National Society Of Professional Engineers Code Of Ethics

According to the National Society of Professional Engineers’ (NSPE) code of ethics, “Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner” and “Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts”. William LeMessurier did not act in accordance to either of these fundamental canons; it is arguable, however, that he did uphold the canon to “Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public” even though his actions were to prevent an oversight. With these canons in place, another ethical paradox is introduced: which canon takes precedence over another how is this determined? This question is paired with the option of informing or not informing the public of a consequence that is evident yet remediable. In the case of

This form of analysis, typically done with the risk-benefit principle, is the deciding factor that determines what job or project an engineer will perform. As with any aspect involving the chaotic nature of life and human’s interaction with it, this process isn’t perfect. Complete reform is not feasible and enhancement is difficult, but these changes are necessary to promote a sustainable future where safety is paramount. Some sort of combination between the precautionary and risk-benefit principles would be sufficient as they are strong in areas in which the other is weak. Regrettably, there are instances in which theory cannot be achieved completely as there individuals who hold little value to ethics. This malicious thinking negatively impacts the welfare of the public, and hopefully the process of characterizing engineers from professional engineers can help to weed out the outliers. Positive organizational culture as well as putting safety above profitability can also help to achieve this status. All in all, risk is a necessary evil that engineers are paid to