Ethics & Professional Conduct Flashcards
7 cards from real CES practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics & Professional Conduct flashcards as text
A CES is pressured to reuse blast mats that visual inspection shows are severely damaged. The ethical course of action is:
Answer: Remove the mats from service and insist on replacement before proceeding
Damaged blast mats pose a direct flyrock hazard; a CES must refuse to use compromised equipment regardless of project schedule pressure.
Which of the following best defines 'responsible person' as used in ATF federal explosives licensing?
Answer: An individual who has the power to direct the management of the licensed entity
ATF defines a 'responsible person' as any individual with the power to direct the management or policies of the entity applying for or holding a federal explosives license.
When a CES accepts a project that requires techniques outside their training, the ethical action is to:
Answer: Partner with a specialist experienced in those techniques or decline the project
Practicing outside one's training in high-hazard industries violates professional ethics; the correct approach is to bring in expertise or decline.
A CES discovers that blasting records at their employer were backdated to cover a delayed blast notification. The appropriate response is to:
Answer: Refuse to sign the records and report the falsification internally and, if unresolved, to regulators
Falsifying blast records is a federal violation; a CES has an ethical and legal duty to refuse to certify false records and to escalate the issue.
A blasting company client asks a CES to omit a near-miss incident from the official post-blast report. The CES should:
Answer: Include the near-miss and document the client's request to suppress it
Near-miss events must be fully documented; suppressing them conceals safety intelligence and may violate reporting regulations.
A CES receives a public records request about a blast project. Providing which type of information could violate security requirements?
Answer: Specific magazine locations and explosive quantities stored on-site
Specific magazine locations and stored quantities are security-sensitive information that could be exploited by bad actors and should not be publicly disclosed.
Which behavior demonstrates a CES upholding the professional standard of continuing competency?
Answer: Regularly attending industry training, reviewing updated regulations, and maintaining CE credits
Continuing competency requires ongoing education to remain current with evolving regulations, techniques, and safety practices in the explosives field.