EIT Ethics and Professional Practice 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the NSPE Code of Ethics, an engineer's foremost professional obligation is to:
- Generate profit for their employer
- Hold public safety, health, and welfare paramount (Correct answer)
- Maximize technical efficiency
- Advance personal career goals
Correct answer: Hold public safety, health, and welfare paramount
The fundamental canon of the NSPE Code of Ethics requires engineers to hold public safety, health, and welfare above all other obligations.
Question 2: An engineer discovers a safety defect in a product after it is released. What is the ethical course of action?
- Ignore it to avoid financial losses
- Report it only to the supervisor and wait
- Disclose it to the employer and, if necessary, to the public or authorities (Correct answer)
- Keep it confidential to protect the company
Correct answer: Disclose it to the employer and, if necessary, to the public or authorities
Engineers must report safety hazards to their employer; if the employer fails to act, the engineer has an obligation to report to the public or appropriate authorities.
Question 3: The FE exam is required for which professional milestone?
- To graduate from an ABET-accredited program
- As the first step toward becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) (Correct answer)
- To join NSPE
- To obtain a patent
Correct answer: As the first step toward becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)
The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam is the first of two exams (followed by the PE exam) required to become a licensed Professional Engineer.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a conflict of interest?
- Working overtime on a project
- An engineer approving a contractor's bid when the contractor is a family member (Correct answer)
- Taking continuing education courses
- Joining a professional engineering society
Correct answer: An engineer approving a contractor's bid when the contractor is a family member
A conflict of interest arises when personal relationships or financial interests could improperly influence professional judgment, such as approving a relative's bid.
Question 5: ABET accreditation for engineering programs ensures:
- Guaranteed employment for graduates
- Programs meet quality standards for technical content, professional skills, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Automatic PE licensure for graduates
- Federal funding for research
Correct answer: Programs meet quality standards for technical content, professional skills, and outcomes
ABET accreditation certifies that an engineering program meets established criteria for curriculum quality, faculty, facilities, and graduate outcomes.
Question 6: When must an engineer sign and seal engineering documents?
- Only when required by the client
- For all engineering work they are responsible for, whether or not they were supervised
- Only when they hold a PE license and for work they are competent in and responsible for (Correct answer)
- Any time they review another engineer's work
Correct answer: Only when they hold a PE license and for work they are competent in and responsible for
A licensed PE may only sign and seal documents covering work within their area of competence and for which they have been in responsible charge.
EIT Ethics and Professional Practice 1
According to the NSPE Code of Ethics, an engineer's foremost professional obligation is to: