SRI LANKA TECHNOLOGICAL CAMPUS

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

YEAR 2 – SEMESTER 1 – July 2020

End–Semester Examination

ECE205 Professional Ethics for Engineers

Two Hours & 30 Minutes

Answer all Questions

No. of Questions: 02

No. of Pages: 04 (including the cover page)

Important Instructions to the candidates

 The mode of the exam will be in the form of an online, open book examination
 If a page or a part of this question paper is not printed, please inform the supervisor , invigilator
or the examination unit via the hotlines provided
 Candidate's registration number, Module code and Module Name should be written clearly and
legibly on all answer sheets
 Candidates must not seek, give or receive assistance of any kind during the exam. Any cheating,
any attempt to cheat, assisting others to cheat, or participating therein, or engaging in such
improper conduct is a serious violation and will generally result in disqualification of the
candidate’s paper, and any other disciplinary action as may be deemed appropriate.
 Candidates are requested to adhere to the examination guidelines circulated
 Candidates who is copying from internet without reference will be penalized.
This paper has two questions. Both questions should be answered and will carry equal
marks. This is an Open Book Exam. However no material shall be directly copied from any
source in public domain unless source is attributed. Mere copying text will be given
negative marks. The write ups shall not be less 1000 words per question.

The total marks for this paper will add up to 50% in your final Grade.

Duration : 180 Minutes (including uploading time)

Q1. Assume you are a junior engineer of a private group enterprise. They have many
businesses. They have few engineering equipment and material supply companies, engineering
construction company, engineering design and consultancy company, manpower company
among others. Each of the companies run as separate business entities with their profit centers
managed by separate Boards of Management comprising of members with legal, engineering
accounting and commercial expertise. All key decision making positions and managerial
positions are held by engineers who are members of the IESL. All such companies are owned by
one Group Holding company belonging to a family. Remuneration to members of boards of
management, management team etc is calculated based on the profits each business entity earns.
You work in a team headed by a Project Manager who works under an appointed Director in the
engineering construction company. The engineering construction company has an understanding
that whenever possible services such as design development, consultancy, construction
supervision, supply of equipment and material etc. are sourced from the associate companies in
the Group.
Your company was selected as the main contractor to build a bridge across a stream in a rural
area where the main link road is to be built to connect up several villages with the main town.
You come across many irregularities that may have an impact in the long run on safety of the
bridge. You also come across many engineering practices such as unauthorized harvesting of
sand from the stream for the construction of the bridge, sourcing rock material from an illegal
quarry in a nearby forest, felling of trees for the timber requirement in excess of the real need
etc which will eventually impact on the local environment well being of the population in the
area. The bridge however will be a significant boost to the economy of the rural population in the
area. Hence the villagers keep quiet about such irregularities and in fact some strongmen in the
villages have got several sub contracts at very low prices to do some work. The villagers are also
benefitted from such contracts.
You are aware that the company is well managed and the fund utilization is very efficient. The
company had won many awards for construction excellence at national level. However you find
out that the associate companies belonging to the group are making very unrealistic profits from
the project as there are no checks and balances in the whole project. This leads to lack of quality
control of the material supply, lack of supervision and acceptance of designs without a formal
approval process and without due diligence etc.
The project team and the management have placed confidence in you, as you are a very faithful
employee of the company. In the course of the project you find many irregularities such as
unacceptable designs, lack of supervision of works, substandard material use etc. The higher
management though aware of such irregularities turns a blind eye as all the companies are going
to gain a large profit from the project. In the end every employee will benefit. You are certain
that the bridge once completed will have many shortcomings and may even have safety issue in
the long run.
Please explain what you will do under these circumstances ensuring you comply with the Code
of Conduct of the IESL.
You are required to analyze all the perceivable problems associated with the project, identify all
irregularities that you come across in the project. Identify the clauses and rules in the code of
ethics violated by the engineers in the companies engaged in the project.
List the irregularities that you have seen in the project assign the clauses and rules that are
violated and finally the course of action you intend to take in compliance of IESL Code of
ethics. [25 Marks]

Q2. This question has 5 parts write in your own words what you understand of the key statement.
Analyze each of them in not less than 250 words giving examples where ever possible.

i) Engineering is an activity that is essential to meeting the needs of people, economic

development and the provision of services to society. While bringing benefits, engineering
activity has potential adverse consequences. Engineering therefore must be carried out
responsibly and ethically, use available resources efficiently, be economic, safeguard health
and safety, be environmentally sound and sustainable and generally manage risks throughout
the entire lifecycle of a system. [5 Marks]
ii) The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Engineering Council have identified four
fundamental principles that they believe “should guide an engineer in achieving the high
ideals of professional life”, and which “express the beliefs and values of the profession”.
These are: Accuracy and Rigour, Honesty and Integrity, Respect for Life, Law and the Public
Good, Responsible Leadership: Listening and Informing. [5 Marks]
iii) Engineering ethics is a deterrent to bad practice and an inspiration to innovation and
creativity. Elaborate giving at least one example from real life in engineering. [ 5 Marks]
iv) Clause 3 of IESL Code of Ethics says: Engineers shall be committed to the need for
sustainable management of the planet's resources and seek to minimize adverse
environmental impacts of their engineering works or applications of technology so as to
protect both present and future generations. Elaborate and give an example of how you
comply giving an example. [ 5 Marks]
v) Rule 7.1 of Clause7 of IESL Code of Ethics, strictly says that an engineer’s professional
reports, statements or testimony etc. shall be objective and such opinions shall be expressed
only on the basis of adequate knowledge and technical competence in the area. It also
 provides an engineer to use his/her discretion to use considered judgment based intuitively on
experience and wide relevant knowledge. Is this a dilemma or is this a practical way forward
for the progression the profession of engineering. Give your own interpretation. [5 Marks]

END OF THE PAPER