Engineering Ethics & Professional Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real Engineering Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Engineering Ethics & Professional Practice flashcards as text
According to the NSPE Code of Ethics, which of the following is the FIRST fundamental canon that engineers must uphold?
Answer: Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public
The NSPE Code of Ethics places public safety, health, and welfare as the paramount obligation above all other professional duties.
A licensed Professional Engineer (PE) stamps and seals a set of drawings. What does this action legally signify?
Answer: The PE accepts full professional responsibility for the work
Affixing a PE seal indicates the engineer has exercised professional judgment and accepts legal and ethical responsibility for the work.
An engineer discovers a design flaw in a client's existing structure that poses a risk to public safety. The client instructs the engineer to keep the finding confidential. What should the engineer do?
Answer: Report the hazard to the appropriate public authority
When public safety is at risk, the engineer's obligation to protect the public overrides client confidentiality requirements.
Which of the following best describes a 'conflict of interest' for a Professional Engineer?
Answer: Having a financial stake in a vendor whose products are specified in the engineer's design
A conflict of interest occurs when a personal financial interest could improperly influence the engineer's professional judgment.
Under most state licensing boards, what is the primary purpose of requiring continuing education units (CEUs) for PE license renewal?
Answer: To ensure engineers maintain and update their professional competence
CEU requirements exist to ensure licensed engineers stay current with evolving technologies, codes, and professional standards.
An engineer is asked to provide expert witness testimony in a legal case that falls outside their specific area of expertise. According to engineering ethics, the engineer should:
Answer: Decline and refer the matter to an engineer with appropriate expertise
Engineers must only perform services in areas of their competence; providing expert testimony outside one's expertise violates this ethical principle.
When an engineer reviews plans prepared by another engineer for the purpose of offering a second opinion to a client, the reviewing engineer should:
Answer: Notify the original engineer before proceeding with the review
The NSPE Code requires that engineers notify the other party when reviewing their work, as a matter of professional courtesy and transparency.