about good and bad behavior”

Or if you want the more complex version

of its definition, then according to
Investopedia:
“A code of ethics is a guiding set of principles
intended to instruct professionals to act in a manner
that aligns with the organization's values, and is
beneficial to all stakeholders involved”
It should be understood that The Company has its own code of ethics
which may vary from company to company depending on the
cultural, societal, religious standards etc.

For most of the companies, Following are some common

code of ethics:
Why the need for codes of ethics?

Organizations create codes of ethics in order to eliminate unacceptable or immoral

behavior from their members. These are typically structured around existing ethical
issues within their industry.

The first step is for the organization to identify its priorities, as

well as any ethical issues that it wishes to avoid
Without Codes of Ethics in a
Company:

- Ethical breaches leading to legal

consequences

- Damage to reputation and trust among

stakeholders

- Employee misconduct and dissatisfaction

- Decreased morale and motivation

- Loss of customer loyalty and business

opportunities
2- Balanced Outlook on Law
A balanced outlook on laws stresses the necessity of laws and regulations
and their limitations in directing engineering practice.

In order to live, work and play together in harmony as a society, there

must be a balance between individual needs and desires against
collective needs and desires
Today’s building codes can be traced back to the Code of Hammurabi, circa 2200-1800 B.C. The Code of
Hammurabi provided for the death of a builder if the construction of a dwelling collapsed and caused the
death of the owner.
Balanced Outlook on Law and modern day

If we talk about modern-day history:

The first building codes in the United States, established in 1625, addressed fire safety and specified materials
for roof coverings.

In 1630, Boston outlawed chimneys made with wood and thatch roof coverings.

In the late 1770s George Washington recommended that height and area limitations be imposed on wood
frame buildings in his plans for the District of Columbia.

In 1788, the first known formal building code was written in the United States (in German) in Old Salem,
(now Winston-Salem) North Carolina
During that time, steam engines were large and heavy. James Watt, along with Oliver Evans and Richard Trevithick,
improved them by making them smaller.

However, these redesigned engines still faced a problem: boiler explosions, especially when boats sped up.

Alfred Guthrie, an Illinois engineer, examined many steam boats

and identified the causes of these explosions.

His findings were published by Senator Shields of Illinois

and became law, prompting the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to establish standards for
steam boat manufacturing.
Larger U.S. cities began establishing building codes in the early 1800s.

In 1865, New Orleans was the first city to enact a law requiring inspections of public
places.

The National Board of Fire Underwriters published its Recommended National Building
Code in 1905.

In 1915, the world’s first model code organization was established to provide a forum
for exchange of ideas regarding building safety and construction regulations.

In 1973, the American Institute of Architects called for one code to be used throughout
the United States
Building Ethics and Building Code of Pakistan:

- The Pakistan Building Code (PBC) sets standards for structural integrity, ensuring buildings can withstand various
hazards.

- PBC guidelines encompass fire safety measures, such as fire-resistant materials and escape routes, enhancing
occupant safety.

- Specific provisions address earthquake-resistant construction techniques, vital in a seismic-prone region like
Pakistan.

- Regular inspections and enforcement of PBC regulations help identify and rectify safety deficiencies in buildings.

- Security considerations in building design, such as access control and surveillance systems, enhance occupant
safety and deter unauthorized access.
https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/services/universities/Monitoring-Evaluation/Documents/Fire-Safety%20Provisions.pdf
1- The Challenger Case
Study:
The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger is a well-known accident,
extensively covered by the media and government reports. It raised
numerous ethical concerns for engineers involved.
To save both your time and mine, We will not go into the technical details of this specific incident.

However, we do have to study the ethical shortcomings that contributed to its failure.

Some basic Causes of its failures, from Ethical standpoint of view are:

1- Delay in Launch:

Political factors affected NASA's decision-making process, causing delays in shuttle launch decisions. The launch
date was postponed initially for the availability of Vice President George Bush, a NASA supporter.

2- Unexpected Change in Temperature:

Unexpectedly, the temperature at the time of launch was 8°F colder than ever before, with the right-hand booster
estimated to be at only 28°F.
2- The Banqiao Dam Case Study:

Location: Zhumadian City, China

Constructed: 1951-1952, further work in 1954
Date of incident: August, 1975
The Banqiao Dam failure had ethical causes stemming from
decisions made during its construction and management.

These include:

1- inadequate safety measures

2- negligence in addressing potential risks

3-Insufficient consideration of environmental and community

impacts.
3- The Walkie-Talkie Centre Case Study
An issue often arises in design and construction when light reflects off glass and metal, sometimes intensifying to
harmful levels.

In London, Viñoly's 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed the "Walkie Talkie Centre," faced a Reflection Problem.

Its concave shape focused sunlight onto the street below, causing temperatures to soar and even melting objects like a
Jaguar car.

To address this, the building installed screens to reduce sunlight reflection.

Additionally, the building's design caused increased wind activity at street level, leading to incidents like blown-over
street signs and trolleys.

Ethical Shortcoming:
Too much focus on Design and Aesthetics
of the building by its owners without
considering its impacts on the
surrounding populace.
4- Chernobyl-Nuclear Disaster Case Study:

Location: Chernobyl, Ukraine

Cost: $1.7 billion

Constructed: 1970-1977

Date of incident: April 26,

1986