Ethics in Engineering

ENGR0011/0711 Section

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Ethics in Engineering

William Pezzuti ()

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William Pezzuti

Introduction

Engineering is regarded as a premier discipline in today’s society. The majority of companies, almost any type from electrical companies to architecture companies to aerospace companies and even insurance companies along with countless others, hire engineers [1]. The companies value the thought process of engineers. There are multiple different disciplines within engineering such as chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and many more. These engineershave invented or innovated almost everything man-made, either on their own or working with a team for a company. This extremely popular disciplineis vital to world innovation but all engineers are held to certain standards – a code of ethics [2].

The code of ethics for engineers is supposed to come before anything else because engineering impacts the quality of life for all people [3]. “As members of this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity” [2]. Honesty and integrity are two qualities that many of the fundamental canons and rules of practice are based on for all engineers. Impartiality and fairness are also highly valued and engineers of any type are expected to act with these characteristics [4]. Along with these critical qualities that engineers must possess and abide by, they must “hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public” [2]. No matter how potentially beneficial an innovation could be to a company or individual or even the government, engineers must consider that they are morally and ethically obligated to hold public safety and welfare above anything else.

Many inventions and innovations bring both good and bad effects. It is not easy to balance these effeects and decide which is better or worse. For example, “engineers are behind government spying tools and military weapons. We must be conscious of how our designs are used” [3]. Weapons are designed to cause pain, suffering, and death, yet they protect our country under the right control. This is a complicated ethical issue with multiple differing opinions from many different people. It can be seen as increasing the safety and health of our country or seen as hindering other countries and harming their citizens along with many other aspects and viewpoints. Engineers have to make their own decisions attempting to abide by the fundamental canons and rules as best they can.

My Position

With a degree in chemical engineering, I began and now own a rather small company. The company is an inspection company. It is made up of about thirty workers that I must oversee and, because of the small amount of employees, I work in the field as well. My company is comprised of engineers in multiple different fields. Mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, civil engineers, computer engineers, and a few environmental engineers all make up parts of the company, but the most abundant engineering practice found in the company is chemical engineering.

Other companies call upon my company for building inspection or machinery testing. The appropriate engineers are sent to complete the job depending on what type of machinery is appointed for inspection or testing. Typically, a group of engineers from my company is sent to inspect specific buildings or pieces of machinery and, after tests, they formulate a report for the cliental company. This report simply communicates whether the machinery is running correctly and efficiently and may include (by request) an expanded efficiency report, which deeply analyzes and compares the machinery’s cost efficiency and production efficiency with that of other similar machinery options. Because my company is paid directly by the client company to do this job for their benefit and it is not a required inspection, the reports become the sole property of the client company once they are completed and submitted. Copies of the reports are kept in my companies filing system but they cannot be released to anyone besides the client company of the respective report.

Cambrian Innovation and My Company

Cambrian Innovation is a relatively new company as it was founded eight years ago in 2006 [5]. The focus of the company is seeking greater energy and water efficiency and clean energy generation [6]. Through unique processes and a solid design, the company has made a breakthrough in treating wastewater while also creating energy. The system that makes this possible is called the EcoVolt. “The EcoVolt was released as a product in October 2013” [5]. This means that it is still a very new product and that is why only a few companies have purchased and installed them as part of their facilities. The majority of companies that have installed them are breweries, as they happen to create a lot of wastewater for minimal output (seven barrels of water creates one barrel of beer and half of that water becomes wastewater) [5]. The EcoVolt makes this wastewater reusable while simultaneously creating energy from cleansing the aforementioned wastewater [7].

Cambrian Innovation is one of my company’s regular clients. Each time that they complete an EcoVolt sale and install the system, my company is called upon. A team of our engineers goes and tests the EcoVolt to approve that each part of it runs efficiently and that each part is mechanically sound. A detailed report is written for Cambrian Innovationeither affirming that the system works as it is supposed to and serves its purpose, or declaring which parts of the system are not working correctly.

When testing each EcoVolt, a wide array of engineers from my company comprises the team because of the system’s complex design. There is a screening process where large particles are removed from the wastewater, then an equalization tank, and after that the wastewater is brought into two new chambers where it undergoes electromethanogenesis [7]. This is a process where “newly discovered electrically active microbes” convert pollutants into electricity [6]. This electricity, along with carbon dioxide, is converted to methane gas enabling it to travel through a pipe to another part of the EcoVolt, separate from where the water is stored. The gas is converted back to electricity and heat for use [7].

Because this process and the EcoVolt design are rather complicated, the team of engineers tests many aspects of the system and checks to affirm that everything is working efficiently and operating correctly. The team consists of at least on mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer, a civil engineer (to check the overall structure stability), an environmental engineer, and a chemical engineer that is usually myself.

My Dilemma

A new brewery in danger of closing because of financial issues has decided to invest in the very cost effective EcoVolt system. They contact Cambrian Innovation with hope that they can stay in business. Cambrian Innovation sends a group to go to the brewery and install a brand new EcoVolt and contacts my company to test the unit. It is a busy time of year so the inspection will occur after one week of use by the brewery to fit our schedule. Usually the systems are tested before any use but they had been cleared at the factory and so the brewery uses and enjoys the EcoVolt for one week prior to my company’s testing. As the head of the company and a qualified chemical engineer, I formulate a team including a mechanical, environmental, civil, and electrical engineer. Our team of five goes to the brewery after one week of use and tests the system. Every part of the EcoVolt seems to be functioning as it is designed to and very efficiently as well. Towards the end of the testing, I am inspecting the chambers and notice some unusual residue buildup in the electromethanogenesis chambers as well as in the pipes that the methane goes through. My environmental engineer is worried so he gathers two small samples for analysis, one from the pipe and one from the chambers.

After the samples were brought back, tested, and analyzed, they were found to be toxic and potentially harmful to humans. The environmental engineer and I could not find exact reason that the residue is being produced and building up but we discovered that it had to do with the waste that was in the specific wastewater of breweries. All the breweries that have purchased and used EcoVolts could have this potentially toxic residue building up in their units.

As the leader of the team that tested this EcoVolt, I decide to add the information about the potentially harmful, toxic residue into the report that I am writing for Cambrian Innovation. When Cambrian Innovation receives the report and I insist that something be done about this toxic residue, they say that my company’s job is to test the units and make sure that the machinery works efficiently and anything to do with the residue is not part of my job. They go on to say that the report is their property as that is the agreement when my company hands the report to the cliental company. They proceed to do nothing about the residue because breweries are their number one customers.

My Decision Based on Engineering Ethics

I felt like I had to do something about the residue, even if Cambrian Innovation did not want me to, because it could be potentially harmful to humans. I know my company could be in trouble if I act because of the agreement I have with my clients. Also, some people argue that it is unethical because “Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees” [2]. I do have an agreement with my cliental companies; in this case Cambrian Innovation, that I would be breaking, but I decided to notify the correct authorities, the breweries, and the public about this residue because I felt it was the right thing to do. I believe the chemical engineering code of ethics words the same idea more clearly. The chemical engineering code states that engineers must “Be honest and impartial and serve with fidelity their employers, their clients, and the public” [8]. This seems like a better definition as we must serve the public and they deserve to know about the potentially harmful toxic residue, as do the breweries unknowingly creating it.

There were also multiple other fundamental canons that influenced my decision. One of these, which is listed in both engineering and chemical engineering codes of ethics is “hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public” [2]. It is listed first (order) on both codes of ethics as it seems to be the most important canon and I view it as one of the most important canons.

Cambrian Innovation violated the code: “Avoid deceptive acts” [2]. They intended to purposefully withhold information from the public and their customers about something potentially dangerous. In response, I felt that it was right to release the information about this toxic residue. I abided by the chemical engineering code of ethics, which commands, “issue public statements or present information only in an objective and truthful manner” [8]. I spoke only truth, and the public deserved to know.

A few case studies also assisted me with my decision to go against what Cambrian Innovation wanted me to do in favor of public health and safety. Case 1010 from Texas Tech University involves an inspector finding rusty clips holding granite blocks in place. One of the clips dangerously broke and the public would be at risk if a granite block were to fall. The individual selling the building said it was out of the inspector’s jurisdiction and the sale was already too far along to change anything [9]. This is a similar situation to the harmful residue and it requires action to notify the public or authorities to avoid injury. It aided in inspiring me to make the decision I did.

The other case that I found relevant and helpful to my situationwas “The Aberdeen Three” case. This case took place in the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland where chemical weapons were developed. Three of the chemical engineers in charge did not take proper precautions while disposing of chemical waste and legal action was taken. They were tried and convicted. This also showed me that safety comes first and, when it comes to potentially dangerous chemicals, the correct precautions must be taken. The public deserved to know and the residue had to be properly handled, not kept a secret like Cambrian Innovation wanted. Overall, I feel like I acted in accordance with the last fundamental canon of the engineering code of ethics which states, “Engineers shall conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession” [2]. I took the best course of action to uphold that canon.

Conclusion

Engineers of any type must adhere to the fundamental canons and rules of practice making up the engineering code of ethics. This is not always easy though, as some decisions must be made that may violate one canon in order to fulfill others. When Cambrian Innovation wanted to keep quiet about the toxic waste buildup in some of their products, I decided to act. According to the code of ethics, I may have violated my agreement with Cambrian Innovation but it was for the good of the public. Many of the canons and rules of practice deal with public safety being the most important ideaso I felt justified in my decision.

Case studies that I read about also influenced my decision as they dealt with similar circumstances. In the cases, public safety was the goal. In one case, three men were arrested for incorrectly handling harmful chemicals and in the other a women disobeyed her employer but it was for the safety of the public. These cases made me confident that I was making the correct decision in releasing the information. So, while abiding by the fundamental canons and rules of practice, I released the information about the toxic residue that was discovered inspired by the code of ethics.

References

[1] M. Pylayev(2014). “Companies Hiring Engineering Interns.” Aol Jobs. (online article).

[2] (2007, July). “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.”National Society of Professional Engineers. (online article).

[3] A. El-Zein (2013). “As Engineers, we must consider the ethical implications of our work.” The Guardian. (online article).

[4] (2014). “Ethics and Academic Integrity.” University at Buffalo.(online article).

[5] S. Haughey. (2014). “The EcoVolt: Revolutionizing water management in the brewing industry.” Denver off the Wagon.(online article).

[6] (2013). “EcoVolt: The World’s First Bioelectric Treatment Process.” Cambrian Innovation. (online article).

[7] “Cambrian’s EcoVolt Bioelectric Wastewater Treatment System.” Cambrian Innovation. (2013). (video).

[8]“Code of Ethics.” AIChE The Global Home of Chemical Engineers.(online article).

[9](2014). “Ethics Cases.” Texas Tech University. (online article).

[10]“Engineering Ethics.” Texas A&M University. (online article).

Additional Sources

(2014). “Case Study Collection.” Ethics Education Library.(online article).

“Code of Professional Ethics.” American Institute of Chemical Engineers. (online article).

(2014). “Public Health and Safety-Delay in Addressing Fire Code Violations.” National Society of Professional Engineers.(online article).

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank William Pezzuti, my father, as he is an electrical engineer and we had a conversation about the engineering code of ethics.

Disclaimer/Note

The story about the residue is a fictional scenario. I believe Cambrian Innovation is a model company and EcoVolts are a very innovative, useful, and eco-friendly design.

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