Professional Practice and Ethics Flashcards

A CM observes a safety violation that the general contractor's superintendent refuses to correct. What is the ethically and legally appropriate response?

Answer: Document the refusal and escalate to the owner and applicable regulatory authority

Imminent safety hazards require escalation beyond the non-responsive superintendent to the owner and regulatory bodies such as OSHA.

Which of the following best describes a CM's ethical obligation when a subcontractor submits a change order claim that appears inflated?

Answer: Conduct a thorough, impartial review and certify only the amount substantiated by evidence

The CM must evaluate change order claims impartially based on documented evidence of entitlement and quantum.

When a CM's professional judgment conflicts with the owner's directive on a code compliance issue, the CM must:

Answer: Comply with applicable codes regardless of owner preference and document the directive in writing

CMs are obligated to uphold applicable laws and codes; the owner's preferences cannot override legal compliance requirements.

A CM receives a gift of significant monetary value from a material supplier whose product the CM specifies on projects. According to professional ethics, the CM should:

Answer: Decline the gift or disclose it fully to the client and recuse from specification decisions involving that supplier

Gifts of significant value from vendors create conflicts of interest that require disclosure, recusal, or refusal.

Which element is most critical when a CM prepares an expert witness report in a construction dispute?

Answer: Objective analysis based on facts, professional standards, and independent judgment

Expert witnesses have a duty to the court and tribunal to provide objective, unbiased opinions regardless of who retained them.

A CM discovers mid-project that their firm lacks sufficient qualified staff to adequately manage the project. The ethical course of action is to:

Answer: Disclose the staffing deficiency to the owner and propose remedies such as additional hires or subconsultants

Transparency requires promptly informing the owner of resource deficiencies that could affect project outcomes and proposing corrective measures.

The CMAA ethical principle of 'objectivity' is most relevant when the CM is:

Answer: Evaluating contractor performance and certifying milestone payments

Objectivity is most critical during performance evaluations and payment certifications where the CM acts as a quasi-judicial agent.