Transcript
Ethics Section – Chapter 10 – The Engineer’s Duty to Society and the Environment
Duty to Society:
Each provincial code of ethics requires engineers to consider their duty to society as paramount
They must put the greater good of society ahead of personal gain
The need for this duty to be invoked most frequently arises in the area of protecting the environment
Engineers are essentially caretakers of the environment
They design the infrastructure of society, the water, gas, electrical networks, and the sewage and waste disposal systems that are important to modern lifestyle
Decisions made by engineers frequently have direct effect on the environment and society in general, and these decisions must be made ethically, and with consideration of the duty to society
The Ethical Dilemma of “Whistleblowing”:
The code of ethics requires engineers to consider their duty to society as paramount
However, at what point does the duty to society exceed the duty to others, if the activities of others appear to be in serious conflict with the good of society?
Example: An engineer on one hand is obligated not to disclose confidential information that concerns the client. On the other hand, the engineer must report to the appropriate authority any situation that they believe to endanger the health or safety of the public
Failure to correct or report such a situation is considered to be professional misconduct in every province and territory in Canada
Engineers who have concerns over unethical, unsafe, or illegal practices must first communicate these concerns to the people involved, whether they are clients, employers, colleagues or employees
It’s very rare for an engineer to resort to reporting to authorities to get action on a problem
This whistleblowing, as it is commonly called, is often a controversial act
A good definition of a whistleblower is the following
Whistleblowers, usually employees, are people who believe an organization is engaged in unsafe, unethical, or illegal practices and go public with their charge, having tried with no success to have the situation corrected through internal channels
Recognizing that whistleblowing is a last resort, some provincial Associations have made this reporting process more formal
Two important points distinguish a whistleblower from a troublemaker: The movie of the engineer involved, and the methods used to achieve the goal of protecting the public
A whistleblower must also be aware that the process may involve public exposure and scrutiny and may place their career in jeopardy
Therefore, whistleblowing should not be done casually, unknowingly, or wantonly
The provincial association should be contacted instead, a formal reporting process should be followed
The Engineer’s Duty to Report:
Provincial Associations of Professional Engineers have frequently taken on the role of mediators, or conciliators to help engineers who perceive their clients, colleagues, employers, or employees to be involved in unsafe, unethical, or illegal practices
The association can serve a useful role in helping the engineer to define the ethical issues involved, advising the engineer, communicating the concerns to the client or employer in an unbiased way, and generally help resolve the issue as informally as possible
Also, you must decide whether it’s the situation or conditions that must be reported, or the individual
Example: If someone is practising engineering unethically, you might report them to the association as a last resort, but if an employer is putting workers’ lives at risk, you should probably contact the police. Failure to take immediate action to protect human life would be considered as professional misconduct
