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Title: Engineering Surveying Ethics in Puerto Rico


1
Engineering Surveying Ethics in Puerto Rico
William J. Frey UPRM College of Business
AdministrationEfrain ONeill -CarrilloUPRM
College of Engineering Electrical and Computer
EngineeringUniversity of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
  • November 15, 2007
  • CIAPR / OEG / CEP

2
Agenda
  • Professional Context of Engineering and Surveying
    Ethics in Puerto Rico
  • Analogy between solving ethics and design
    problems
  • Software Development Cycle Four steps to
    defining and solving ethical/engineering/surveying
    problems
  • Ethics, Code, and Feasibility Tests help hone in
    on the ethical pathway
  • Hands On Activity Incident at Morales (NIEE
    Ethics Video)

3
Institutionalizing Engineering Practice in
Puerto Rico
  • Law 319 (1938) Established the College of
    Engineers and Architects and Surveyors of Puerto
    Rico (1938)
  • Colegio de Ingenieros, Architecturas, y
    Agrimensores de Puerto Rico
  • Law 173 (1988) Established the Puerto Rico State
    Society of Professional Engineers and Land
    Surveyors
  • Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto
    Rico (CIAPR)

4
CIAPR Functions
  • Juridical Entity / Quasi-Public Corporation
  • Determining standards for practicing engineering
    and surveying in PR
  • Developing a code of ethics to establish moral
    standards for the practice of engineering and
    surveying
  • Investigating complaints of unprofessional
    practice
  • Investigating and punishing individuals (or
    corporations) who practice engineering and/or
    surveying without a license
  • Developing and administering qualifying exams

5
Requirements for Practicing Engineering and
Surveying
  • Resident of Estado Libre Asociado de PR
  • Good conduct and moral reputation in community
  • Absence of criminal conduct and convictions
  • Recommendations from three licensed engineers or
    surveyors who have direct knowledge of moral
    reputation and professional experience
  • Graduate from accredited engineering and
    surveying programs
  • Pass both fundamental and specialty exams
  • Member of Colegio (Colegiado)

6
Regulatory Control Over Practice
  • No person who is not a member of CIAPR can
    practice engineering and surveying in PR
  • A corporation cannot practice engineering in PR
    except when organized as a professional
    organization in accordance with law 185 and the
    General Law of Corporations of PR
  • CIAPR vs. Autoridad de Acueductos y
    Alcantarillados de PR
  • Metcalf Eddy were not allowed to perform
    engineering functions contracted by the AAA
    because they failed CIAPR requirements for
    practice

7
Current Code developed in 1994
  • Working document shows 15 issues condensed to 10.
    These 10 become CIAPR canons
  • Table correlated CIAPR issues to issues in NSPE,
    ECPD, IEEE, ASCE, and ASME codes
  • Four Stakeholder Groups emerge from these codes
  • Public, Client, Profession, and Peers (engineers
    and surveyors)

8
Principios Fundamentales de Ética Profesional
  • A fin de mantener y enaltecer la integridad, el
    honor y la dignidad de sus profesiones, de
    acuerdo a las más altas normas de conducta moral
    y ética profesional, el Ingeniero y el
    Agrimensor
  • Deberán considerar su principal función como
    profesionales la de servir a la humanidad. Su
    relación como profesional y cliente, y como
    profesional y patrono, deberá estar sujeta a su
    función fundamental de promover el bienestar de
    la humanidad y la de proteger el interés público.
  • Serán honestos e imparciales y servirán con
    fidelidad en el desempeño de sus funciones
    profesionales, manteniendo siempre su
    independencia de criterio que constituye la base
    del profesionalismo.
  • Se esforzarán en mejorar la competencia y el
    prestigio de la ingeniería y de la agrimensura.

9
Ethical Issues in CIAPR Code
  • 1.   Velar por sobre toda otra consideración por
    la seguridad, el ambiente, la salud y el
    bienestar de la comunidad en la ejecución de sus
    responsabilidades profesionales.
  • 2. Proveer servicios únicamente en áreas de sus
    competencias.
  • 3. Emitir declaraciones públicas únicamente en
    una forma veraz y objetiva.
  • 4. Actuar en asuntos profesionales para cada
    patrono o cliente como agentes fieles o
    fiduciarios, y evitar conflictos de intereses o
    la mera apariencia de éstos, manteniendo siempre
    la independencia de criterio como base del
    profesionalismo.

10
Ethical Issues in CIAPR Code
  • 5. Edificar su reputación profesional en el
    mérito de sus servicios y no competir
    deslealmente con otros.
  • 6. No incurrir en actos engañosos en la solicitud
    de empleo y en el ofrecimiento de servicios
    profesionales.
  • 7. Actuar con el decoro que sostenga y realce el
    honor, la integridad y la dignidad de sus
    profesiones.
  • 8. Asociarse únicamente con personas u
    organizaciones de buena reputación.
  • 9. Continuar su desarrollo profesional a lo largo
    de sus carreras y promover oportunidades para el
    desarrollo profesional y ético de los ingenieros
    y agrimensores bajo su supervisión.
  • 10.   Conducirse y aceptar realizar gestiones
    profesionales únicamente en conformidad con las
    leyes y los reglamentos aplicables y con estos
    Cánones.

11
Practical Norms
  • 1c Cuando su juicio profesional haya sido
    revocado en circunstancias donde la seguridad, el
    ambiente, la salud o el bienestar de la comunidad
    se ponen en peligro, informarán a sus clientes o
    patronos de las consecuencias posibles. De
    continuar la amenaza a la seguridad, el ambiente,
    la salud o el bienestar de la comunidad,
    informarán sobre el particular a las autoridades
    concernidas.
  • 1d Cuando tengan conocimiento o suficiente razón
    para creer que otro ingeniero o agrimensor viola
    las disposiciones de este Código, o que una
    persona o firma pone en peligro la seguridad, el
    ambiente, la salud o el bienestar de la
    comunidad, presentarán tal información por
    escrito a las autoridades concernidas y
    cooperarán con dichas autoridades proveyendo
    aquella información o asistencia que les sea
    requerida.
  • 5j No aprobarán, timbrarán, estamparán o
    certificarán, según corresponda, ni autorizarán
    la presentación de planos, especificaciones,
    cálculos, dictámenes, memoriales o informes que
    no hayan sido elaborados por ellos o bajo su
    responsabilidad directa. Además, le darán crédito
    por el trabajo de ingeniería, agrimensura o
    arquitectura a quienes corresponda.

12
CIAPR Code in 1985
  • Principios Fundamentales de la Etica Profesional
    del Ingeniero y del Agrimensor
  • A fin de mantener y enaltecer el honor y la
    dignidad de su profesion y de acuerdo a las mas
    altas normas de conducta etica, el ingeniero y el
    agrimensor
  • Seran honestos e imparciales y serviran con
    devocion en su empleo, a sus clientes y al
    publico
  • Se esforzaran en mejorar la eficiencia y el
    prestigio de la ingenieria y la agrimesnsura
  • Utiliazran sus conocimientos y destrezas para
    promover el bienestar de la humanidad
  • Canon 5
  • Se velara celosamente por la seguridad, salud, y
    bienestar del publico en la ejecucion de sus
    responsabilidades profesionales

13
Compare to 1985
  • 1994
  • FP1 Deberán considerar su principal función como
    profesionales la de servir a la humanidad. Su
    relación como profesional y cliente, y como
    profesional y patrono, deberá estar sujeta a su
    función fundamental de promover el bienestar de
    la humanidad y la de proteger el interés público.
  • Canon 1 Velar por sobre toda otra consideracion
    por la seguridad, el ambiente, la salud y el
    bienestar de la comunidad en la ejecucion de sus
    responsabilidades profesionales

14
Characteristics and Functions of the CIAPR Code
of Ethics
  • Examining the code from the perspective of key
    stakeholders and in terms of the different
    functions served by its provisions

15
What is a stakeholder code?
  • Stakeholder codes focus on the duties a community
    owes to its stakeholders
  • Stakeholder any group or individual with an
    essential interest tied up with professional
    practice
  • Engineering and Surveying Stakeholders Public,
    Client, Profession, Peer

16
Stakeholder Obligations
  • Public Engineers and surveyors must hold
    paramount
  • Public Wellbeing (health, safety, welfare)
  • Environmental Integrity
  • Client Engineers and surveyors must exercise
    their professional judgment in conformity with
  • faithful agency (Agencia Fiel)
  • avoiding Conflicts of Interests
  • maintaining confidentiality

17
Stakeholder Obligations
  • Profession Engineers and surveyors must in
    relation to their profession
  • Uphold the Honor and Reputation of Profession in
    activities like expert witnessing
  • Peer Engineers and surveyors must treat their
    peers with respect which includes
  • Collegiality
  • Avoid disloyal competition, public criticism of
    peers, comparative advertising

18
A Roadmap for Navigating the CIAPR Code
  • Who is the stakeholder behind the provision?
  • Stakeholder in canon 1?
  • Stakeholder in canon 4?
  • What is the job of the provision?
  • Is it an ideal of the profession? (Does it set
    forth an ideal ?)
  • Is it a principle of professional conduct? (Does
    it set forth a threshold of minimally acceptable
    behavior?)
  • Difference?
  • Principles of professional conduct specify
    circumstances of compliance, i.e., who, when,
    where, how, etc.

19
Different Functions of a Code of Ethics
  • Value-Based
  • Compliance
  • Based on ideals of the profession
  • Articulate, as a community, the values that are
    central to identity
  • Practice value-based decision-making
  • Provide moral support to those who fall short of
    ideals
  • Based on principles of professional conduct
  • Establish rules thresholds of minimum
    compliance
  • Develop monitoring systems (often
    self-monitoring) to check compliance
  • Design and publicize a system of punishment for
    non-compliance

20
Where does the CIAPR code stand in relation to
these types?
  • Fundamental principles and many canons (e.g.,
    canons 1 and 4) express the aspirations, values,
    and ideals of engineers and surveyors
  • Parts of some of the canons and the practical
    norms set forth principles of professional
    practice
  • Monitoring and Punishing Functions are carried
    out through legal and professional mechanisms
    (Civil law and the CIAPR Disciplinary Tribunal)
  • What remains to be done in the area of moral
    support?

21
Two moral support best practices
  • IEEE Amicus Curiae in BART case
  • Engineers cannot be fired for refusing to violate
    a clear mandate of public policy.
  • Select code provisions (e.g., canon 1) represent
    clear mandates of public policy
  • Code backed by profession becomes a way of saying
    no to illegal and unethical orders
  • NSPE and its Board of Ethical Review
  • BER discusses real world cases brought to it by
    practicing members
  • Discussions clarify and interpret key provisions
    of the NSPE code

22
Reflection
  • Write a sentence or two about the following
  • Micro Engineering Ethics examines the perspective
    of the individual engineer focusing on
    problem-solving and decision making
  • Macro Engineering Ethics focuses on themes like
    the following
  • Should engineers become directly involved with
    the military?
  • How and to what extent should engineers take
    responsibility for the impact of engineering
    projects on third world countries.
  • What is the appropriate development and use of
    technology?
  • What should engineering professional societies do
    in relation to these macro ethical issues?

23
Ethical Problem Solving
  • Three Ethics Tests, a code test, and a
    feasibility check list

24
Socio-Technical System (STS) Analysis
  • an intellectual tool to help us recognize
    patterns in the way technology is used and
    produced
  • Engineering is practiced within a socio-technical
    system
  • Engineering practice and socio-technical systems
    embody values
  • Values mismatches within socio-technical systems
    produce ethical problems

25
Analogy between design and ethics problems
Design Problem Ethics Problem
Construct a prototype that realizes designated specifications Construct a solution that realizes ethical values (justice, responsibility, reasonableness, respect, and safety)
Conflicts between specifications are resolved through integration of specifications Resolve conflicts between values (moral vs. moral or moral vs. non-moral) by integration
Prototype must be implemented over background constraints Ethical solution must be implemented over resource, interest, and technical constraints
26
Problem-solving in engineering and surveying
  • Problem Specification
  • As in engineering and surveying problem solving,
    be as clear as possible about your problem
  • Solution Generation
  • As in design problems, solutions are not found
    ready made but have to be designed to respond to
    the problem and to integrate key ethical and
    non-ethical values
  • Solution Testing
  • Which of your solutions best responds to the (1)
    Reversibility, (2) Harm/Benefits, (3) Publicity,
    and (4) Code tests
  • Solution Implementation
  • Identify situational constraints (resources,
    interests, technical)
  • Develop counter measures to possible obstacles

27
Solution Testing
  • See how your solutions stand up to three ethics
    tests and a feasibility test

28
Reversibility Test
  • Question would I still think choice of this
    option good if I were adversely affected by it?
  • Moral Imagination Task Visualize the solution
    from the standpoint of the stakeholders
  • Public, Client, Profession, Peer

29
Harm/Benefits Test
  • Question does this option do less harm and bring
    about more benefits than alternatives?
  • Moral Imagination Task Use your experience,
    knowledge and skill to visualize the likely
    consequences
  • Sort these out and balance benefits and costs
  • Check for distribution among the stakeholders
  • Dont purchase client benefit at the expense of
    distributing risk to the public

30
Publicity Test
  • Question would I want my choice of this option
    published in the newspaper?
  • Moral Imagination Task What would a morally
    exemplary engineer or surveyor do in this
    situation?
  • Does your action realize or frustrate the
    following values?
  • Justice, responsibility, respect, trust,
    integrity
  • Care for public wellbeing
  • Faithful agency toward the client
  • Uphold the integrity and reputation of the
    profession
  • Maintain collegial relations among your peers

31
Code Test
  • Does the solution under consideration violate a
    provision of the CIAPR code of ethics?

32
Make a Solution Evaluation Matrix
Solution / Test Reversibility Test Harm Test Publicity Test Code Test Global Feasibility Test
Description would I still think choice of this option good if I were adversely affected by it? does this option do less harm than alternatives? would I want my choice of this option published in the newspaper? Does the solution present any major code violations? What obstacles arise that could prevent the implementation of this solution?
Solution 1
Solution 2
33
Solution Implementation
34
Solution Implementation
  • A feasibility test introduces practical
    constraints
  • It asks whether the selected alternative can be
    implemented given resource, interest, and
    technical constraints

35
Feasibility Matrix
Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix Feasibility Matrix
Resource Constraints Resource Constraints Resource Constraints Technical Constraints Technical Constraints Interest Constraints Interest Constraints Interest Constraints Interest Constraints
Time Cost Available Materials, Labor, etc Available Technology Manufac-turabiity Person-alities Organi-zational Legal Social Cultural Political
36
Practicing Problem Solving Six Decision Points
  • Incident At Morales, an NIEE/NSF produced video,
    provides several situations where decision makers
    are challenged to promote ethics

37
1. Incident at Morales Tell me this is like
what you built!
  • WALLY Chuck is going to have a project kick-off
    meeting this afternoon. Your plant design will
    be on the agenda. Itll be at three. We dont
    waste time around here. Were fast at Phaust.
    Corporate tag line.
  • (Wally hands the preliminary plant plans to
    Fred.)
  • WALLY You might want to look at this. (Hopeful)
    Tell me if this is like what you were building
    at your last job.
  • You are Fred. Respond to Wally's question. Try
    to balance respect to your former employer,
    Chemitoil, with your current employer, Phaust.

38
2. Incident at Morales Lutz and Lutz Controls?
  • You are Fred. After you point out to Wally, that
    Lutz and Lutz controls are expensive, he advises
    you to "pick your fights when you can win them."
    (Chuck's brother-in-law is the customer
    representative for Lutz and Lutz.)
  • You think about taking Wally's advice. The
    cheaper controls should work well except for
    situations of high temperature and pressure.
    This is not a problem with the formulation first
    put forth by Phaust chemists.
  • Evaluate the following option using the ethics
    and feasibility tests. Can you think of a better
    option? Use the ethics and feasibility tests to
    show that your solution it is better.
  • Take Wallys advice and recommend purchasing the
    more expensive Lutz and Lutz controls. Find some
    other budget item for cutting expenses.

39
3. Why do you think we are building it in Mexico?
  • Fred tells Chuck about his environmental
    concerns. He feels that toxic wastes will leach
    into the groundwater unless the holding ponds in
    Morales are lined.
  • Evaluate the following options using the ethics
    and feasibility tests
  • Let Chuck go ahead and call a meeting and bring
    in the environmental expert.
  • Consult Wally first before allowing Chuck to call
    the meeting.
  • Keep your environmental concerns to yourself and
    discuss them later with Wally

40
4. Responding to the chemical reformulation
  • After viewing the new paint stripper from
    Chemitoil, Phaust decides to redo their own
    formula. They will use a higher
    temperature/pressure process. This cuts deeply
    the margin of safety on the couplings, flanges,
    and cheaper controls.
  • You are Fred. What should you recommend?
    Evaluate the following using the ethics and
    feasibility tests
  • 1. Go along with the new chemical formulation.
    The safety margins are close but still adequate.
    You can also pass off problems and costs to
    operations
  • 2. Argue that using the new formulation requires
    retrofitting the couplings, flanges, and
    controls. It is expensive in the short run but
    cheaper in the long run.

41
5. Leaks after 30 batches
  • You notice that significant leaks are occurring
    during the plants testing and start-up phases.
    These leaks are probably caused by the cheaper
    controls, inferior couplings, and the
    inexperience of the plant operating team
    including Manuel. What should you do?
  • Have Manuel baby sit the batches timing them and
    constantly checking their temperature.
  • Argue that it is necessary to immediately
    retrofit the plant with Lutz and Lutz controls.
  • Argue that it is necessary to retrofit the plant
    with Lutz and Lutz controls but this should be
    done after the plant has been turned over to
    operations. Let them pay for it.
  • Compare and rank these solution alternatives
    using the ethics and feasibility tests.

42
6. Should you let those plant jockeys make New
Stripper?
  • Wally Well, this is what were going to give to
    operations when we hand over the plant. Is
    everybody okay it?
  • CHUCK Fred's the guy whos got to put his name
    on it, Freds got to be alright with it...
  • Fred Well, the couplings still leak when the
    pressure is up.
  • Wally And we've alerted operations and given
    them specific instructions on how to maintain the
    connections.
  • CHUCK We've got Jen working on a lower
    temperature formula. That may make all of this
    moot.
  • Fred We haven't worked out the bugs on the last
    step of the automation...
  • WaLLY And next year, we'll retrofit the entire
    plant with LL controls.
  • CHUCK This is how it works. We design it. We
    build it, we hand it over. They run it. Weve
    done the best we can. No plant, no process, no
    system is ever completely perfect.
  • WALLY You built a plant thats efficient.
    You've got your upgrades to the wastewater
    treatment.
  • Fred Yeah, you're right. Um, for now Manuel or
    one of his guys can use the manual release valve.
  • CHUCK Okay. Time to let those plant jockeys
    make New Stripper.

43
6. New Stripper?
  • You are Fred. Should you sign off on the
    documents?
  • Use the ethics and feasibility tests to test this
    solution

44
Present your solutions and test results
  • Student Criteria in the Engineering Ethics Bowl
  • Intelligibility
  • Integrating Ethical Considerations into Solution
  • Feasibility
  • Moral Imagination and Moral Creativity

45
Ethical Dissent (if time)
  • Advocating Ethical and Professional Judgment
  • (suggestions from the IEEE)

46
Before Blowing the Whistle
  • Make sure of your motivation
  • Count your costs
  • Obtain all the necessary background materials and
    evidence
  • Organize to protect your own interests
  • Choose the right avenue for your disclosure
  • Make your disclosure in the right spirit

47
Is Whistle Blowing a first or last resort?
  • Whistle Blowing becomes morally permissible when
    options for revealing the information within the
    organization have been tried and have not worked.

48
DeGeorge on WB
  • Morally Permissible
  • Morally obligatory
  • High probability of serious and considerable harm
  • Notified immediate supervisor and have not
    received response
  • Exhausted internal channels for making potential
    harm known
  • Whistle Blowing becomes morally obligatory when
    in addition to being permissible there is
  • documented evidence that would convince an
    impartial observer and
  • a high probability that publicizing the imminent
    harm will prevent it

49
Guidelines from IEEE for Ethical Dissent
  • Establish a clear technical foundation
  • Keep your arguments on a high professional plane,
    as impersonal and objective as possible, avoiding
    extraneous issues and emotional outbursts
  • Try to catch problems early, and keep the
    argument at the lowest managerial level possible.
  • Before going out on a limb, make sure that the
    issue is sufficiently important
  • Use (and help to establish) organization a
    dispute resolution mechanisms
  • Keep records and collect paper. Document,
    document, document!

50
Closure
  • Write on a piece of paper, five important things
    you learned during this seminar on engineering
    ethics.

51
Thank YouQuestions, Comments?
  • William Frey freyuprm_at_yahoo.com
  • Efrain ONeill-Carillo
  • oneill_at_ece.uprm.edu
  • Visit http//cnx,org
  • (Check content published by Frey)

52
Puerto Rico Socio-Technical System
Engineering / Technology Projects Physical and Cultural Characteristics People, Groups, and Roles Engineering Procedures Laws Engineering Ethics Curriculum
Copper Mining in Puerto Rico CE (Highway 10) Island between North and South America Spanish and US Colonial Experience CIAPR (Puerto Rico State Society of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors) 936 Corporations ABET / ASEE ASIBEI CIAPR procedures for becoming a licensed engineering Disciplinary Tribunal Law 173 (laws 12 and 319) Amendments US laws and codes imposed in PR Macro Engineering Ethics Micro Engineering Ethics Phil. of technology
Civil Engineering (Super Aqueduct) Mechanical Engineering (Urban Train) Two Languages (primarily Spanish but English is also important) Center for Ethics in the Professions Office of Governmental Ethics ABET accreditation of engineering programs OEG ethics requirements Engineering Codes and Government Regulations (PR and US) EAC integration projects (Jimenez and ONeill in Elec Eng)
Computer Engineering (E-Government) Electrical Engineering (Power Distribution Systems) Free Association with US Status Debate Statehood, Free Association, Independence Engineering Students PR engineers PR government PR and US employers Questionable Practices Corruption Firmoneria Env. Damage Conflict of Interests Disloyal Competition Partial testifying Injustice Oficina de la Etica Gubermental (anti-corruption, whistle-blowing protection, continuing education requirements for public employees) Ethics Across the Curriculum 15/85 Retreat/Workshop Resource development EAC Toolkit
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