Ethical Issues in the Practice of

Mechanical Engineering
ENGR. KATARUNGAN B. DE PANO MBA, PME
What is ethics?

At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral

principles. ... Ethics is concerned with what
is good for individuals and society and is
also described as moral philosophy. The
term is derived from the Greek word ethos
which can mean custom, habit, character or
disposition.
What is engineering ethics?

"Engineering ethics is ( 1 ) the study of

moral issues and decisions confronting
individuals and organizations involved in
engineering and ( 2 ) the study of related
questions about moral conduct, character,
ideals and relationships of peoples and
organizations involved in technological
development."
 CASE NO. 1: Off the Clock
Michael was recently promoted to a managerial position at his industrial
engineering company. With his new position, he is now responsible for overseeing the
company’s production factory, meaning approximately 50 factory workers now report to
him. Although Sarah previously worked as an engineer and does not have any experience
running a factory, he is excited to begin his new position.
At the end of his first day, Michael is confused to see his factory workers
continuing to work well past the end of their 8-hour shift. He then goes to the factory
supervisor (who reports to him) to express concern because the factory does not have
the budget to pay so many workers overtime.
The supervisor smiles at Michael and explains that the factory meets production
goals by making the factory workers work off the clock. The workers are well aware of
this expectation and went along with it in order to keep their jobs. Michael is shocked
to learn this illegal practice had become part of the company culture, but the
supervisor explains that the company’s CEO (who is Michael’s boss) is well aware of this
expectation.
What should Michael do?
 Case No. 2: Unintended Effects

Jack has been working as a project engineer for a mechanical energy technology
firm for a few years now, and has recently been promoted to review projects for in-need
communities overseas. He has been put in charge of managing the current company’s charity
projects, and determining how to distribute the funding for them.
Some of the projects are pretty straightforward in their mission and material
requirement, but for one project, Jack isn’t sure whether the company should be funding it.
The project’s mission is to provide new solar panels for an East African community but the
project data suggests it is more practical to just install better lighting inside the homes.
Jack wonders whether to bring up his doubts with his boss. Based on the company’s research
on the community, the community desires better lighting system for their homes, and the
solar panels would be an expensive and high maintenance project. Not to mention, there
was a previous project that (when followed through) resulted in equipment being stolen
from the same region to exchange for money.
Cont….

Jack understands their local sponsor would gain a great

advantage in featuring solar panels in the community. It would
also foster a good business partnership between the two
companies. However, Jack feels it is his responsibility to
provide the community with a more simple and efficient
solution to their problem, without diving into a large project
that could possibly lead to negative side effects. Is Jack’s
company wrong to provide technology to the community when
they don’t need it?
Case No. 3 :A Sinking Situation

Roscoe is the head of engineering at a mechanical engineering company.

His company has been contracted by a company, U-sub, to make firing
assemblies for boiler system. This contract calls for additional safety testing to
ensure that the systems work properly.
The contract stipulated that it was the responsibility of Roscoe’s
company to pay for this expensive additional testing. However, the CEO reminds
Roscoe that their company is in financial trouble and asks Roscoe to skip the
extra testing and falsify the paperwork by saying that the testing had occurred
and that the systems passed. He then goes on to tell Roscoe that if he doesn’t
sign off on the testing, he will be fired.
Roscoe decides he cannot give in to his boss’s demands and quits.
However he suspects that his former boss will promote someone else who will be
willing to sign off on the testing.
Should Roscoe report the ethical violations of his former company?
Case No. 4: A Situation Unfiltered

Eddy is one of four managers working with a nonprofit mechanical

engineering firm that aims to develop sustainable mechanized systems for
third world countries. The firm funds numerous small projects, and usually
aims to utilize the community’s local resources to create the project design
deliverables.
However, Eddy recently got contacted by a member of a Bolivian
community the firm had worked with a few years ago. The design team had
invented an inexpensive filtration mechanism that helped the community
find a healthy source of water. The project had been a success when
delivered to the community, but the community member remarked that the
filters had broken down a while ago. The community hadn’t been able to
restore all the filtration systems, as the cost to fix the filters proved to be
too expensive. During this time, the community had gone back to their old
practice of drinking unfiltered water.
 Cont..
Eddy is unsure what the firm can do for the community, though he
feels the firm should have done more to ensure that the filters were
properly maintained. The responsibility for maintaining the filters had been
on the community members they had trained, but it looks like they were lax
in their maintenance.
To what degree is the firm responsible for the after effects of their
filtration installation? Was the benefit worth the eventual cost of replacing
all the filters, especially since half the community now doubted the
efficiency of the filters?
Case No. 5 : Is the Customer Always Right?

Brad is a production engineer at a motor cycle company. Part of

his job includes inspecting broken motor cycle and drafting the design
plans for their repair.
One day, Brad receives instructions from his supervisor to repair a
motor cycle whose brake cables had snapped. When Brad inspects the
motorcycle, he notices the cables had snapped because they were made
from a low-quality material. He suspects that this motorcycle had been
custom designed, and that the customer simply did not know what
materials would be best suited for the brake cables. Therefore, when
Brad drafts his design plans for the repair of the motorcycle, he
incorporates a more durable material for the cables.
 When Brad goes to repair the motorcycle, he finds out the
customer had specifically requested that the motorcycle be repaired, but
no aesthetic changes should be made to the motorcycle. Brad’s design
for the motorcycle will change the look of the motorcycle, but it will also
make the motorcycle more durable. When Brad goes to his manager and
asks him what to do, his manager tells him that “the customer is always
right” and he should repair the motorcycle as the customer requested.
Brad knows he could repair the motorcycle according to the
customer’s wishes, but if he does, the motorcycle will break down again
in a few months, perhaps dangerously. However, if he implements his
design improvements, he risks going against his manager and the wishes
of the customer.
What should Brad prioritize? The customer’s safety or the
customer’s desires?
Case End