Example of Ethics Case Study Discussion (similar to HW2)

In your discussion of each situation, consider:

1. What do societal values require in this case?
2. What do professional ethical standards require in this case? Cite relevant parts of the Codes
of Ethics (printed in part 1 of the assignent!.
". What #ould you do?
Cutting $oadside %rees
http:&&onlineethics.org&cases&pritchard&trees.htl
Case suary (not needed in student discussion!: 'evin Clearing is the engineering anager for the County
$oad Coission (C$C!, #ith a priary responsi(ility for county road safety. )t least 1 person has died along a
given stretch of road each of the last * years (y crashing into a roadside tree. +ay other accidents have occurred.
%#o la# suits #ere filed regarding the unsafe segent of the road, (ut #ere disissed (ecause the drivers #ere
e,ceeding the -. ph speed liit. 'evin recoends that the road (e #idened, resulting in cutting do#n /"0 old
trees. Environental groups protest, and file a petition signed to 1.0 people to save the trees. 1u(lic de(ate falls
on (oth sides of the issue.
Case question: 23iscuss ho# 'evin Clearing should proceed at this point.4
5ocietal values (note: 2 examples would be fine, 1 on each side of the disagreement!
) variety of societal values pertain to this situation. 5ociety values huan life, so this #ould favor
#idening the road and sacrificing the trees. 5ociety also values follo#ing the la#. 5ince it can (e argued
that people in the accidents #ere speeding, and therefore violating the la#, perhaps leaving the road is
fine. 6o#ever, the inforation provided is incoplete (ecause (eyond the 2 la# suits, soe of the other
accidents ay have occurred (y people follo#ing the la# (o(eying speed liit, passing 7ones, etc! (ut
under adverse #eather conditions or siple 2accidents4. 5ociety values environental preservation, in
#hich case a solution that does not 8ill the trees should (e found (ay(e adding guardrails instead!.
9inally, the :.5. is a deocracy and as such values the opinion of the a;ority. %herefore, a county (allot
or other ethod to accurately deterine a a;ority (the petition is one<sided at this point, and sall since
the relevant population ay (e as high as the city population of =0,000! ay (e helpful.
1rofessional standards (note: cite 2 to 5 from either ASCE or S!E code"
$elevant portions of the )5CE Code of Ethics are paraphrased (elo# and the action resulting fro the
code is then given.
)5CE Canon 1: paraount safety ... of the pu(lic
%his supports reoving the trees and #idening the road.
)5CE Canon 1e: protection of the environent
%his argues for saving the trees.
)5CE Canon "a: endeavor to e,tend the pu(lic 8no#ledge of engineering
%his indicates that #hatever decision is ade, an effort should (e ade to educate pu(lic on #hy.
$ecoended action for 'evin (and #hat I #ould do!:
(1! 9irst, I #ould hold a pu(lic eeting to infor pu(lic. It should (e noted that 1.0 people on the
petition is a sall fraction of persons affected (up to =0,000 in to#n, so there could (e a silent a;ority in
favor of #idening the road!. E,plain #hy technically the (est solution is to #iden the road.
(2! %he county should #iden the road and reove trees fro the right<of<#ay for optial safety.
("! %he county should relocate the displaced trees to other pu(lic property (a par8, etc!.
%his solution accoodates (oth pu(lic safety and environental preservation.