construction ethics training program to identify and deter unethical practices enter

Construction Ethics

Training Program to Identify and Deter Unethical Practices

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Introduction

Program Purpose Ethical Transgressions Defined Program Format Overview Ethical Problems Identified Module

Intro/Define/Quiz Program Quiz Completion

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Program Purpose

The purpose of this training program is to identify the top 15 industry defined ethical transgressions and learn how to avoid and eliminate them.

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Ethical Transgression

Ethical Transgression-A violation of a law, command, or duty

as it pertains to ones ethics or morals.

The action of going beyond or overstepping some ethical boundary or limit

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Program Format Overview

Module Introduction Introduction of Construction Ethical

Transgression Construction Ethical Transgression

Defined Module Quiz Program Quiz

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Ethical Transgressions

The following research was conducted by Barbara Jackson of the California Polytechnic State University. In her study, she used a survey for contractors that identified the top 15 construction ethical transgressions. For this program, we will be using her findings to target which transgressions to define and try to eliminate. These include…

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And the Winners are…

Improper or Questionable Bidding

Misrepresentation of Work Poor Quality Control Technical Incompetence Abuse of Company

Resources Alcohol/Drug Use Failure to recognize or

resolve subcontractor concerns

Abuse of Client Resources

Conflict of Interest, Improper Political/Community Involvement

Mishandling Sensitive Information

Failure to Protect Public Health, Safety, or Welfare

Discrimination, Favoritism, or Harassment

Misrepresentation of Financial Status or Records

Failure to Protect the Environment

Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc.

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Module 1

Engineers Uphold and Advance the…

…Integrity…

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Issue Overview

Improper or Questionable BiddingFrequency Rank- 1st

Seriousness Rank- 2nd

Key Form(s) of Violations• Low Bid Disclosure• “Idea” Shopping

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Improper/Questionable Bidding

Bid Shopping- The practice of a general contractor who, before the

award of the prime contract, discloses to interested subcontractors the current low sub-bids on certain subcontracts in an effort to obtain lower sub-bids

Forms of ViolationLow Bid Disclosure“Idea” Shopping

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Improper/Questionable Bidding Low Bid Disclosure

Probably the most common type of bid shopping, this method is employed by companies with the main purpose of driving down the cost

Subcontractors lose outQuality of work is driven downStrains contractor/subcontractor

relationships

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Improper/Questionable Bidding Idea Shopping

Taking different subcontractors ideas for construction and giving them to the subcontractor whom they would like to work with

Strains contractor/subcontractor relationships

Possibility of stolen “intellectual” property resulting in law suit

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Improper/Questionable Bidding Solutions

Reverse Auctions• This method allows subcontractors to bid

work on a real time website allowing all involved to see bids

• This method levels playing field and lowers cost for contractors

Contractor uses “One bid = Lowest bid” policy, guaranteeing no bid shopping and subs. only get one bid

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Issue Overview

Misrepresentation of Completed Work or Value of Work Frequency Rank- 2nd

Seriousness Rank- 15th

Key Form(s) of Violations• Completion of work claims• Improper material installed

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Misrepresentation of Completed Work or Value of Work

Completion of Work Claims Most commonly occurs as front-end loading

a schedule Subcontractors claim more work is done

than actually is completed in order to increase cash flow

Consequences• Straining of Contractor/Subcontractor

Relationships• Subcontractors can leave job with money for work

that is not completed• Project cash flow from owner can be disrupted NEXT


Improper Material InstalledValue of work is inconsistent with

construction documentsBuilding is not built to owners

specificationsConsequences

• Lawsuits from Owner/Architect/GC etc.• Project quality decreased• Safety hazards may result

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Solutions CM/GC accurately charts work progress and

pays accordingly Subcontractors accurately report labor hours

and material costs, if not a penalty is issued to them

GC/Subcontractors install materials properly and accurately to the contract documents

Owner/Architect/CM site tours to verify work completed and material accuracy

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Issue Overview

Poor Quality Control or Quality of Work Frequency Rank- 3rd


Key Form(s) of Violations• Workmanship Monitoring• Workmanship Methods of

Installation/Materials Used

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Poor Quality Control or Quality of Work Workmanship Monitoring

Responsibility of all personnel on site Conflicts can develop between trades

increasing cost of the project and delaying the schedule

Consequences• Lawsuits• Poor quality to owner• Bad reputation• Safety Risks

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Poor Quality Control or Quality of Work Workmanship Methods of

Installation/Materials Used Coordination conflicts can develop between

trades Value is not consistent with construction

documents Consequences

• Safety Hazards• Budget Overruns • Schedule Delays• Lawsuits• Owner dissatisfaction

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Poor Quality Control or Quality of Work

SolutionsDevelop a series of quality control

documents for frequently overlooked construction processes

Develop an on site quality reporting system for subcontractors (whistle blowing)

Give rewards for superior quality work

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Issue Overview

Mishandling Sensitive Information Frequency Rank- 10th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Disclosing Bid Information• Disclosing Owner’s Proprietary

Information

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Mishandling Sensitive Information Disclosing Bid Information

Directly related to bid shopping Illegally reporting project data to gain a

competitive advantage or to work with a given contractor

Consequences• Strained contractor/subcontractor relationships• Quality driven down• Contractors/subcontractors lose profit margin

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Mishandling Sensitive Information Disclosing Owner’s Proprietary Information

Financial information of owner given to others

Classified information leaked to the public on government jobs

Consequences• Lawsuit• Firing of Contractor/Subcontractor• Security Risks• Bad Reputation

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Mishandling Sensitive Information

SolutionsDo not offer job/project to parties that

disclose informationRemove responsible party from jobPublicly take responsibility for

mishandling of information

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Issue Overview

Misrepresentation of Financial Status or Records Frequency Rank- 13th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Public Companies Accounting Practices• Falsifying Company Worth

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Misrepresentation of Financial Status or Records Public Company Accounting Practices

Falsely reporting the companies financial position

Insider Trading Consequences

• Jail Time• Lawsuits• Investor loss of money• Bankruptcy• Folding of the company

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Misrepresentation of Financial Status or Records Falsifying Company Worth

Done so company can get extra bonding capacity

Companies lie about how much work they have taken on or how much the company is actually worth

Consequences• Lawsuits• Fines• Bankruptcy• Folding of the Company

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Misrepresentation of Financial Status or Records Solutions

Government Regulation• Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Act honestly and report numbers that are true. Remember, these laws are created to protect investors as well as companies. Overextending your bonding capacity can bankrupt your company if a project goes bad

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Module 1 Quiz

The following five questions are used to review the previous quiz material.

You must answer all five questions correctly to advance to the second module.

GOOD LUCK!

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Question #1

The current outlook for your project is $300,000 over budget and you are looking for ways to trim budget. Your purchasing landscaping and the lowest bid came exactly what you have budgeted for. What is the most ethical action you can take to benefit everyone?

a) Purchase materials yourself and higher cheap labor to install

b) Resend the request for bid proposal with the lowest bid attached asking for lower bids

c) Contact all subcontractors and tell them all bids were too high and that an online auction for the contract will take place

d) Do nothing

Question #1


a) Purchase materials yourself and higher cheap labor to installb) Resend the request for bid proposal with the lowest bid attached

asking for lower bidsc) Contact all subcontractors and tell them all bids were too high

and that an online auction for the contract will take placed) Do nothing

CORRECT! Providing a level playing field for all parties involved while still doing everything necessary to

control the budget is the right ethical solution.

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Question #1


a) Purchase materials yourself and higher cheap labor to install

b) Resend the request for bid proposal with the lowest bid attached asking for lower bids

c) Contact all subcontractors and tell them all bids were too high and that an online auction for the contract will take place

d) Do nothing

WRONG

Review: Improper o

r Questio

nable Bidding

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Question #2

Your filling out payment applications for your mechanical contractor. You notice on the sheet he claims 50% of ductwork is installed and wants paid for it. However you have just been on site and only the first floor of five has ductwork installed. You should…

a) Pay the subcontractor what he requestsb) Contact the subcontractor and ask for justification of his

value. Decide on the correct value and pay accordinglyc) Suspend payment to the contractor until the following

month for deliberately trying to deceive youd) Make the subcontractor work around the clock until he has

the value completed that he claims

Question #2


a) Pay the subcontractor what he requestsb) Contact the subcontractor and ask for justification of his value.

Decide on the correct value and pay accordinglyc) Suspend payment to the contractor until the following month for

deliberately trying to deceive youd) Make the subcontractor work around the clock until he has the

value completed that he claims

CORRECT! Asking the sub for justification allows for the proper payment amount to be reached and does not

misrepresent any information to the owner. This is the most ethical and fair by far.

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Question #2


a) Pay the subcontractor what he requestsb) Contact the subcontractor and ask for justification of his

value. Decide on the correct value and pay accordinglyc) Suspend payment to the contractor until the following

month for deliberately trying to deceive youd) Make the subcontractor work around the clock until he has

the value completed that he claims

WRONG

Review: Misrepresentatio

n of Completed

W

ork or Value of W

ork

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Question #3

Mold is a growing problem in the industry. You are the site superintendent currently monitoring installation of the building’s brick façade. A satisfactory action to take to ensure that proper quality control is taking place would be to…

a) Walk around the site so workers feel the presence and perform properly

b) Create a document that quantifies the quality of installation and have foreman sign off on it

c) Delegate quality control to foremand) Have architect conduct daily site visits

Question #3





CORRECT! The development of quality control documents will help quantify the quality of work conducted.

This will help eliminate poor quality as well as arguments over responsibility for poor workmanship

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Question #3





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WRONG

Review: Poor Q

uality Contro

l or Q

uality of

W

ork

Question #4

You are in charge of your projects finances. In a scope meeting with three subcontractors, you accidentally disclosed the bid of one of the contractors on a document. You should…

a) Apologize to the subcontractor and take complete responsibility for the error

b) Disclose the remaining bids to the other subcontractors

c) Select that contractor because you feel badd) Eliminate that contractor from the award process

Question #4



b) Disclose the remaining bids to the other subcontractorsc) Select that contractor because you feel badd) Eliminate that contractor from the award process

CORRECT! The proper ethical move is to take responsibility for the error. This will show

professionalism and build a better relationship with the given subcontractors

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Question #4



b) Disclose the remaining bids to the other subcontractors

c) Select that contractor because you feel badd) Eliminate that contractor from the award process

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WRONG

Review: Mishandling Sensitiv

e Inform

ation

Question #5

Your company is currently bonded to do $25 million dollars worth of work. Currently you are doing $22 million, but you are submitting a proposal for a $7 million job, putting you $4 million over your bonding capacity. This may result in…

a) Bankruptcyb) Folding of the companyc) Lawsuitsd) All of the Above

Question #5



CORRECT! All of the above are possible results of your company doing more work than it is

bonded for. The ethical practice is to not falsify your company financial records

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Question #5



NEXT

WRONG


n of Financial

Status or R

ecords

Quiz Results

All Questions Answered Correctly???

Yes

No

Module 2

…Honor…

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Issue Overview

Failure to Protect the Environment Frequency Rank- 14th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Waste Control

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Waste ControlEnvironmental areas for protection:

• Soil• Air Quality• Water• Animal & Plant Life

Control and manage waste products caused by the project

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Failure to Protect the Environment Waste control

Problems• Waste enters soil, air, and water polluting and

damaging the environment• Waste is not properly managed and builds up• Recycling is not conducted wasting valuable

materials• Consequences

• Lawsuits

• Large Fines

• Site Shutdown

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SolutionsSetup areas for recyclingConduct good quality control to help

stop pollution of the site and environment

If accidents occur, contact health officials immediately to clean up the site as quickly as possible

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Issue Overview

Failure to Protect Public Health, Safety, or Welfare Frequency Rank- 11th

Seriousness Rank- 3rd

Key Form(s) of Violations• Site Safety

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Failure to Protect Public Health, Safety, or Welfare

Site SafetyPollution of air can cause toxins to be

breathed in by the publicContamination of water may cause

people to become illObjects falling from construction can

cause injury/death to the public and damage public property

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Failure to Protect Public Health, Safety, or Welfare Consequence

Injury/Death to publicLawsuitsFinesProject shutdownBad reputationJail timeGuilty conscience

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Failure to Protect Public Health, Safety, or Welfare Solutions

Always have safety talks with people on site Develop and maintain the proper site safety

regulatory devices (i.e. Site fencing, safety nets, etc.)

Review MSDS sheets to control potentially toxic materials

Have site safety inspections conducted regularly

In the even of an accident, contact the proper authorities immediately to help control the situation

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Issue Overview

Technical Incompetence or Misrepresentation of Competence Frequency Rank- 4th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Falsifying Trade Skills

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Technical Incompetence or Misrepresentation of Competence

Falsifying Trade Skills Sometimes done so subcontractors can

maintain a sufficient workforce Individuals misrepresent their skills to earn a

job Consequences

• Poor quality of workmanship• Safety hazards• Lawsuits• Delay in schedule• Budget Overruns

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Technical Incompetence or Misrepresentation of Competence

Solutions Ask subcontractors about their employee

screening process Maintain a proper quality control program to

monitor employee workmanship Training programs Trade Program Verification

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Issue Overview

Failure to Reconcile Employee or Subcontractor Concerns Frequency Rank- 7th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Change orders• HR Issues

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Failure to Reconcile Employee or Subcontractor Concerns

Change OrdersContractors cut change order pricesSubcontractors inflate pricesOwners disputes change ordersConsequences

• Lawsuits• Increase of project costs• Strain of project relationships• Strikes

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HR Issues Not addressing employee claims of

harassment, discrimination, etc. Unequal rights among employees Consequences

• Poor employee performance• Employee dissatisfied• Loss of Employee• Lawsuit• Bad company reputation

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Solutions Perform change orders according to the

book Do not inflate or deflate pricing just because

of reputation of claimer, look at each change order on an individual basis

Address all employees equally Develop a set course of action for all

employee claims

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Issue Overview

Conflict of Interest, Improper Political/Community InvolvementFrequency Rank- 9th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Platform Abuse• Community/Project Location

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Platform Abuse Politicians/councilman use community

projects as examples of what they bring to the community

Misuse of community funds Project program elements are cut/added

based on politic in charge Consequences

• Community outrage• Project funding termination• Bad company reputation• Political turmoil

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Community/Project LocationExample: Strip Club in the middle of

small community-minded townProtestorsConsequences

• Community outrage• Bad company reputation• Project delayed from protestors• Safety Hazards

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Solutions Distance the project from political personnel

as much as possible If work is abundant, do not take the project Maintain site security and safety Identify your company as the builder of a

building

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Module 2 Quiz


You must answer all five questions correctly to advance to the third module.

GOOD LUCK!

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Question #1

Being the site supervisor, you are walking around your project site. You notice oil spilled into the soil from the mason’s mixing machine. The mason foreman says that grade level will be five feet higher and no one will ever see it. What should you do?

a) Make the foreman move the machine and cover the spill with soil

b) Just ignore it and stay on trackc) Throw oil dry to soak it upd) Make the subcontractor remove the contaminated

soil and replace it with new soil

Question #1


a) Make the foreman move the machine and cover the spill with soilb) Just ignore it and stay on trackc) Throw oil dry to soak it upd) Make the subcontractor remove the contaminated soil and

replace it with new soil

CORRECT! Protecting the environment is an ethical issue people violate regularly. By maintaining the

environment and regulating the site, protection of the environment should be a guaranteed by product of the project.

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Question #1


a) Make the foreman move the machine and cover the spill with soil

b) Just ignore it and stay on trackc) Throw oil dry to soak it upd) Make the subcontractor remove the contaminated

soil and replace it with new soil

NEXT

WRONG

Review: Failure to

Protect the Enviro

nment

Question #2

Being the field engineer on the new power plant outside of Pittsburgh, one of your responsibilities is to maintain site safety. You notice a strong odor coming from the chemical a subcontractor is using to seal the structure. Soon the entire site smells and you notice employees becoming ill. You should…

a) Ignore it, being outside the air will ventilate the siteb) Call OSHA and proper authorities and evacuate the

sitec) Rent gigantic fans to help ventilate the sited) Alert the surrounding communities of the poisonous

gas

Question #2


a) Ignore it, being outside the air will ventilate the siteb) Call OSHA and proper authorities and evacuate the sitec) Rent gigantic fans to help ventilate the sited) Alert the surrounding communities of the poisonous gas

CORRECT! Contacting the proper authorities and evacuating the site looks out for the safety of the

employees as well as lets the proper authorities alert the public if necessary, ensuring their safety and health

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Question #2


a) Ignore it, being outside the air will ventilate the siteb) Call OSHA and proper authorities and evacuate the

sitec) Rent gigantic fans to help ventilate the sited) Alert the surrounding communities of the poisonous

gas

WRONG

Review: Failure to

Protect Public Health

,

Safety, o

r Welfa

re

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Question #3

During site tours you notice that the quality of drywall finishing in a particular room is poor. You ask the foreman about who completed the work, and he said he had a crew doing each room. Upon talking to the crew, you realize that one member is specifically being singled out for the work. You should…

a) Contact the subcontractor to verify qualifications for employee

b) Ignore the room and hope it passes site inspectionsc) Rip down all the drywall and make the employee

redo the room in front of you d) None of these are correct

Question #3


a) Contact the subcontractor to verify qualifications for employeeb) Ignore the room and hope it passes site inspectionsc) Rip down all the drywall and make the employee redo the room

in front of you d) None of these are correct

CORRECT! Verifying the employees credentials is a perfectly acceptable answer to the ethical problem.

This will prove you are performing quality control properly and only letting competent personnel on site.

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Question #3


a) Contact the subcontractor to verify qualifications for employee

b) Ignore the room and hope it passes site inspectionsc) Rip down all the drywall and make the employee

redo the room in front of you d) None of these are correct

WRONG

Review: Technical In

competence or

M

isrepresentation of C

ompetence

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Question #4

You are processing change orders, you notice that the subcontractor has inflated the cost of his service by what you determine to be 20%. You are passing this along to the owner, so do you…

a) Pass the change order as is directly to the ownerb) Write the change order for the proper value of the

work and materialsc) Reduce the markup to a more reasonable inflation

rated) Do not process the change order and make the

subcontractor pay the cost out of pocket as punishment for acting unethically

Question #4


a) Pass the change order as is directly to the ownerb) Write the change order for the proper value of the work and

materialsc) Reduce the markup to a more reasonable inflation rated) Do not process the change order and make the subcontractor

pay the cost out of pocket as punishment for acting unethically

CORRECT! By acting ethically and sticking with the facts of the change order, no party is being cheated out of

money and no legal action can be taken against your company.

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Question #4


a) Pass the change order as is directly to the ownerb) Write the change order for the proper value of the

work and materialsc) Reduce the markup to a more reasonable inflation

rated) Do not process the change order and make the

subcontractor pay the cost out of pocket as punishment for acting unethically

WRONG

Review: Failure to

Reconcile Employee or

Subcontra

ctor Concerns

NEXT

Question #5

Your company has a bid request for a project that would involve a building that would house adult entertainment in a rural based community. The community is openly protesting. As president of your company you should…

a) Submit a bid for the project and take no other actionb) Meet with the public and political officials to see if a

compromise can be reached first before biddingc) Do not consider the projectd) Block off a larger area of the site and do not put

company signs on the project so no one will know who is responsible for building the project

Question #5


a) Submit a bid for the project and take no other actionb) Meet with the public and political officials to see if a compromise

can be reached first before biddingc) Do not consider the projectd) Block off a larger area of the site and do not put company signs

on the project so no one will know who is responsible for building the project

CORRECT! Building the project is not unethical. But to make sure there are no political problems and

community disruptions, meetings should be held prior to decide if the building’s program is unethical

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Question #5


a) Submit a bid for the project and take no other actionb) Meet with the public and political officials to see if a

compromise can be reached first before biddingc) Do not consider the projectd) Block off a larger area of the site and do not put

company signs on the project so no one will know who is responsible for building the project

WRONG

Review: Conflic

ts of Interest, I

mproper

Politic

al/Community In

volvement

NEXT

Quiz Results


Yes

No

Module 3

…and Dignity

NEXT

Issue Overview

Abuse of Company Resources Frequency Rank- 5th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Overusing of Expense Account

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Abuse of Company Resources

Overusing of expense accountPurchasing/Taking office supplies

home from projectPurchasing personal meals/beveragesUsing vehicle for personal use/gas

cardPurchasing tools for personal use

from project

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Abuse of Company Resources

SolutionsDevelop miscellaneous project

expense reportImplement accounting practices for

personal equipmentBe Honest!

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Issue Overview

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Frequency Rank- 6th

Seriousness Rank- 1st

Key Form(s) of Violations• Use prior/during work hours

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Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Use prior/during work hoursRecognizing the problem

• Drinking on the job• Using drugs on site• Smelling of alcohol or different drugs• Loss of motor skills• Poor work habits• Constant breaks

NEXT


ConsequencesTerminationHealth risk to yourself and employeesDeathPossible jail timeFinesPoor work quality

NEXT


SolutionsDevelop a drug testing program for

your employeesMonitor site early and oftenDisplay anti-drug materialDON’T DO DRUGS

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Issue Overview

Abuse of Client Resources Frequency Rank- 8th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Excessive Change Orders

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Excessive Change Orders Asking for money and time to gain profit and

schedule cushion• Done to earn extra money for contractors• Extends deadline on project• Higher markups on change orders for bad

relationships between contractors/owners/architects

Consequences• Bad reputation• Lawsuits• Project deadlock

NEXT


Solutions Act honestly Fill out the correct values for your change

orders Establish a good working relationship with

the owner Create a log of all materials and labor times

accurately Treat each change order as if you were the

owner

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Issue Overview

Discrimination, Favoritism, or Harassment Frequency Rank- 12th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Racial/Gender Discrimination• Sexual Harassment

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Discrimination, Favoritism, or Harassment Racial/Gender Discrimination

Forms of:• Ethnic slurs• Stereotypes• Prejudices

HR Nightmare Consequences

• Lawsuits• Bad Reputation• Hostile Workforce

NEXT

Discrimination, Favoritism, or Harassment Sexual Harassment

Happens in most industry Forms of:

• Inappropriate contact• Inappropriate comments• Unsuitable emails, etc.

HR Nightmare Consequences

• Lawsuit• Bad Reputation• Loss of Employees

NEXT

Discrimination, Favoritism, or Harassment Solutions

Treat everyone equallyTreat everyone like you would treat

your motherDevelop an HR program that will train

against these unethical actsMaintain a whistleblower program

within HR in the even that a transgression occurs

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Issue Overview

Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc. Frequency Rank- 15th


Key Form(s) of Violations• Nepotism• Accepting Bribes/Gifts

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Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc. Nepotism

-patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family or friend relationship, as in business and politics

Results in contractors awarding jobs to family and friends instead of the deserving bidder

Consequences• Strained relationship with potential

clients/contractors• Bad reputation• Decreased productivity

NEXT

Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc. Accepting Bribes/Gifts

Monetary donations to receive projects

Gifts for holidays from local subcontractors

Consequences• Jail time• Decline of available work force• Guilty conscience

NEXT

Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc. Solutions

Do not accept gifts from clients, contractors, etc.

Hire based on qualifications and competence, not personal relationships

If hiring for a project or job and a family or friend applies, ask an uninterested third party to assist in the hiring process

NEXT

Module 3 Quiz


You must answer all five questions correctly to advance to the Final examination portion of the program

GOOD LUCK!

NEXT

Question #1

It’s late in the projects schedule and ultimately the last day for six subcontractors on site. As a gesture of good faith, you ask the respective foreman out for a drink after the work day. The drink turns into a bottle and you have to pay for the bill. You…

a) Pull out your own personal credit card and pick up the drinks

b) Charge the drinks to the credit card for the project c) Use the company credit cardd) Jump into your truck and drive away

Question #1


a) Pull out your own personal credit card and pick up the drinksb) Charge the drinks to the credit card for the project c) Use the company credit cardd) Jump into your truck and drive away

CORRECT! Check your companies policy on project costs first, but most likely they do not

cover alcohol consumption for foreman. A good relationship was developed with

the subs. but it was not a necessary project cost

NEXT

Question #1


a) Pull out your own personal credit card and pick up the drinks

b) Charge the drinks to the credit card for the project c) Use the company credit cardd) Jump into your truck and drive away

NEXT

WRONG

Review: Abuse of C

ompany Resources

Question #2

On your daily site tour, you walk by a steamfitter and you notice he smells of alcohol. The appropriate thing for you to do as superintendent is…

a) Get the worker a cup of coffee and advise him to sober up

b) Call the police and have him arrestedc) Tell the worker to move to a quieter area and sleep it

offd) Remove the worker from the jobsite immediately,

contact his foreman, and have a drug/alcohol test conducted

Question #2


a) Get the worker a cup of coffee and advise him to sober upb) Call the police and have him arrestedc) Tell the worker to move to a quieter area and sleep it offd) Remove the worker from the jobsite immediately, contact his

foreman, and have a drug/alcohol test conducted

CORRECT! Insuring the safety of the worker and surrounding workers is the most

important t ask. After this is accomplished, explain to the worker how unethical and irresponsible their behavior is, and follow the appropriate steps outlined by the company

NEXT

Question #2


a) Get the worker a cup of coffee and advise him to sober up

b) Call the police and have him arrestedc) Tell the worker to move to a quieter area and sleep it

offd) Remove the worker from the jobsite immediately,

contact his foreman, and have a drug/alcohol test conducted

WRONG

Review: Alcohol a

nd Drug Abuse

NEXT

Question #3

The construction documents for the project you are currently working on are terrible, go figure. Your behind in schedule and budget and need to make up time and money. The project is only $5 million but your subcontractors have submitted 36 change orders totaling roughly $800,000, which you know is overpriced. As PM you should…

a) Sign every change order without review to gain budget and schedule cushion and pass them to the owner

b) Hold meetings with subcontractors to review each change order and develop the real value of each order

c) Call the architect and tell him his documents stink and that he must pay for everything

d) Call an administrative assistant and let them handle the paperwork

Question #3






CORRECT! Handling the paperwork in the appropriate manner is the ethical thing to do. This helps avoid legal

battles and is the best thing to do to avoid liability

NEXT

Question #3






WRONG

Review: Abuse of C

lient Resources

NEXT

Question #4

Hiring is your primary job for your new company. You need to hire a new field engineer within the next week. You look at the demographics of the company and realize that only 3% of the company are African Americans. When you hire someone you…

a) Hire an African American to increase the diversity of the company

b) Hire a Caucasian to maintain the current numbersc) Do not hire anyoned) Hire the most qualified and suitable person for the

job

Question #4


a) Hire an African American to increase the diversity of the companyb) Hire a Caucasian to maintain the current numbersc) Do not hire anyoned) Hire the most qualified and suitable person for the job

CORRECT! Hiring based on ethnicity, race, religion, etc. is not morally right. The qualifications and

competence of the new employee and his/her ability to complete the job are the most important aspects to focus on

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Question #4


a) Hire an African American to increase the diversity of the company

b) Hire a Caucasian to maintain the current numbersc) Do not hire anyoned) Hire the most qualified and suitable person for the job

WRONG

Review: Discrim

ination, F

avoritism, o

r

Harassment

NEXT

Question #5

Having a successful career, you have retired and sworn off construction forever. With the money from the gigantic retirement fund you have, you decide to build a house. Four contractors submit a bid, one who is a cousin of your spouse. You should hire..

a) Your spouses cousin because they are relatedb) Hire the contractor that offers the best value to youc) Search for more bidsd) Divorce your spouse and go with who you want

Question #5


a) Your spouses cousin because they are relatedb) Hire the contractor that offers the best value to youc) Search for more bidsd) Divorce your spouse and go with who you want

CORRECT! Hiring just because of a relationship is a form of nepotism which un-evens the playing field.

For the most bang for your buck you should hire the contractor that will give you the best value for what you want. This is ethical and no one is cheated.

NEXT

Question #5


a) Your spouses cousin because they are relatedb) Hire the contractor that offers the best value to youc) Search for more bidsd) Divorce your spouse and go with who you wantWRONG

Review: Improper R

elations with

Clients,

Contra

ctors, etc.

NEXT

Quiz Results


Yes

No

Module Completion

Congratulations on the completion of the learning modules and quizzes!

Now, let’s see how much you remember and take the dreaded…..

FINAL EXAMINATION

NEXT

Final Exam

NEXT

You must answer 13 out of 15 to successfully complete the

course

Question #1

A form of Bid Shopping is which of the following?

a) Low Bid Disclosure

b) Idea Shopping

c) Change Orders

d) Both A & B

Question #1


a) Low Bid Disclosureb) Idea Shoppingc) Change Ordersd) Both A & B

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #1


a) Low Bid Disclosure

b) Idea Shopping

c) Change Orders

d) Both A & B

WRONG

Review: Improper o

r Questio

nable Bidding

NEXT

Question #2

Which of the following is a consequence of misrepresenting the value of completed work?

a) Straining of Contractor/Subcontractor Relationships

b) Subcontractors can leave job with money for work that is not completed

c) Project cash flow from owner can be disrupted

d) All of the above

Question #2


a) Straining of Contractor/Subcontractor Relationshipsb) Subcontractors can leave job with money for work

that is not completedc) Project cash flow from owner can be disruptedd) All of the above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #2


a) Straining of Contractor/Subcontractor Relationships

b) Subcontractors can leave job with money for work that is not completed

c) Project cash flow from owner can be disrupted

d) All of the above

WRONG


n of Completed

W

ork or Value of W

ork

NEXT

Question #3

The best way to curb poor quality control and quality of work is?

a) Constantly walk around the site so workers feel your presence and perform

b) Develop a series of quality control documents for frequently overlooked construction processes

c) Ask subcontractors about their employee screening process

d) Delegate quality control to foreman

Question #3






CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #3






NEXT

WRONG

Review: Poor Q

uality Contro

l or Q

uality of

W

ork

Question #4

A key violation of mishandling sensitive information is which of the following?

a) Holding a Press Conference for the Ceremonial Ground Breaking

b) Displaying Prevailing Wage Rates

c) Disclosing Owners Proprietary Information

d) None of the Above

Question #4



b) Displaying Prevailing Wage Ratesc) Disclosing Owners Proprietary Informationd) None of the Above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #4



b) Displaying Prevailing Wage Rates

c) Disclosing Owners Proprietary Information

d) None of the Above

NEXT

WRONG

Review: Mishandling Sensitiv

e Inform

ation

Question #5

Which of the following is a reason that companies misrepresent their financial status?

a) To boost their ego

b) So they can buy a yacht

c) So they can be ranked higher in ENR

d) Earn bonding capacity

Question #5


a) To boost their egob) So they can buy a yachtc) So they can be ranked higher in ENRd) Earn bonding capacity

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #5


a) To boost their ego

b) So they can buy a yacht

c) So they can be ranked higher in ENR

d) Earn bonding capacity

NEXT

WRONG


n of Financial

Status or R

ecords

Question #6

Which of the following is a problem associated with the ethical transgression “Failure to Protect the Environment?”

a) Waste enters soil, air, and water polluting and damaging the environment

b) Waste is not properly managed and builds up

c) Recycling is not conducted wasting valuable materials

d) All of the Above

Question #6



b) Waste is not properly managed and builds upc) Recycling is not conducted wasting valuable

materialsd) All of the Above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #6



b) Waste is not properly managed and builds up

c) Recycling is not conducted wasting valuable materials

d) All of the Above

WRONG

NEXT

Review: Failure to

Protect the Enviro

nment

Question #7

The best way to protect the Public’s health, safety, and welfare is to

a) Rope off your job site with barbed wireb) Have site safety inspections conducted

regularlyc) Higher armed security guardsd) Do not build the project during the day

Question #7



regularlyc) Higher armed security guardsd) Do not build the project during the day

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #7



regularlyc) Higher armed security guardsd) Do not build the project during the dayWRONG

Review: Failure to

Protect Public Health

,

Safety, o

r Welfa

re

NEXT

Question #8

To avoid technical incompetence or the misrepresentation of competence, you should?

a) Ask subcontractors about their employee screening process

b) Maintain a proper quality control program to monitor employee workmanship

c) Training programsd) All of the above

Question #8




c) Training programsd) All of the above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #8




c) Training programsd) All of the aboveWRONG

Review: Technical In

competence or

M

isrepresentation of C

ompetence

NEXT

Question #9

A common form of not reconciling subcontractor or employee concerns is which of the following?

a) HR issuesb) Not providing an amicable work environmentc) Change ordersd) Both A & Ce) All of the Above

Question #9


a) HR issuesb) Not providing an amicable work environmentc) Change ordersd) Both A & Ce) All of the Above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #9


a) HR issuesb) Not providing an amicable work environmentc) Change ordersd) Both A & Ce) All of the AboveWRONG

Review: Failure to

Reconcile Employee or

Subcontra

ctor Concerns

NEXT

Question #10

A consequence of having a conflict of interest or improper political and community involvement when developing a project can be

a) Community outrageb) Project funding terminationc) Bad company reputationd) Political turmoile) None of the abovef) All of the above

Question #10



CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #10



WRONG

Review: Conflic

ts of Interest, I

mproper

Politic

al/Community In

volvement

NEXT

Question #11

The key form of the ethical transgression of Abuse of Company Resources is?

a) Overusing of expense account

b) Stealing office supplies

c) Only using company vehicle for work activity

d) Using company gas card for trips to the site

Question #11






CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #11






NEXT

WRONG

Review: Abuse of C

ompany Resources

Question #12

Consequences of Drug and Alcohol abuse in the construction industry are…

a) Possible jail timeb) Finesc) Poor work qualityd) All of the above

Question #12



CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #12



WRONG

Review: Alcohol a

nd Drug Abuse

NEXT

Question #13

Which of the following are possible solutions to the problem of abusing client resources?

a) Act honestly

b) Fill out the correct values for your change orders

c) Establish a good working relationship with the owner

d) All of the Above

Question #13


a) Act honestlyb) Fill out the correct values for your change

ordersc) Establish a good working relationship with

the ownerd) All of the Above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #13


a) Act honestly

b) Fill out the correct values for your change orders

c) Establish a good working relationship with the owner

d) All of the Above

WRONG

Review: Abuse of C

lient Resources

NEXT

Question #14

Which of the following is not a form of discrimination, favoritism, or harassment?

a) Hiring an African American because he was the most qualified for the position

b) Do not hire a female because you think the construction industry is all male

c) Sending an email with a cartoon from playboy in itd) Hire your brother for a job because he is family

Question #14




c) Sending an email with a cartoon from playboy in itd) Hire your brother for a job because he is family

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #14




c) Sending an email with a cartoon from playboy in it

d) Hire your brother for a job because he is family

WRONG

Review: Discrim

ination, F

avoritism, o

r

Harassment

NEXT

Question #15

A key form of violations for the ethical transgression of Improper Relations with Clients, Contractors, etc. is?

a) Accepting Bribes/Giftsb) Nepotismc) Buying tools for yourselfd) Both A & Be) All of the Above

Question #15


a) Accepting Bribes/Giftsb) Nepotismc) Buying tools for yourselfd) Both A & Be) All of the Above

CORRECT!

NEXT

Question #15


a) Accepting Bribes/Gifts

b) Nepotism

c) Buying tools for yourself

d) Both A & B

e) All of the Above

WRONG

Review: Improper R

elations with

Clients,

Contra

ctors, etc.

NEXT

How did you do?

13 or more Correct?

Yes

No

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

You have successfully completed the Construction Ethics Program

The Training Program to Identify and Deter Unethical Practices

construction ethics training program to identify and deter unethical practices enter

Documents

ethical boundary

module quiz program

common type of bid shopping

lowest bid policy

quality of work

cost subcontractors

issue overview improper

current low subbids