Ethics and Professional Practice Flashcards

An EIT working for a consulting firm is instructed by their employer to certify calculations they believe are incorrect. The EIT should:

Answer: Refuse to certify and bring concerns to a supervisor or the PE of record

Engineers at all levels, including EITs, have an ethical duty not to certify work they believe is incorrect, regardless of employer direction.

A state engineering board finds that a PE practiced engineering in a field where they were not competent. This most likely violates which NSPE canon?

Answer: Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence

Practicing outside one's area of competence violates the canon requiring engineers to work only within their areas of demonstrated capability.

Which of the following is NOT a typical ground for revoking a professional engineering license?

Answer: Changing employers without notifying the licensing board

Changing employers is a normal professional activity that does not require notification to the licensing board and is not grounds for license revocation.

An engineer learns their company is illegally dumping chemical waste. If internal reporting fails to resolve the issue, the engineer's next ethical step is to:

Answer: Report the violation to the appropriate regulatory authority

When internal channels fail to address illegal activity that threatens the public or environment, engineers are obligated to report to external regulatory authorities.

The primary purpose of mandatory continuing education requirements for licensed PEs is to:

Answer: Ensure engineers maintain current competency throughout their careers

Continuing education requirements exist to ensure that licensed engineers stay current with evolving technology, codes, and practices to protect public safety.

An engineer working on a public bridge project discovers a design flaw that could be dangerous but is not visible to inspectors. The project is nearly complete and correction would be costly. The engineer should:

Answer: Immediately disclose the flaw to the responsible authority regardless of cost

Engineers must disclose known safety hazards immediately; cost and project stage are not factors that permit withholding safety information.

A conflict of interest in engineering most commonly arises when:

Answer: An engineer's personal or financial interests could impair their professional judgment

A conflict of interest occurs when personal or financial stakes could impair the engineer's ability to provide objective, unbiased professional judgment.