Engineering Ethics

Engineering ethics
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Engineering Ethics is the field of applied ethics which examines and sets standards for engineers' obligations to the public, their clients, employers and the profession. This article addresses the subject for both professional engineers and other engineers.
Engineering does not have a single uniform system,or standard, of ethical conduct across the entire profession. Ethical approaches vary somewhat by discipline and jurisdiction, but are most influenced by whether the engineers are independently providing professional services to clients, or the public if employed in government service; or if they are employees of an enterprise creating products for sale.
In the United States the first areusually licensed Professional engineers, are governed by statute, and have generally consistent codes of professional ethics. The latter, working as engineers in industry, are governed by various laws including whistleblowing, and product liability laws, and often rely on principles of business ethics rather than engineering ethics.
Contents[hide] * 1 Professional,Chartered engineers andIncorporated engineers * 2 Current codes of ethics * 3 General principles * 3.1 First principle * 3.2 Whistleblowing * 3.3 Other ethical issues * 4 Background * 4.1 The nineteenth century and growing concern * 4.2 Turning of the twentieth century and turning point * 4.3 Current status in the United States * 5 Current ethical issues * 6 Case studies and keyindividuals * 7 Notes * 8 References * 9 External links * 9.1 Canada * 9.2 United Kingdom * 9.3 United States * 9.4 International |
[edit] Professional,Chartered engineers and Incorporated engineers
Main articles: Professional engineer, Chartered engineer, Incorporated Engineer
Professional engineers (Chartered and Incorporated engineers in the United Kingdom.)are distinct from other engineers in that they have obtained some form of license, charter, or registration from a government agency or charter-granting authority acting on their behalf. As such they are subject to regulation by these bodies, as are other regulated professions.[1]
Professional,chartered engineers and incorporated engineers enjoy significant influence over their regulation. Theyare often the authors of the pertinent codes of ethics used by some of these organizations.[1] These engineers in private practice often, but not always, find themselves in traditional professional-client relationships in their practice. Engineers employed in government service find themselves on the other side of the same relationship.
Engineers in industry, sometimes termed "graduate engineers"in the US if they hold a Bachelor's degree, are not formally accredited by government agencies. Their professional relationships are much more likely to be employee-employer relationships.[2]
Despite the different focus, engineers in industry or private practice face similar ethical issues and reach similar conclusions.[3] One American engineering society, the National Society of ProfessionalEngineers (NSPE) has sought to extend professional licensure and a code of ethics across the field regardless of practice area or employment sector.[4]
[edit] Current codes of ethics
Many American engineering professional societies have prepared codes of ethics. Some go back to the early decades of the twentieth century.[2] These have been incorporated to a greater or lesser degree into theregulatory laws of several states.
The engineering profession's emphasis on ethics dates back to the end of the 19th century. In 1946, the National Society of Professional Engineers released its Canons of Ethics for Engineers and Rules of Professional Conduct, which evolved to the current Code of Ethics, adopted in 1964. While these statements of general principles served as a guide, many engineers...