This document provides an overview of engineering ethics and several case studies. It begins with definitions of ethics and discusses why ethics are important in engineering given past structural failures. It outlines engineering codes of ethics from various organizations and presents four case studies: [1] a killer robot case, [2] the DC-10 cargo door failure, [3] structural issues with the Citicorp building, and [4] the Challenger space shuttle disaster. It emphasizes engineers' responsibilities to safety and considers whistleblowing an important yet controversial topic.

1. Ethics
in
Engineering profession
and
Some case study
Prepared by:
Kamal Shahi
Roll no: 25

3. Ethics

Study of the general
nature of morals and of
the specific moral choices
to be made by a person

Set of standard or codes
derived from human
reasons and experience
by which human actions
are determined as right or
wrong/ good or evil

4. Generally Ethics Is:
a. The science of customs or habits
b. The science of character or conducts
c. The science of rightness or wrongness
d. The science of morality
e. A normative science

5. 


Shakespeare -- "When in Rome, do as the
Romans do"
Kant -- "Do not do unto others as you
would not have them do unto you"
the Bible -- "he that dig a pit shall fall
into it“ confront

6. Engineering Ethics


field of applied ethics and system of moral
principles that apply to the practice of
engineering
examines and sets the obligations by
engineers to society, to their clients, and to the
profession

7. Why ETHICS in Engineering???

Engineers responsibility to society in not only
bringing new technology, discoveries, and
designs to the world
but
also in protecting the public interest

On the beginning of 20th century there had been
significant structural failures like Ashtabula River
Railroad Disaster (1876), Tay Bridge Disaster
(1879), and the Quebec Bridge collapse (1907),
Boston molasses disaster etc…

8. Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster (1876)
Quebec Bridge(before)
Quebec Bridge(After)

9. CITICORP BUILDING(case study
explained later)
Tay Bridge(Before)
Tay Bridge(after)

11. 


These disasters forced the engineering profession
to confront shortcomings in technical and
construction practice, as well as ethical standards
engineers are reminded of their responsibilities
starting in early-college coursework and progressing
throughout their careers in continuing education
courses.
It is not for preaching virtue rather, its objective is
to increase your ability as engineers to
responsibly tackle the moral issues raised by
technological activity.

12. SCOPE OF ENGINEERING
ETHICS

13. Engineering as
Social
Experimentation
Moral Values
Micro &
Macro
Issues
Technological
Development
Engineering
Ethics

14. Code of Ethics for Engineers


Engineering is an important and learned profession.
Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life
for all people so services provided by engineers require
honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be
dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and
welfare
Fundamental principles:






Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
Perform services only in areas of their competence.
Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
Avoid deceptive acts.
Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and
lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness
of the profession

15. National Society of Professional Engineers has
provided the set of codes of ethics for engineers
including
1. Fundamental canons
2. Rules of practice
3. Professional obligations
(detail on report)

16. The professional Code of Conduct to be followed by the registered Engineers of the
Council, subject to the
provision of the Nepal Engineering Council (NEC) Act, 2055 (1998) and the Nepal
Engineering Council Regulation,
2057(2000), has been published as follows :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Discipline and honesty
Politeness and confidentiality
Non-discrimination
Professional Work
Deeds which may cause harm to the engineering profession
Personal responsibility
State name, designation and registration no
No publicity or advertisement must be made which may cause unnecessary
effect

17. Nepal Engineers’ Association adopted code of ethics for its fellow
members in Chaitra 6, 2065.
According to NEA
 Fundamental Principles of Professional Engineering Ethics



Upholding and advancing engineering profession
Keeping high standards of Ethical conduct
Quality of Engineers to adhere with above principles
Engineer





Will be honest and fair and serve employer, clients and public
Will declare to the advancement of competence of engineering profession
and to disseminate engineering knowledge
Will use his knowledge and skill in the service of humanity
Code also directs the relationship of Nepalese Engineer with



Relation with Public
Relation with Employers and Clients
Relation with Engineers

18. Some case studies
OF
ENGINEERING ETHICS

19. 1. THE CASE OF THE KILLER
ROBOT




Randy Samuels employed as a programmer at the
Silicon Techtronic's Inc. The charge involves the death of
Bart Matthews, who was killed by an assembly –line
robot .
Victim worked as robot operator at Cybernetics Inc. in
Silicon Heights. He was crushed to death when the robot
he was operating malfunctioned and started to wave its
hands violently.
written formula ,provided by the project physicist, which
Samuels was supposed to program. But he negligently
misinterpreted the formula leading to this huge
gruesome death. Society must protect itself against
programmers who make careless mistakes
For more
http://www.onlineethics.org/Resources/Cases/killerrobot/
article-6.aspx#abstract

20. 2. DC – 10 JUMBO JET

The cargo door of DC – 10 Jumbo jet was developed by Convair, a sub
contractor for McDonnell Douglas.

So he reported to his senior engineer that the Cargo door could burst
open, leading to crash of the plane. Hence the door has to be
redesigned and the cabin floor has to strengthened

Top Management at Convair neither disputed the technical facts or the
predictions made by Applegate. The liabilities and the cost of
redesign were to high.

21. Two years went by and In 1974 the cargo door of DC – 10 Jumbo burst
open and the jet crashed near Paris killing 346
Detail info @
http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-thy981.shtml

22. 3. CITICORP BUILDING
Structural Engineer Bill LeMessurier faced a big design
problem when he worked on the Citicorp Centre, N.Y – fifth
highest skyscraper in New York.
The 900 feet bank would
rise from 9-storey (114’)
This was because of a
corner of the plot
belonged toa church and
the church had to be accommodated there.
The building was completed in 1977. An engineering
student like you questioned: what will happen when the
wind loading is oblique?

23. While LeMessurier designed welded joints, the contractor, Bethlehem Steel
changed them to bolted joints. Recalculation was not done to check what the
construction change would do.
Wind Tunnel Tests proved that the diagonal wind loading (with a return period of
16 years) canwas deeply troubled. He considered hisjoints and therefore the
LeMessurier lead to the failure of the critical bolted options
building.
Silence
Suicide
He explained the problem to his client Citicorp.
The building was strengthened by welding two-inch thick steel plates over
each of the 200 bolted joints. With only welding half the number of bolts
hurricane Ella was threatening to strike the building. Luckily Ella’s
direction
changed.
NOTHING WAS HAPPENED LATER BUT THIS WAS HIDDEN FROM

24. 4. THE CHALLENGER CASE
CHALLENGER’S 8th flight was set up for 28th Jan 1986
 Allan McDonald of Morton
– Thiokol who designed the
solid–rocket booster knew the
problems with the field joints on
previous cold weather joints. And
28th Jan was expected to be cold.
 But no one gave response on that
and finally count down ended
at 11.38 AM. The temperature
was 36 degrees. The rocket broke
apart 73 seconds into its flight,
leading to the deaths of
its seven crew members


25. WHISTLE BLOWING
Whistle blowing is alerting relevant persons
to some moral or legal corruption, where “Relevant
persons” are those in a position to act in
response
 person who exposes misconduct, alleged dishonest
or illegal activity occurring in an organization
 No topic in Engineering ethics is more
controversial than
whistle – blowing.


26. conclusion
When you leave this Lecture Hall today you
must leave with the knowledge and
conviction that you have a professional
and moral responsibility to yourselves and
to your fellow human beings to defend the
truth and expose any questionable practice
that will lead to an unsafe product or
process

28. References






http://classes.soe.ucsc.edu/cmpe080e/Spring10/Week%
2001/Engineering%20Ethics%20&%20cases.pdf
http://www.nec.gov.np/img/downloads/Code%20of%20C
onduct.pdf
http://eeiccourses.engineering.osu.edu/sites/eeiccourse
s.engineering.osu.edu/files/uploads/au2013/1181/Class/
Class03_Ethics/Ethics_Assigned_Cases_Schedule6.pdf
http://www.bookspar.com/wpcontent/uploads/vtu/notes/1st-2ndsem/cipe/Professional-ethics.pdf
www.nec.gov.np
http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-thy981.shtml

29. THANK YOU