FE Ethics

Complete the sentence: "A professional engineer who took the licensing examination in mechanical engineering...

"may design in electrical engineering if she feels competent and the electrical portion of the design insignificant and incidental to the overall job"

Complete the sentence: "If you check the calculations for a licensed (registered) friend who has gone into a consulting engineering business for himself/herself...."

"your friend's client should be told of your involvement

Engineering is considered by many to be one of the learned "professions" rather than a more fundamental "occupation." What is characteristic of a profession?

1. Satisfies an indispensable and beneficial social need 2. Is based on knowledge and skills not common to the general public 3. Depends to a great extent on the personal judgment of its members

Why is competitive bidding often considered to be counterproductive?

A design professional who reduces the final cost in order to be competitive may eliminate important design steps or features

"Ethics" is best defined as....

A philosophy concept dealing with normal conduct A set of standards establishing right and wrong actions Rules that describe your duty to society and other professionals Guidelines that help you make decisions

During routine inspections, a field engineer discovers that one of the company's pipelines is leaking hazardous chemicals into the environment. The engineer recommends that the line be shut down so that seals can be replaced and the pipe can be inspected more closely. His supervisor commends him on his thoroughness, and says the report will be passed on to the company's maintenance division. The engineer moves on to his next jobs, assuming things will be taken care of in a timely fashion. While working in the area again several months later, the engineer notices that the problem has not been corrected and it has in fact gotten worse. What should the engineer do?

Ask the supervisor to investigate what action should be taken on the matter

Which organizations typically do not have codes of conduct for engineers? a. technical societies (ASCE, ASME, IISE) b. national professional societies (NSPE) c. state professional societies (Michigan SPE) d. companies that write, administer, and grade licensing exams

D. companies that write, administer, and grade licensing exams

A senior licensed professional engineer with 30 years of experience in geotechnical engineering is placed in charge of a multidisciplinary design team constituting of a structural group, a geotechnical group, and an environmental group. In this role, the engineer is responsible for supervising and coordinating the efforts of the groups when working on large interconnected projects. In order the facilitate coordination, designed are prepared by the groups under the direct supervision of the group leader, and then they are submitted to her for review and approval. The arrangement is ethical as long as....

Each design group is signed and sealed by the licensed group leader responsible for its preparation

Which of the following can override your ethical requirement to perform a thorough analysis and check of the work for your client a. time constraints b. budgetary constraints c. legal constraints, including subpoenas, and judicial orders d. ethical obligations to society

Ethical obligations to society

What does it mean when a design professional accepts a punishment for an unethical acts from this technical society "with prejudice?"

Even after the sentence is served or punishment is completed, further actions may be taken

Two engineers submitted sealed bids to a prospective client for a design project. The client told engineer A how much engineer B had bit and invited engineer A to beat that amount. Engineer A really wants the project and honestly believes he can do a better job that engineer B. What should he do?

He should remain in consideration for the project, but not change his bid

Mr. Frank, PE, is the owner and founder of Frank and Sons Engineering, a state corporation founding in compliance with state laws. None of Mr. Frank's sons or employees are professional engineers. Mr. Frank, now 94 years old and with failing eyesight, comes into the office daily and asks questions about the projects. When his sons complete their reports and plans, he applies his engineer's seal to them. Is this mode of operation permitted?

It is not permitted

What is the best description of "going along with the crowd" and "doing what the Romans do"

Mob Action

An engineer works at a large firm for several years and participates in the development of a new production technique during that time. After leaving the company to start a consulting business, a competitor of the engineer's original employer asks for help with a similar problem, and the engineer is sure that they only solution is the use the process developed by the previous employer. Can the engineer ethically accept the job?

No. The engineer would have to use information obtained while working for the original employer

A relatively new engineering firm is considering running an advertisement for their services in the local newspaper. Ad ad agency has supplied them with four concepts. Of the 4 types, which one(s) would be acceptable ethically? a. an advertisement contrasting successes over the past year with their nearest competitors' failures b. an advertisement offering free television to anyone who hires them for work valued over $10k c. an advertisement offering to beat the price of any other engineering firm for the same services d. an advertisement that tastefully depicts that logo against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge

None of them!

Which of the following terms is not related to ethics? a. integrity b. honesty c. morality d. profitability

Profitability

To whom/what is a registered engineer's foremost responsibility? a. client b. employer c. state and federal laws d. public welfare

Public welfare

You are a city engineer in charge of receiving bids on behalf of the city council. A contractor's bid arrives with two tickets to a professional football game. The bid is the lowest received. What should you do?

Return the tickets and accept the bid

Which of the following is not a code of ethics? a. the ten commandments b. the ancient code of Hammurabi c. the Rosetta stone d. the scouting creed

Rosetta Stone

Whistle blowing is best described as calling public attention to....

Secret illegal behavior by your employer

17 years ago, Susan designed a corrugated steel culvert for a rural road. Her work was accepted and paid for by the county engineering department. Last winter, the culvert collapsed as a loaded logging truck passed over. Although there were no injuries, there was damage to the truck and roadway, and the county tried unsuccessfully to collect on Susan's company's bond. The judge denied the claim on the basis that the work was done too long ago. What is this defense known as?

Statute of Limitations

An engineer is consulting for a construction company that has been receiving bad publicity in the local papers about its waste-handling practices. Knowing that this criticism is based on public misperceptions and the paper's thirst for controversial stories, the engineer would like to write an article to be printed in the paper's editorial page. What is the engineer's ethical responsibility with this article?

The article must be objective and truthful, present all relevant information including the engineer's professional credentials, and disclose all details of the engineer's affiliation with the company

Rebecca works for a company in its laboratory division. She is required to keep accurate records of the results of her experimental work. What is the fish thing Rebecca should log into her notebook? a. her name b. her position c. the date and time d. her supervisor's name

The date and time

An environmental engineer with 5 years of experience reads a story in the daily paper about a proposal being presented to the city council to construct a new sewage treatment plant near protected wetlands. Based on professional experience and the facts presented in the newspaper, the engineer suspects the plant would be extremely harmful to the local ecosystem. What would be an acceptable course of action?

The engineer should contact appropriate agencies to get more data on the project before making a judgment.

An engineer working for a big design firm has decided to start a consulting business, but it will be a few months before she leaves. How should she handle the impending changes?

The engineer should discuss her plans with her current employer

While working to revise the design of the suspension for a car, an engineer discovers a flaw in the design currently being produced. Based on a statistical analysis, the company determines that although this mistake is likely to cause a small increase in fatalities seen each year, it would be prohibitively expensive to do a recall to replace the part. Accordingly the company decides not to issue a recall notice. What should the engineer do?

The engineer should notify the National Transportation Safety Board, providing enough details for them to initiate a formal inquiry

During the day, an engineer works for a scientific research laboratory doing government research. During the night, the engineer uses some of the lab's equipment to perform testing services for other consulting engineers. Why is this probably unethical?

The engineer's fees to the consulting engineers can undercut local testing services' fees because the ginnier has a lower overhead

An engineering firm is hired by a developer to prepare plans for a shopping mall. Prior to the bid date, several contractors who have received bid documents and plans contact the engineering firm with requests for information relating to the project. What can the engineering firm do?

The firm cannot reveal facts, data, or information relating to the project without the consent of the client as authorized or required by law

What is plan stamping?

The illegal action of signing off on a project you didn't design or check

What actions can be taken by a state-regulating agency against a design professional who violates one or more of its rules of conduct?

The professionals license may be revoked or suspended Notice of the violation may be published in the local newspaper The professional may be asked to make restitution The professional may be required to complete a course in ethics

A local engineering professor acts as a technical advisor for the city council in town. A few weeks before the council is scheduled to award a large construction contract, the professor is approached by one of the competing companies and offered a consulting position. Under what circumstances would it be ethical to accept the job?

The professor must not participate in any discussions concerning the project for which the company is competing

A building designed by an engineer-architect team lakes during heavy rains. The building's owner may not be able to recover the most of the repairs because....?

The statute of limitations

A survey crew is hired by the general contractor on a large government project to verify pertinent data on the owner-supplied plans. While performing their functions, the survey crew is approached by a subcontractor who wants them to perform some work for him on the same project. He states that he will pay for this additional work and notes that it will be easy for the survey crew to perform both services at the same time. What should the survey crew do?

The survey crew should accept this additional work as long as the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to by all parties

While supervising a construction project in a developing country, an engineer discovers that his client's project manager is treating laborers in an unsafe and inhumane (but for that country, legal) manner. When he protests, the engineer is told by company executives that the company has no choice in the matter if it wishes to remain competitive in the region, and he should just accept that is this is the way things are. What, if anything, would ethics require the engineer do?

Withdraw from the project, returning any fees that may have already been received

An engineering professor with a professional engineering license of 20 years of experience in engineering education is asked to consult on a building design. Can the professor accept this request?

Yes, but she should review and comment only those portions of the project in which she is qualifed by education and experience

An engineer spends all of his free time (outside of work) gambling illegally. Is this a violation of ethical standards?

Yes, the engineer should associate only with reputable persons and organizations

Complete the sentence: "It is generally considered unethical to moonlight as a consulting engineer while you are working for your primary employer because....

You can't do a good job at your primary employer if you come to work in the morning tired"

Without your knowledge, an old classmate applies to the company you work for. Knowing that you recently graduated from the same school, the director or engineering shows you the application and resume. It turns out you friend exaggerated a lot of details, but was very smart in school and could help the company. What do you do?

You should recommend the applicant, but qualify you recommendation by pointing out that you think he may have exaggerated some details on the resume

Ethics requires you to take into considered the effects of your behavior on which groups of people?

Your employer, the nonprofessionals in society, and other professionals

Which of the following acts would normally not be permitted by an engineering code of conduct? a. revealing facts, date, and information obtained in a professional capacity without the consent of the client of employer b. approving and sealing only those documents and surveys that conform to accepted engineering standards c. providing the state board information of the violation of its engineering code of conduct by a registered engineer d. undertaking assignments requiring assistance to complete some elements outside your area of expertise

a

If one is aware that a registered engineer willfully violates a state's rule of professional conduct, one should...? a. Do nothing b. report the violation to the state's engineering registration board c. report the violation to the employer d. report the violation to the parties it affects

b

In dealing with suppliers an engineer may.... a. unduly delay vendor performance if the client agrees b. spend personal time outside of the contract to ensure adequate performance c. prepare plans containing ambiguous design-build references as cost-saving measures d. enforce plans and specifications to the letter, without regard to fairness

b

You are an engineer in charge of receiving bids for an upcoming project. One of the contractors bidding the job is your former employer. The former employer laid you off in a move to cut costs. Which of the following (one or more) should you do? a. Say nothing b. Inform your present employer of the situation c. Remain objective when reviewing bids

b and c

Which of the following methods of charging for professional services is unethical? a. lump sum at the start of the job b. per diem, billed monthly in advance c. per hour, billed at the end of each week d. retainer, plus per hour, billed at the end of each week

b. per diem

Which would be considered an ethical gift for an engineer to accept from a supplier? a. a paid trip to an industry trade show b. a ticket for a trip to Europe c. a coffee mug with supplier's corporate logo d. a $100 check

c

An engineer firm received much of its revenue from community construction projects. Which of the following activities would it be ethical for the firm to participate in? a. Contribute to campaigns for local politicians b. Donate money to the city council to help finance the building of a new city park c. Encourage employees to volunteer in community organizations d. Rent billboards to increase the company's name recognition

c. Encourage employees to volunteer in community organizations

Which of the following establishes ethical behavior among professionals? a. taxation regulations b. rules of play for professional sports c. Hippocratic oath d. legal contracts

c. Hippocratic Oath

Which of the following activities is not commonly required by codes of ethics for engineers? a. acting as a faithful agent or trustee for the client b. accepting payment for services only from the client c. submitting competitive bids to the client d. spelling out all known conditions of bids and proposals

c. Submitting competitive bids to the client

Which of the following could you accept within most codes of ethical behavior? a. trip to the Bahamas from a vendor to learn about the vendor's product b. a pen-and-pencil set sent by a blueprint reproduction company c. a smoked Thanksgiving turkey sent by a previous client in gratitude for a previous successful job d. a monetary incentive sent from a vendor in a country where such an incentive is legal and common

c. this is just a "thank you" Any other type of gift that will influence your choice on buying something is unethical

Complete the sentence: "The US Department of Justice's successful action in the 1970s against engineering code of ethics that formal prohibited competitive bidding was based on the premise of....

competitive bidding was required by many government contracts"

Which of the following methods of advertising is most likely to violate an ethical standard for engineering design firms? a. radio or television advertising b. phone book advertising c. distribution of company calendars to clients d. company brochures exhibiting self-laudatory language

d. company brochures exhibiting self-laudatory language This is in poor taste

Complete the sentence: "Obeying direct and specific orders from a person with higher authority.... a. will never result in unethical behavior" b. always results in ethical behavior" c. is a defense against unethical behavior" d. may place you in an ethical dilemma"

d. may place you in an ethical dilemma"

Complete the sentence: "Guidelines of ethical behavior among engineers are needed because...."

it is easy for engineers to take advantage of clients"