Ethics: A Huge Responsibility for Professional Engineers

Engineers are talented and intelligent professionals who must have an in-depth knowledge about a variety of topics, including math, science and construction. They use this knowledge to construct many structures that we use in our society, such as roads, bridges, tunnels, schools, office buildings, stores, restaurants and other construction projects. They even help design the homes we live in.

In order to succeed, engineers not only need to have the knowledge to accurately design a structure, but they need something else as well: ethics. When we think of engineers, ethics may not be the first thing that pops into our minds. However, given that the results of their work will be used by the public, they have a duty to create a physically sound structure that combines quality and safety while keeping environmental responsibilities in mind as well.

When engineers do not keep ethical issues in mind, they risk complaints and disciplinary actions. They could end up losing their license. Therefore, they should follow these elements of ethical behavior.

Honesty

Many engineers are in violation of this element of ethical behavior not because they outright lie but because they mislead a client. That is, they manipulate the truth in a way so that they can tell the client what they want to hear. However, they leave out important details so that the client is not given the full truth. This lack of information will affect the client down the line and make the engineer seem like a liar.

There should be no lies in the engineering industry. Engineers have a responsibility to clients, employees, employers and society. They all should know the truth, even if it may be difficult to hear.

Objectivity

Engineers must look at every job from an objective standpoint. They should avoid conflicts of interest and accurately assess their abilities before agreeing to a project. Engineering is a broad field and it’s important that the engineer has the right skill set to properly complete the project. Otherwise, he or she could jeopardize the safety of others by doing a poor job.

Trust

People expect the people they hire to operate in a trustworthy manner. Many clients, however, do not trust the engineers they hire. In fact, trust between clients and engineers is on the decline. The main reason is that some engineers are not putting their clients first. These engineers think solely about their own needs. Their main focus may be on how much money they will make, so they focus on getting paid even though they produce substandard work. 

Keep Your License with Help From a Tampa Professional Engineers Licensing Lawyer 

Engineers work on a variety of projects that society uses, from bridges to retail establishments to residences. Engineers must abide by ethics at all times to ensure the safety of those who use these buildings. An unsafe building can collapse and harm countless people. Engineers charged with ethical issues can have their licenses suspended. I have represented more than one hundred professional engineers before the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Without a license, you have no engineering career. Get legal representation from the Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I am a Tampa administrative lawyer who focuses on licensing issues for engineers and other professionals. I encourage you to review my experience in these matters at my firm’s web site. Contact my office today for a consultation by calling (813) 968-6633.

Resource:

nspe.org/resources/ethics/ethics-resources/other-resources/ethics-and-professional-engineer