Ethics ....

Lies at the “Core” of the

Civil Engineering
Profession
 Geotechnical

Transportation
Structures CIVIL
ENGINEERING

Water &
Environmental
…and many other Civil
Engineering specialties
Idea for graphic based on Professional Responsibility: The Role of the Engineer, Jnl. of Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1997
by Drs. Steve Nichols and Bill Weldon, UT/Austin
What is a Licensed Engineer?
“Engineering Practice Act” -- to protect the health,
safety and welfare of the citizens of that state.

Having an engineering license means more than

just meeting a State’s minimum requirements. It
means you have accepted both the technical and
the ethical obligations of the engineering profession.
(Ref: ASCE Policy Statement # 433)
 What are the similarities and differences
between licensure and certification?

 Both require education, experience and testing.

 Each results in the award of a credential attesting to
an individual’s knowledge, skills and abilities.
 Both provide procedures for disciplining credential
holders for illegal/unprofessional/unethical practices.
 Certification is generally voluntary.
 Licensure is a privilege granted by state and territorial
legislatures.

5
Is engineering licensure required in order
to practice?

If you want or need to become a consulting engineer,

sign and seal documents for public agencies or
establish your own firm, you must be licensed as a
Professional Engineer (P.E. in USA, P.Eng. In
Canada).

Engineers in some industry, government and

educational positions may be exempt from licensure
requirements.

6
True or false? - Most jurisdictions prohibit
unlicensed persons from:

 Advertising or otherwise indicating to the public that

they are professional engineers,

 Using the title “Licensed Engineer,” “Professional

Engineer”or “ Registered Engineer,” or

 Practicing, offering to practice or holding themselves

out as qualified to practice as engineers.

7
 How does licensure help engineers?

 May be required for certain jobs

 Facilitates mobility and advancement
 Improves employment security
 Increases earnings
 Boosts personal satisfaction

8
 Licensing: the product of collaboration
between Industry, Government & Education

INDUSTRY
Professional Associations

ABET NCEES
Program Accreditation State Licensing Boards
EDUCATION GOVERNMENT
ABET - Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
NCEES - National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
What is a Licensed Engineer?

The professional engineer license grants you the

opportunity to perform engineering services for the
public, take responsibility for your designs, reports,
professional opinions, plans, etc., and have the
privilege of applying your State-authorized
engineering “seal” to your engineering work.
Engineering Licensing Jurisdictions
UAE-United States – Canada
 All 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam,
Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, Marshall
Islands and Virgin Islands, and all Canada
  400,000 Licensed Engineers (USA) (U.S. Engineering
Population  2,000,000)
  35,000 licensed Engineers in Canada
 UAE, licensing is not yet required but soon it will be
 Membership in the Society of Engineers is open to all
engineering graduates
“Typical” Licensure Requirements for
Civil Engineering Students-USA
Model
 Degree from ABET-accredited program (BS, MS)
 NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam
 Engineer-in-Training Internship (4 yrs, 3 yrs)
 Application for Licensure
 Character References
 Experience Record
 & etc.
 NCEES Principles and Practices of Engineering
(PE) Exam
 Licensure!
Licensing Eligibility Based on Educational
and Employment Experience
Educational Experience
Time
Eng. Ph.D.

Eng. M.S.

Eng. Bachelors
Eligible
to
Other Engineer-In-Training Apply
College
for
Degrees
License

Employment Experience
Fundamentals of Principles and Practice of Engineering
Engineering Exam Exam (Sometime Waivable)
(Sometime Waivable)

Six to Eight Years is the Nominal Minimum Experience Requirement

 Idealized
Engineering Licensure Model

Yes
ABET Accredited
Engineering Bachelor
of Science Degree Mandatory
“Licensed
[or substantially Continuing
Professional
equivalent engineering Professional
Engineer”
degree] Competency

Pass No
Fail
Inactive
Pass 4 Years
FE Exam Engineer-in of
PE Exam
Training Acceptable
Experience

Fail

Note: The number of years of acceptable

experience depend on the academic career
and highest earned degree.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

Technical Responsibility:

Your education and experience will prepare you
for technical engineering work. Your license
legally allows you to take personal responsibility
for the engineering work that you may perform
for public and private clients.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

Public Recognition:

As a licensed engineer, you achieve an
enhanced status in the eyes of the public, which
equates you with professionals licensed in other
fields such as physicians, attorneys,
accountants, etc.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

Private Practice:

If you think you may now, or someday, want to
pursue a career as a consulting engineer, or
own your own engineering firm, or be in
responsible charge of engineering work for the
public, you must be licensed.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

Public Practice:

Many federal, state, and municipal agencies
require that certain responsible engineering
positions, particularly those considered “higher
level,” be filled only by licensed engineers.

(Ref: ASCE Policy Statement #385)

Why Should I Become Licensed?

Changing Workplace:

Today’s workplace is rapidly changing: restructuring,
downsizing, privatization, and outsourcing (where
firms terminate employees and then hire them back
as consultants) are common. You should be
prepared to face a possible transition into a
consulting or contract relationship with a former
employer in the event of corporate outsourcing.
Such a relationship requires an engineering license.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

Ethical Responsibility:

Licensure also aids you and the
profession in the important area of
ethics. While technical societies such
ASCE and others have codes of ethics for
guidance, none have “legal” standing in
the practice of engineering.
Why Should I Become Licensed?

On the other hand, state licensing boards have

standards of ethical conduct that are legally
binding. The recognition and enforcement of
these standards gives greater definition to our
profession, and significantly enhances the
image of licensed civil engineers.
Technical and Ethical Responsibilities of
Licensed Engineers?
Most of a civil engineer’s education focuses on
technical matters, that is, “how to do things right,”
and most of the engineer’s professional practice is
devoted to applying this technical knowledge in
service to the needs of society.

However, another important element of both

education and practice involves ethics, or “how to
do the right thing.”
Technical and Ethical Responsibilities of
Licensed Engineers?

Engineering ethics is a vital part of the engineering

profession. The ethical issues are not always easy
to answer.

Choosing between “good” and “bad” appears easy

until unseen variables are introduced such as time
constraints, family, promotion opportunities, job
security, peer pressure, supervisor pressure, and
professional reputation.
Technical and Ethical Responsibilities of
Licensed Engineers?

Also, choosing between competing goods

often confronts the civil engineer.
 What is Engineering Ethics*
 The study of the moral issues and
decisions confronting individuals and
organizations engaged in engineering
 The study of related questions about
the moral ideals, character, policies,
and relationships of people and
corporations involved in technological
activity.
* from Martin. M. & Schinzinger, R. Ethics in Engineering (3rd Ed.) (New York: McGraw-
Hill, 1996, pp. 2-3.
 Ethics and Engineering
n Where the ethical issues can arise:
– Conceptualization, Design, Testing,
Manufacturing, Sales, Service
– Supervision and Project Teams
n Project timelines and budgets
n Expectations, opinions, or judgments
– Products: Unsafe or Less than Useful
n Designed for obsolescence
n Inferior materials or components
n Unforeseen harmful effects to society
 Ethics and Engineering
 Other fields where ethics are critical
– Medical Ethics
– Legal Ethics
– Business Ethics (closest to Engineering Ethics)
– Scientific Ethics
 An “applied ethics” domain (rather than a theoretical
analysis of philosophy)
 Engineering occurs at the confluence of technology,
social science, and business
– Engineering is done by people and for people
– Engineers’ decisions have a impact on all three areas in the
confluence
– The public nature of an engineer’s work ensures that ethics
will always play a role
 Ethics and Engineering
 Impacts of an engineer’s ethical decisions:
– The Products & Services (safety and utility)
– The Company and its Stockholders
– The Public and Society (benefits to the people)
– Environment (Earth and beyond)
– The Profession (how the public views it)
– The Law (how legislation affects the profession and industry)
– Personal Position (job, internal moral conflict)
 Typically, good ethical decisions…
– …may be just that: “good,” but rarely “great” or “ideal”
– …will not always be in the best interest (irrespective of the
timeline) of all stakeholders
– …are not automatic but require thought, consideration,
evaluation, and communication (much like the “design
 -- Critical Skills --

- beyond technical skills -

that CE Students Need

To achieve skills to resolve ethical issues, here are

some traits we should develop:
Students Need to Develop

Understanding

... A clear understanding

of professional ethics
 Students Need to Develop

Communication Skills

A capability and willingness to

communicate ethical issues.
Students Need to Develop

The Ability

to recognize ethical issues.

Students Need to Develop

An Appreciation

for the frequency at which

ethical issues occur.
 Students Need to Develop

An Awareness

that guidance on ethical dilemmas

is available from ASCE
and elsewhere.
Students Need to Develop

Comprehension ...

“Knowing What’s Right”

 Students Need to Develop

A Desire ...and the

Willingness
...to “Do What’s Right”
 Students Need to Develop

The Ability
to resolve ethical issues by using traditional
engineering methods of inquiry, namely:

Listing our options

Testing our options
Making a decision, and

Most importantly, Acting !

If the “Ethics Rope” Breaks,

We all lose !
A Case Study in Engineering Ethics
We ask you to consider Sara’s
situation from 3 viewpoints:

1. A “personal” viewpoint -- consider that

“you” are the engineer facing the ethical issue.
2. An “impersonal” viewpoint -- assume you
are aware of the situation, but not directly
involved.
3. A “responsible” viewpoint -- assume that
you are directly responsible for future decisions.
1. Am I solving this issue in such a way that
will cause people to “trust” me?

2. Am I keeping my promise -- explicit?

implicit?

3. What is the “first step” that I must take?

4. What do the other people mean by

“unfair?”
 Sara… by the Lake
 Sara has been reported to her State’s
Engineer’s Board for a possible ethics
violation.

 She reflects on how she got to this

point.
 Sara… the early years
n Graduated from an ABET-accredited
program
n Took the FE Exam
n Worked under the supervision of a
licensed engineer for almost 4 years
n Just before she took the PE Exam...
 Sara and
The Apartment Complex
 Sara’s firm was retained to
investigate the structural integrity
of an apartment complex.
 STRICT confidentiality required.
 Noticed no structural problems
 BUT, she did observe some
apparent electrical deficiencies
To Report, or NOT to Report...
 Sara knew these electrical deficiencies
might pose a hazard to the occupants

 She knew the client didn’t want to hear

bad news
To Report, or NOT to Report...
 She felt the strain of the strict
confidentiality requirement

 She did not want to damage the client

relationship...
 The Decision...
 She verbally informed the client about
the problem
 She made an “oblique” reference to the
problem in her report
 Those Nagging Doubts...
n Later Sara learned the client did not
disclose any of her concerns about the
electrical deficiencies
n She struggled with whether she should
have been more persistent in making
her concerns known.
n She eventually put it out of her mind.
Questions for Discussion
What were the main issues Sara was
wrestling with in this situation?
Do you think Sara had a “right” or an
“obligation” to report the deficiency to
the proper authorities?
Who might Sara have spoken with about
the dilemma?
Questions for Discussion
Who should be responsible for what
happened: Sara, or Sara’s employer, or
the client, or someone else?
How does this situation conflict with
Sara’s obligation to be faithful to her
client?
Is it wise practice to ignore “gut
feelings” that arise?
 Vendor Bender: The Gift
 As Eid ALfetr approached the following
year, Sara discovered a gift bag on her
desk.
 Inside the gift bag was an expensive
gift.
 Why Bother?
 This concerned Sara as she felt it might
cast doubt on the integrity of their
business relationship.
 Several others received gifts from the
vendor as well.
 The Decision
n After sleeping on it, Sara sent a polite
note to the vendor returning the gift.
Questions for Discussion

n Was she really obligated to return the

Gift?
n Or was this taking ethics too far?
n On the other hand, could she be
obligated to pursue the matter further
than just returning the gift she had
received?
 Sara for City Council!
n Sara, now a highly successful principal in
a respected engineering firm, is urged to
run for public office.
n She agrees to run.
n A draft political advertisement is prepared
that includes her photograph, her
engineering seal, and the following text:
 What’s in an “Ad”?
“Vote for Sara! We need an
engineer on the City Council. That
is simple common sense, isn’t it?
Sara is an experienced licensed
engineer with years of rich
accomplishments, who disdains
delays and takes action now!”
Questions for Discussion

 ShouldSara’s engineering seal be

included in the advertisement?

 ShouldSara ask someone in ASCE his or

her opinion before deciding?
 The Apartment Complex,
Again...
 Sara’s investigation of the apartment
complex so many years ago resurfaced.
 The Apartment Complex,
Again...
 Sara learned that the apartment
complex caught on fire, and people had
been seriously injured.
 During the investigation, Sara’s report
was reviewed, and somehow the cause
of the fire was traced to the electrical
deficiencies.
 Thinking it Over
 Sara pondered her situation.

 Legally, she felt she might claim some

immunity since she was not a licensed
engineer at the time of her work

 Professionally, she keenly felt she had

let the public down.
 Input from the ASCE
Code of Ethics
 Having carefully studied the ASCE Code
of Ethics, Sara now realized that
occasionally some elements of the code
may be in conflict with other elements.
 Input from the ASCE
Code of Ethics
n In her case, this was Canon 1 (her
obligation to protect the health, safety
and welfare of the public) versus Canon
4 (her obligation to her client).
 Sara Before the BOARD
 The meeting with the Licensing Board
began early the following morning.

 The State Licensing Board only enforces

their own Rules of Conduct and Ethics,
but they noted that their rules are very
similar to the ASCE Code of Ethics.
 The BOARD Finds...
Itis important for Sara, or any licensed
engineer, to realize the engineer’s
paramount responsibility is for the safety of
the public.
The occupants of the apartment complex
were not aware of the electrical deficiencies.
Although not an electrical engineer, Sara
had some knowledge of city building codes
and the ability to foresee the potential
dangers.
The BOARD Finds… continued

nSara had informed her client of the

possible electrical deficiencies, but she
failed to mention possible consequences
of ignoring her concerns.

nSara could have referred to the ASCE

Code of Ethics before making a decision.
From the ASCE Code of Ethics

 Canon 1. Engineers shall hold

paramount the safety, health
and welfare of the public….
 On the way home...
 In the taxi back to the airport, Sara
thumbed through her newspaper

 She saw an editorial about her campaign

which claimed that, as a result of the
allegations against her, she was no longer
fit for public office.
 Questions for Discussion
n How should Sara respond to such
claims?
ELQTF Consensus Licensure Model