EIT - Engineer In Training Ethics and Professional Practice Questions and Answers

Question 1

An engineer is the lead designer for a new pedestrian bridge.
The project manager, under pressure to meet a tight deadline, instructs the engineer to approve a design that uses a lower grade of steel than specified in the original, approved plans.
The engineer's analysis shows the lower-grade steel meets the minimum safety requirements by a very small margin but significantly reduces the bridge's expected lifespan and durability.
Which of the following is the engineer's most ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to approve the design and report the situation to the appropriate regulatory agency and their employer.

Answer

Approve the design but document their concerns in a private memo to the project manager.

Answer

Approve the design, as the minimum safety standards are technically met.

Answer

Request a meeting with the client to explain the situation and let them decide.

Question 2

An engineer is retained as an expert witness in a lawsuit. During their investigation, they discover a piece of information that is detrimental to their client's case. According to the NCEES Model Rules of Professional Conduct, what is the engineer's obligation?

Accepted Answer

To present all relevant information discovered during their investigation in a truthful and objective manner.

Answer

To disclose their findings to their client's attorney, but not to the court unless directly asked.

Answer

To withdraw from the case to avoid a conflict of interest.

Answer

To only present the information that is favorable to their client's case.

Question 3

Which of the following situations represents a clear conflict of interest for a professional engineer?

Accepted Answer

Serving on a city planning commission while their firm has a contract to design a public park for the same city.

Answer

Performing pro-bono work for a local charity.

Answer

Accepting a salaried position with a government agency for which they previously did contract work.

Answer

Owning stock in a large, publicly-traded company that manufactures construction materials.

Question 4

An engineer discovers a flaw in a product design that could potentially cause harm to users, but only under a rare set of circumstances. Their supervisor reviews the findings and decides the risk is acceptably low and that a product recall is not necessary due to the high cost. The engineer strongly disagrees. What is the engineer's primary responsibility in this situation?

Accepted Answer

To report the safety concerns through the company's internal channels and, if necessary, to the appropriate regulatory authorities.

Answer

To accept the supervisor's decision, as they are in a position of authority.

Answer

To leak the information to the media to ensure public awareness.

Answer

To resign from the company in protest of the decision.

Question 5

An engineer is asked to sign and seal a set of drawings. The majority of the design work was performed by a subordinate engineer under their direct supervision. The supervising engineer has thoroughly reviewed and approved all aspects of the design. Is it ethical for the supervising engineer to seal these drawings?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because the work was performed under their direct supervisory control and they have verified its adequacy.

Answer

No, only the engineer who performed the original calculations and drawings can seal the documents.

Answer

No, because it constitutes taking credit for another engineer's work.

Answer

Yes, but only if the subordinate engineer is also a licensed Professional Engineer.

Question 6

According to the NSPE Code of Ethics, engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers. Which of the following is an example of fulfilling this obligation?

Accepted Answer

Attending technical seminars and workshops.

Answer

Mentoring a junior engineer.

Answer

Renewing their professional license on time.

Answer

Working on a wide variety of projects.