Construction Law & Ethics
moore05
Week2Reesponses.docxJ V
Why can an engineer or contractor accept some gifts but not other gifts?
By ethical practices neither shall accepts gifts for the simple reason that it can compromise or influenced a decision that will draw a fine line of a potential bribe. In a much simpler answer, any gifts can be mistaken take as a form of gesture that will an engineer or contractor will choose the side of the gift-giver.
T H
If you are not involved on a project but observe something that is unsafe, what do you do and why?
The first thing to do is to stop the unsafe act immediately. Then provide a brief explanation of why it is unsafe and what needs to be done to the crew executing. Sometimes the crew will correct it on the spot and move on, but usually they will tell you that this is not your job (in a not very nice way too). The next step is to find the crew foreman / supervisor and inform them of the unsafe actions. If there is a site safety officer then I would inform them as well. If the safety officer and / or site manager agree with my observation or know how to correct the action, then I completed my job. I will only go directly to an OSHA representative if the supervisors or managers on site do not agree with me.
J P
Are engineers thought to be more ethical than doctors, lawyers, and politicians?
Engineers are held to a higher standard and be more ethical than doctors, lawyers. Or politicians. One of the biggest reasons is due to the impact that their work has on society. What we see as a simple roadway, it has an effect on hundreds if not thousands of people who transit that road daily. A simple oversight or bribe for their work, can have horrible repercussions on society and even if the individual who performed an unethical act receives punishment, the lives that were lost or impacted will never be the same.
JC
Are engineers thought to be more ethical than doctors, lawyers, and politicians?
In my opinion they are not thought to be more ethical than others, Of course engineers bear the same amount of responsibility as doctors because they are also dealing with human lives; weather it is a collapsing building, or stopping a virus from spreading around, both professionals should be highly ethical in their areas of expertise.
N R
Why can an engineer or contractor accept some gifts but not other gifts?
Engineers and contractors should not accept gifts until the job is done or else it might seem like it is a bribe. Even when they do accept a gift it should not be anything costly. I used to work for the federal government and we were not allowed to accept anything over $25.
A A
If you are not involved on a project but observe something that is unsafe, what do you do and why?
Safety first. I would try to contact the people in charge of that project and make sure they are aware of this situation. In the case of not finding this people I would call the correspondent authorities.
S N
Are engineers thought to be more ethical than doctors, lawyers, and politicians?
I believe that whether it is engineers, contractors, doctors, lawyers, and politicians, they should all share the same ethics in the field. Lawyers are sought out to defend their clients and doctors to heal their patients. It is an engineer’s duty and ethic to use their judgement on the safety of the public such as roadways, bridges, schools, etc. Engineers are somewhat inexact sciences and are continually called on to exercise their skilled judgment in order to anticipate and provide precise measurements, in turn, results in the safety of the public.
M L
What can happen if engineers and contractors are not ethical?
The most obvious thing that can happen if an engineer is not ethical is that the final product is defective. As mentioned in the answer for question three a bridge or building may collapse causing injuries and fatalities. But on a less dramatic scale the final product, that may also be something like a toy or engine part, must be engineered correctly so that a manufacture is profitable. The company that paid for the engineering service to design the product has a moral, ethical and legal right to receive the service it paid for. Not to mention the employees of that company and their families are depending on the engineer to be ethical and design the product correctly. If too many products produced by the manufacture are defective because of poor engineering design the company can eventually go out of business.
D G
Why can an engineer or contractor accept some gifts but not other gifts?
A design professional that takes any bribes or gifts can be recovered by the client. The relationship between the design professional and the client must be taken seriously and every effort must be made to avoid breaching any fiduciary relationship. Some gifts may have the intent to influence the engineer's or contractor's judgement. Personally, I would encourage zero tolerance for accepting gifts no matter how small the increment. To make honest and fair decisions with all clients, I believe it would be best to never allow an individual be in a position to question your ethics. Never accept a gift that may be viewed as an influence.
