code of ethics for civil engineers 2

8/10/2019 Code of Ethics for Civil Engineers 2

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What is Ethics?

Ethicsis a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions

and lead their lives.

Ethicsis concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is alsodescribed as moral philosophy.

The term is derived from the Greek word ethoswhich can mean custom, habit,

character or disposition.

What is Engineering Ethics?

Engineering Ethics is that branch of moral science which deals with the dutieswhich member of the engineering profession owes to his clients and employees, tohis colleagues and employers, to his subordinates and contractors, to the public

and to his country.

Concept of Codes of Ethics

Codes of ethics are expression of ideas which every man should thoughtfullyconsider and accordingly, they define the duties and obligations of the individualtoward life and to his profession and they establish principles governing theprofessional relations of the engineer to his client or employer, to otherprofessional men and to the public.

What is profession?

rofession means a calling which re!uires the passing of an appropriategovernment board "or bar examination# such as the practice of law, medicine,public accountancy, engineering, etc.

What is professional?

rofessional is one who belongs to that group of men and women who are trained

by education and experience to perform certain functions better than theirfellowmen.


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CODE OF ETHICS FOR CIVIL ENINEERS

F!nda"ental #rinciples

Civil engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the civil

engineering profession by$

%. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare andthe environment&

'. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, theiremployers(employees and clients&

). striving to increase the competence and prestige of the civil engineeringprofession& and

*. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.

F!nda"ental Canons

%. Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of thepublic and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable developmentin the performance of their duties.

'. Civil Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.

). Civil Engineers shall issue public statements only in an ob+ective and truthfulmanner.

*. Civil Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client asfaithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.

. Civil Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of theirservices and shall not compete unfairly with others.

-. Civil Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor,integrity and dignity of the civil engineering profession.

. Civil Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout theircareers, and shall provide opportunities for the professional development ofthose civil engineers under their supervision.


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$IDELINES TO #R%CTICE$NDER THE F$ND%&ENT%L C%NONS OF ETHICS

C%NON '( Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfareof the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable

development in the performance of their professional duties.

a. Civil Engineers shall recogni/e that the lives, safety, health and welfare ofthe general public are dependent upon engineering +udgments, decisionsand practices incorporated into structures, machines, products, processesand devices.

b. Civil Engineers shall approve or seal only those design documents,reviewed or prepared by them, which are determined to be safe for publichealth and welfare in conformity with accepted engineering standards.

c. Civil Engineers whose professional +udgment is overruled undercircumstances where the safety, health and welfare of the public areendangered, or the principles of sustainable development ignored, shallinform their clients or employers of the possible conse!uences.

d. Civil Engineers who have knowledge or reason to believe that anotherperson or firm may be in violation of any of the provisions of Canon % shallpresent such information to the proper authority in writing and shallcooperate with the proper authority in furnishing such further information orassistance as may be re!uired.

e. Civil Engineers should seek opportunities to be of constructive service incivic affairs and work for the advancement of the safety, health and well0being of their communities, and the protection of the environment throughthe practice of sustainable development.

f. Civil Engineers should be committed to improving the environment byadherence to the principles of sustainable development so as to enhancethe !uality of life of the general public.

C%NON )( Civil Engineers shall perform services only in areas of theircompetence.

a. Civil Engineers shall undertake to perform engineering assignments onlywhen !ualified by education or experience in the technical field ofengineering involved.

b. Civil Engineers may accept an assignment re!uiring education orexperience outside of their own fields of competence, provided theirservices are restricted to those phases of the pro+ect in which they are


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!ualified. 1ll other phases of such pro+ect shall be performed by !ualifiedassociates, consultants, or employees.

c. Civil Engineers shall not affix their signatures or seals to any civilengineering plan or document dealing with sub+ect matter in which they lack

competence by virtue of education or experience or to any such plan ordocument not reviewed or prepared under their supervision and control.

d. Civil Engineers shall not use The 2pecialty Engineering Title such as2tructural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, 3ater Engineer, GeotechnicalEngineer, Construction Engineer, etc. without the 4CE 2pecialist

1ccreditation.

C%NON *( Civil Engineers shall issue public statements only in an ob+ective andtruthful manner.

a. Civil Engineers should endeavor to extend the public knowledge of civilengineering and sustainable development, and shall not participate in thedissemination of untrue, unfair or exaggerated statements regarding civilengineering.

b. Civil Engineers shall be ob+ective and truthful in professional reports,statements, or testimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinentinformation in such reports, statements, or testimony.

c. Civil Engineers, when serving as expert witnesses, shall express civilengineering opinion only when it is founded upon ade!uate knowledge ofthe facts, upon a background of technical competence, and upon honestconviction.

d. Civil Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments on civilengineering matters which are inspired or paid for by interested parties,unless they indicate on whose behalf the statements are made.

e. Civil Engineers shall be dignified and modest in explaining their work andmerit, and will avoid any act tending to promote their own interests at theexpense of the integrity, honor and dignity of the civil engineeringprofession and(or related professions.

C%NON +( Civil Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer orclient as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.

a. Civil Engineers shall avoid all known or potential conflicts of interest withtheir employers or clients and shall promptly inform their employers orclients of any business association, interests, or circumstances which couldinfluence their +udgment or the !uality of their services.


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b. Civil Engineers shall not accept compensation from more than one party forservices on the same pro+ect, or for services pertaining to the same pro+ect,unless the circumstances are fully disclosed to and agreed to, by allinterested pro+ects.

c. Civil Engineers shall not solicit or accept gratuities, directly or indirectly,from contractors, their agents, or other parties dealing with their clients oremployers in connection with work for which they are responsible.

d. Civil Engineers in public services as members, advisors or employees of agovernmental body or department shall not participate in consideration oractions with respect to services solicited or provided by them or theirorgani/ation in private or public engineering practice.

e. Civil Engineers shall advise their employers or clients when, as a result oftheir studies, they believe a pro+ect will not be successful.

f. Civil Engineers shall not use confidential information coming to them in thecourse of their assignments as a means of making profit if such action isadverse to the interests of their clients, employers or the public.

g. Civil Engineers shall not accept professional employment outside of theirregular work or interest without the knowledge of their employers.

C%NON ,( Civil Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the meritof their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.

a. Civil Engineers shall not give, solicit or receive either directly or indirectly,any political contribution, gratuity or unlawful consideration in order tosecure work, exclusive of securing salaried positions through employmentagencies.

b. Civil Engineers should negotiate contracts for professional services fairlyand on the basis of demonstrated competence and !ualifications for thetype of professional service re!uired.

c. Civil Engineers may re!uest, propose or accept professional commissionson a contingent basis only under circumstances in which their professional

+udgments would not be compromised.

d. Civil Engineers shall not falsely or permit misrepresentation of theiracademic or professional !ualifications or experience.

e. Civil Engineers shall give proper credit for engineering work to those towhom credit is due, and shall recogni/e the proprietary interests of others.


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3henever possible, they shall name the person or persons who may beresponsible for designs, inventions, writings or other accomplishments.

f. Civil Engineers may advertise professional services in a way that does notcontain misleading language or is in any other manner derogatory to the

dignity. Examples of permissible advertising are as follows$

%# rofessional cards in recogni/ed, dignified publications, and listings inrosters or directories published by responsible organi/ations, providedthat the cards or listings are consistent in si/e and content and are in asection of the publication regularly devoted to such professional cards.

'# 5rochures which factually describe experience, facilities, personnel andcapacity to render service, providing they are not misleading withrespect to the engineers participation in pro+ects described.

)# 6isplay advertising in recogni/ed dignified business and professionalpublications, providing it is factual and not misleading with respect to theengineer7s extent of participation in pro+ects described.

*# 1 statement of the engineers7 names or the name of the firm andstatement of the type of service posted on pro+ects for which they renderservices.

# reparation or authori/ation of descriptive articles for the lay or technicalpress, which are factual and dignified. 2uch articles shall not implyanything more than direct participation in the pro+ect described.

-# ermission by engineers for their names to be used in commercialadvertisements, such as may be published by contractors, materialssuppliers, etc., only be means of a modest, dignified notationacknowledging the engineers7 participation in the pro+ect described.2uch permission shall not include public endorsement of proprietaryproducts.

g. Civil Engineer shall not maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly, in+ure theprofessional reputation, prospects, practice or employment of any engineeror indiscriminately critici/e another7s work.

h. Civil Engineers shall not use e!uipment, supplies, laboratory or officefacilities of their employers to carry on outside private practice without theconsent of their employers.

C%NON -( Civil Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhancethe honor, integrity and dignity of the civil engineering profession.


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a. Civil Engineers shall not knowingly act in a manner which will be derogatoryto the honor, integrity, or dignity of the civil engineering profession orknowingly engage in business or professional practices of a fraudulent,dishonest or unethical nature.

C%NON .( Civil Engineers shall continue their professional developmentthroughout their careers, and shall provide opportunities for the professionaldevelopment of those civil engineers under their supervision.

a. Civil Engineers should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging inprofessional practice, participating in continuing education courses, readingin the technical literature, and attending professional meetings andseminars.

b. Civil Engineers should encourage their engineering employees to becomeregistered at the earliest possible date.

c. Civil Engineers should encourage engineering employees to attend andpresent papers at professional and technical society meetings.

d. Civil Engineers shall uphold the principle of mutually satisfying relationshipsbetween employers and employees with respect to terms of employmentincluding professional grade descriptions, salary ranges, and fringebenefits.


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COND$CT OF %N ENINEER IN REL%TION TO HIS CLIENT

1mong others, it is unethical for an engineer$

%. to compete with his fellow engineers on the basis of professional charges.

'. to give unconsidered(hasty answers.

). to in!uire client stability to pay in accepting a +ob.

COND$CT OF %N ENINEER IN REL%TION TO HIS COLLE%$ES

1n engineer should not 8

%. engage in any practice which will tend to bring discredit on the honor or dignity

of the engineering profession.

'. review the work of another engineer for the same client, unless it is with theknowledge and consent of such engineer or unless he is re!uested to do so byhim or unless the connection of the engineer with the work has beenterminated.

). in+ure falsely or maliciously, directly or indirectly the professional reputation,prospects or business of a fellow engineer.

COND$CT OF %N ENINEER IN REL%TION TO THE #$/LIC

1n engineer 8

%. should protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation and otherunprofessional and unethical practices.

'. should not advertise himself to the public in self0laudatory language or in anymatter which may be derogatory to the engineering profession.

code of ethics for civil engineers 2

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