Ethics and Professional Practice

Workshop Problems 
 
 
 
 

Code: ECEPP Spring 2015

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 Fundamental of Engineering Exam Review
Workshop Notes

Ethics and Professional Practice for

Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and General Engineering Disciplines

Dr. Raghava Kommalapati, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE

Topics Covered
 Codes of Ethics
 Licensure
 Professional Liability
 NCEES Model Law and Model Rules
 Public protection issues

REFERENCES
1. Fundamentals of Engineering Review Manual (FERM), 3rd ed., Lindeburg,
Professional Publications Inc., 2011.
2. FE/EIT Sample Examinations, 2nd ed., Lindeburg, Professional Publications
Inc., 2006.
3. 1001 Solved Engineering Fundamentals Problems, 3rd ed., Lindeburg,
Professional Publications Inc., 2005.
4. Fundamentals of Engineering General Engineering Sample Questions and
Solutions, NCEES, 2005.
5. Fundamentals of Engineering Review, 11th ed, Potter, Blue Moose Press,
2003.
6. Fundamentals of Engineering: FE/EIT Exam Preparation, 19th ed., Kaplan
AEC Education, 2011

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1. The NCEES Model Rules of Professional Conduct prohibits the registered
engineer from doing all but one of the following. Which one can the
engineer do?
(A) Indiscriminately criticize the work of another registered engineer.
(B) Giving gifts to people in order to promote business and obtain work.
(C) Affix a signature or seal to any plans or documents not prepared under
the engineer’s control and supervision.
(D) Accept compensation from more than one party for services on the
same project, once the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to
by all parties.

Solution: Answer is D
NCEES model rules prevents the engineer from doing the actions listed in
choices A, B and C. Engineer shall not accept compensation from more than
one party for the same work unless it is disclosed to all the parties and
agreed to by all parties.

2. Which of the following is an important element of a formal legal contract?

(A) a mutual agreement about a lawful matter between legally competent
parties
(B) a valid consideration—money or other valuable consideration
exchanged
(C) written in a style and format according to the provisions of the law
(D) all of the above

Solution: Answer is D
All the three choices are important elements of a legal contract.

3. In the case of an ethical conflict, which entity takes precedence?

(A) society
(B) the client
(C) the employer
(D) society and the client are equal and take precedence

Solution: Answer is A
The safety and well-being of society comes before responsibilities to a client
or employer.

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4. Who owns the rights to inventions that arise during work for a client if no
prior specifications regarding inventions are made?
(A) the inventor
(B) the inventors company
(C) the client
(D) the state

Solution: Answer is C
Unless an agreement is made regarding patents and inventions before the
work is performed, the client who paid for the services should receive rights
to all inventions and patents.

5. Which of the following is an ethics violation specifically included in the

NCEES sample code of ethics?
(A) an engineering professor “moonlighting” as a private contractor
(B) an engineer investing money in the stock of the company for which
he/she works
(C) a civil engineer with little electrical experience signing the plans for
an electric generator
(D) none of the above

Solution: Answer is C
The NCEES sample code of ethics specifically states that registrants may not
perform work beyond their level of expertise. The other two examples may
be unethical under some circumstances, but are not specifically forbidden by
the NCEES Code.

6. When may registrants coordinate entire projects?

(A) if each segment is signed and sealed by registrants responsible for the
specific segments
(B) at no time
(C) with a special certification
(D) if all aspects of the project lie within the registrants area of expertise

Solution: Answer is A
Each segment must be signed and sealed by the individual registrants
responsible for that segment for a registrant to oversee a project.

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7. Which of the following is not an ethics violation?
(A) designing a product to fail in a specified number of years
(B) charging a premium for a superior product
(C) using proceeds from one product in order to sell another product
below fair market price
(D) all of the above

Solution: Answer is B
Designing a product to fail after the warranty has expired is not an ethical
practice. Using the proceeds from one product to reduce the price of another
is unethical since it leads to unfair pricing practices and reduced shareholder
value. It is ethical, however, to charge a premium for a product that performs
a function better or is made of superior materials.

8. When is it ethical to issue statements on technical issues inspired by

interested parties?
(A) at no time
(B) if no compensation is received
(C) if there is no personal interest in the issue
(D) if the interested parties and their interests are explicitly revealed

Solution: Answer is D
From the NCEES sample code of ethics, statements may be issued if all
interested parties who inspired or paid for the announcements are explicitly
identified, even if compensation is received for the statements. Of course,
statements must not be biased.

9. To whom does a professional have ethical responsibilities?

(A) the employer
(B) consumers
(C) competitors
(D) all of the above

Solution: Answer is D
Professionals have ethical responsibilities to their employers, consumers,
and competitors.

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10. Criticism of another professional’s work is
(A) never ethical
(B) ethical only if it directly relates to public safety and welfare
(C) ethical if truthful
(D) none of the above

Solution: Answer is B
It is unethical to indiscriminately criticize other registrants or their work,
even if truthful, unless the public’s safety or welfare would be compromised
without the criticism.

11. Which entity passes engineering registration laws establishing the minimum
criteria required to protect the public?
(A) state legislature
(B) professional societies
(C) national board of registration
(D) international registering councils

Solution: Answer is A
Registration laws are passed by the state legislatures. Professional societies
and the national board of registration lobby the state legislatures to ensure
the requirements for registration are kept current.

12. When can a professional provide services if conflicts of interest are

involved?
(A) if no compensation is received
(B) if doing so does not personally benefit the professional
(C) if full disclosure of potential conflicts are provided
(D) never

Solution: Answer is C
Professionals may provide services even if conflicts of interest are involved
as long as they disclose the conflicts of interest and any influences and
biases such conflicts may cause.

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13. When is the receipt of compensation from more than one party for the same
project ethical?
(A) never
(B) when the total of all compensation received does not exceed
“reasonable” compensation for the type of work performed
(C) always
(D) when all the parties involved know about and agree to the
arrangement

Solution: Answer is D
It is ethical to receive compensation from more than one party if all parties
agree to arrangement.

14. When may professionals make political donations?

(A) at no time
(B) if it is not for current, past, or future influence or favors
(C) if all donations are made as an individual and do not represent a firm
or entity
(D) only below specified amounts

Solution: Answer is B
Political contributions can be made if not intended to influence awards or
achieve favor.

15. Which of the following is not always an ethics violation?

(A) signing plans or blueprints without having first designed and/or
checked the plans
(B) revealing confidential information about a product without first
obtaining permission
(C) granting a contract to a company for which the professional is an
officer while concurrently serving on the board issuing the grants
(D) any individual accepting fees from contractors hired for a project

Solution: Answer is B
While (A), (C) and (D) are always ethics violations, an engineer is
responsible to publicize confidential information about a product or process
if not doing so could jeopardize the welfare of society.

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16. Ethical behavior is officially regulated by whom?
(A) individual employers
(B) registered engineers
(C) professional societies
(D) state enforcement agencies

Solution: Answer is D
While employers, societies, and all engineers should work to ensure ethical
behavior, official regulation is provided by state agencies.

17. Yan, a consulting environmental engineer, was hired by the local garbage
company to represent them in a hearing before the local town council. In
preparing for an appearance before the town council, Yan worked at the
garbage company truck storage yard. As she was leaving late one evening,
she discovered that a garbage company employee was moving garbage
trucks to the edge of a stream embankment and dumping the liquid that came
from the garbage into the stream. The next morning Yan spoke to the truck
storage yard manager about what she had seen. The manager told Yan they
had always done it that way and that she should forget it. Yan feels very
uncomfortable with the situation; she knows the dumping is a clear violation
of environmental regulation. Yan’s most appropriate next step should be to
(A) terminate her consulting with the garbage company
(B) assume that since it has gone on for a long time there is no major
hazard being created and forget what she saw
(C) advise the local town council of the situation at the next opportunity
(D) write a letter to the garbage company president outlining what she
discovered and advising the president that the dumping practice is an
environmental regulation violation

Solution: Answer is D
Option A is not necessary at this stage, Option B is not acceptable and both
these actions fail to take any action on the practice of dumping. Option c is
premature and should be considered if the management fails to follow
through. Option D, is the right course of action for Yan. Management
should be informed and responsible management should follow up and
address the issues if that is not done then may be choice would be the next
step.

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18. Whistle blowing is
(A) an ethical practice
(B) an illegal practice
(C) an unethical practice
(D) a career-enhancing practice

Solution: Answer is A
Whistle blowing is the act of telling news agencies of regulating boards
about flaws in a design or procedure that could jeopardize the public
welfare. It is the ethical responsibility of all engineers, although it is not
career-enhancing.

19. You have an on-site job interview to follow up on an on-campus interview

with Company A. Just before you fly to the interview, you get a call from
Company B asking you to come for an on-site interview at their offices in
the same city. When you inform them of your interview with Company A,
they suggest you stop in after that. Company A has already paid for your
airfare and at the conclusion of your interview with them, issues you
reimbursement forms for the balance of your trip expenses with instructions
to file for all your trip expenses. When you inform of your added interview
stop at Company B, they tell you to go ahead and charge entire cost of the
trip to Company A. You interview with Company B and at the conclusion,
they give you travel reimbursement forms with instructions to file for all
your trip expenses. When you inform them of the instructions of Company
A, they tell you that the only expenses requiring receipts are airfare and
hotel rooms, so you should still file for all the other expenses with them even
if Company A is paying for it because students always need a little spending
money. What should you do?
(A) Try to divide the expenses between both firms as best as you can.
(B) Do as both recruiting officers told you. It is their money and their
travel policies.
(C) File for travel expenses with only one firm.
(D) Tell all you classmates to sign up to interview with these firms for the
trips.

Solution: Answer is A.
Engineer shall not accept compensation from more than one party for the
same work.

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20. Which of the following is not a reason professionals must adhere to a code
of ethics?
(A) professions are self-regulating.
(B) professionals receive above-average compensation
(C) professionals have autonomy
(D) professions are responsible for training other professionals

Solution: Answer is B
Compensation is not a reason for ethical behavior.

21. Sara is an EIT with a degree in chemical engineering employed by EDCA

Corporation and assigned to design components of a refinery to be
constructed in Nigeria for the Nigerian government-owned oil company,
NNPC. Her PE supervisor, Warren, invites her to travel with him to Nigeria
to meet with his contacts from NNPC, so that she can demonstrate to them
the numerical models of the systems she is designing. Warren has an earlier
meeting so Sara schedules a flight one day after his and makes plans to meet
him at the hotel the day before the scheduled meeting. Upon arrival at the
airport, she is told that there is a $200 fee for importation of the modeling
software on her laptop, and that if it is not paid, the laptop will be
impounded. She believes that this is not a legal requirement according to
Nigerian law and worries about whether it is legal to pay what might be
considered a bribe. She calls Warren and he correctly advises her to

(A) pay the $200 fee and request a receipt so she can request a
reimbursement from EDCA
(B) pay the $200 fee in cash and don’t inform EDCA about the transaction
(C) refuse to pay the fee and leave the laptop with the authorities
(D) call the U.S. Embassy and ask for assistance

Solution: Answer is A
Sara’s project is a legal project and she needs the computer to demonstrate
the model. If the employer does not have a policy preventing her from
paying such fees she could pay the fees, get receipts and get reimbursed.
She is informing the employer of such fee (by using choice A). Concealing
(B) is not an option and refusal to pay could potential effect the
demonstration. Though choice D is an option but it will result in a
significant time delay.

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22. The National Society of professional engineers (NSPE) Code of ethics
addresses competitive bidding. Which of the following is NOT stipulated?
(A) engineers and their firms may refuse to bid competitively on
engineering services
(B) clients are required to seek competitive bids for design services
(C) federal laws governing procedures for procuring engineering services
(e.g., competitive bidding) remain in full force
(D) engineers and their societies may actively lobby for legislation that
would prohibit competitive bidding for design services.

Solution: Answer is B
Clients are not required to seek competitive bids. In fact, many engineering
societies discourage the use of bidding to procure design services because it
is believed that competitive bidding results in lower-quality construction.

23. An engineer testify as an expert witness in a product liability case should:

(A) answer as briefly as possible only those questions posed by the
attorneys
(B) provide a complete and objective analysis within his or her area of
competence
(C) provide an evaluation of the character of the defendant
(D) provide information on the professional background of the defendant

Solution: Answer is B
Engineers should always provide objective analysis within his or her area of
expertise only. Refer to NCEES Model Rules of Professional conduct,
Section A4 in Ethics

24. A Professional engineer, originally licensed 30 years ago, is asked to

evaluate a newly developed computerized control system for a public
transportation system. The engineer may accept this project if:
(A) he or she is competent in the area of modern control systems
(B) his or her professional engineering license has not lapsed
(C) his or her original area of specialization was in transportation systems
(D) he or she has regularly attended meetings of a professional
engineering society.

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 Solution: Answer is A
Engineer shall only practice in his or her area of competency only. Refer to
NCEES Model Rules of Professional conduct, Section B1 in Ethics

25. A conflict of interest is best addressed by

(A) handling the decision with utmost confidentiality
(B) always disclosing the situation and recusing yourself
(C) disclosing the situation and discussing the need for recusal with an
engineering supervisor
(D) immediately notifying the state board of the conflict of interest

Solution: Answer is C
Conflict must always be discussed with the partied involved and consider
options including recusal (not necessary to recuse yourself always as there
will be other actions to mitigate a conflict). State board should not be
notified unless decisions have adversely affected because of this.

26. Mark is employed at a small engineering firm. For one of his first jobs as a
young engineer, he was assigned to write the specifications for and purchase
a ten-inch pump. He wrote the specifications and sent a sealed bid request to
six firms. Only five firms submitted bids before the bid request deadline. On
the last day Mark called the sixth firm to remind them of the sealed bid
request. The estimator indicated he was very busy and did not want to take
the time to prepare a sealed bid unless he had a good chance of supplying the
pump. Which of the following is Mark’s best course of action?
(A) Since he doesn’t plan to open the sealed bids right away, Mark offers
to let this last firm submit its quote a week late
(B) Mark opens the five sealed bids and reads them over the phone to the
estimator. The estimator states that he thinks he can beat them and
submits a bid by the sealed bid deadline later that day
(C) Mark already has five bids so he calls the sixth firm back and tells
them there is nothing he can do for them
(D) Mark opens the five bids and finds the lowest one is $8750. he calls
the estimator for the sixth firm and says, “I can’t tell you the bids, but
unless you can get under about $8800 forget about it”

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 Solution: Answer is C
Giving few hours additional time is reasonable but week late is not fait to
other bidders unless they were provided the same time in advance. Opening
bids and letting estimator of the sixth company know is not acceptable.
Choice C is the right way.

27. Regarding the NCEES Model Code and the various state board codes of
ethics,
(A) each state board incorporates the NCEES Model Code along with
other special rules
(B) the NCEES code governs all engineers nationwide, while the state
codes also govern engineers in the respective states
(C) the NCEES code governs all engineers unless there is a superceding
state code in the state in question
(D) the NCEES code does not bind any engineers; licensed engineers are
bound by the state board rules in the state(s) of the license(s)

Solution: Answer is D
Licensed Engineers are bound by state board rules. NCEES only publishes
these rules as guidelines

28. The NCEES Model Rules of Professional Conduct require the registered
engineer to do all but one of the following actions. Which one should not be
done?
(A) Make no statements on technical matters unless an interested party for
whom the engineer is acting is disclosed.
(B) Approve documents only if they safeguard the life, health, property,
and welfare of the public
(C) Reveal facts and data obtained in a professional capacity only after
obtaining consent of the client or employer, unless required to reveal
the facts and data by law.
(D) Comment on professional matters publicly even though the engineer
has not yet had an opportunity to make a careful evaluation of the
facts and subject matter.

Solution: Answer is D
Comment on professional matters after careful evaluation of the facts and
subject matter

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29. EIT Mike is a project engineer working for a small consulting firm that
designs traffic control systems for several small municipalities in the region.
His supervisor and project manager, Luis, a PE, is in charge of several
projects including one Mike has been assigned to for six months that
involves widening and reconstruction of a major street in one small city.
Because of the importance of the street to safe traffic flow within the city,
quick turnaround on engineering decisions in this project is expected by the
client. On Friday, during Luis’ absence he was visiting a remote proposed
construction site in another state. James the experienced construction
foreman on Mike’s project, advises Mike of a problem in the previously
approved traffic control plans. The problem, in James’ opinion, could most
easily be resolved by a redesign of lane widths in a portion of the detour.
Mike agrees and has the CAD technician prepare a revised plan. James asks
if Mike can authorize the technician to electronically seal the plans since
Luis is absent and since the change is minor. Mike should
(A) ask the technician to seal the plans, sign for Luis, and authorize James
to implement the change in the field
(B) ask the technician to seal the plans, sign for Luis, and authorize James
to implement the change in the field on a temporary basis until Luis
can return to formally approve the change
(C) ask the city engineer to approve and seal the plans in Luis’ absence
(D) not ask the technician to seal the plans and wait until authorized by
Luis

Solution: Answer is D
Mike cannot authorize technician to seal plans without review of Louis who
is responsible. City engineer is not the responsible engineer either. Only
choice here is wait until Luis reviews and authorize sealing of work.

30. You and your design group are competing for multidisciplinary concept
project. Your firm is the lead group in the design professional consortium
formed to compete for the project. Your consortium has been selected as the
first to enter fee negotiations with the project owner. During the
negotiations, the amount you have to cut from your fee to be awarded the
contract will require dropping one of the consortium members whose staff
has special capabilities not available from the staff of the remaining
consortium members. Can your remaining consortium ethically accept the
contract?

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 (A) No, because an engineer may not accept a contract to coordinate a
project with other professional firms providing capabilities and
services that must be provided by hired consultants.
(B) Yes, if your remaining consortium members hire a few new lower-
cost employees to do the special work that would have been provided
by the consortium member that has been dropped.
(C) No, not if the client is left with the impressions that the consortium is
still fully qualified to perform all the required tasks.
(D) Yes, if in accepting an assignment to coordinate the project, a single
person will sign and seal all the documents for the entire work of the
consortium.

Solution: No, The client should be fully briefed

The best choice is Answer C

31. Professor at a university who is also a licensed engineer works on a federally

research grant using some of the equipment purchased using the grant.
During weekends and evening he also provides testing services for other
consulting companies using the same equipment. Why this action may be
unethical?
(A) The university has not given permission for use of equipment
(B) The federal agency that funded the research prohibits the use of
equipment
(C) The equipment may wear out or be broken by the engineer and the
replacement cost will be borne by the university.
(D) The professor’s fees may undercut other competing
engineers/company’s fees because the professor has a lower overhead
due to use of university equipment

Solution: Choices A, B, C and D may all be valid. However, the main

reason for specific prohibitions for using your employers equipment for
outside jobs is more economic i.e., since the professor does not have to pay
for the equipment he may be able to charge lower fees and thus undercutting
other engineers.
The best choice is Answer D

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