Ethics & Professional Engineering Practices Flashcards
7 cards from real EIT 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 Engineering Practices flashcards as text
An engineer discovers that a colleague's design contains a flaw that could cause injury but is not on their assigned project. What is the ethical obligation?
Answer: Report the flaw to the appropriate authority
Engineers have a duty to protect public safety and must report known hazards regardless of project assignment.
Under the NSPE Code of Ethics, engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. This obligation applies:
Answer: At all times in professional duties
The paramount duty to public safety is unconditional and applies in all professional engineering activities.
A PE stamps drawings prepared by an unlicensed engineer she has never supervised. This practice is known as:
Answer: Plan stamping or rubber stamping
Rubber stamping means affixing a seal to documents the engineer did not prepare or supervise, which is unethical and illegal in most jurisdictions.
When an engineer is asked to provide a professional opinion outside their area of competence, the correct action is to:
Answer: Decline and refer the client to a qualified expert
Engineers must practice only in areas of their competence and should refer clients to qualified specialists for work outside those areas.
Which of the following best describes 'conflict of interest' in engineering practice?
Answer: A situation where personal or financial interests could improperly influence professional judgment
A conflict of interest exists when personal, financial, or other interests could compromise or appear to compromise an engineer's objectivity.
An engineer working for a firm receives a gift worth $500 from a vendor seeking to supply materials for a project the engineer oversees. The engineer should:
Answer: Disclose it to their employer and decline or return it
Accepting gifts from vendors who have business dealings with the engineer's employer creates a conflict of interest and must be disclosed and typically declined.
Sustainable development in engineering ethics means designing solutions that:
Answer: Meet present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs
Sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Commission, balances present needs with the preservation of resources and conditions for future generations.