NPPE Application of Codes of Ethics 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A professional engineer is asked to provide an expert opinion on a matter outside their area of expertise. Ethical conduct requires that the engineer:
- Provide the opinion since all engineering disciplines share common principles
- Decline or refer the matter to a qualified specialist and disclose the limitation (Correct answer)
- Provide a general opinion with a disclaimer attached to the report
- Accept if the client acknowledges in writing that the field is new to the engineer
Correct answer: Decline or refer the matter to a qualified specialist and disclose the limitation
Engineers must only practice within their areas of competence and must refer work outside their expertise to appropriately qualified professionals.
Question 2: An engineer suspects that another engineer's design is unsafe but lacks absolute certainty. Ethical codes of conduct require the engineer to:
- Take no action until they are certain the design is dangerous
- Express the concern only if asked directly by the client
- Raise the concern through appropriate professional channels even under uncertainty (Correct answer)
- Publicly denounce the other engineer's work to warn the public immediately
Correct answer: Raise the concern through appropriate professional channels even under uncertainty
When an engineer has reasonable grounds for concern about public safety, they are obligated to raise the issue through appropriate channels even without absolute certainty of risk.
Question 3: An engineer who also owns shares in a materials supplier recommends that supplier to a client without disclosure. This violates which core ethical principle?
- Duty to maintain professional competence
- Obligation to hold public safety paramount
- Duty to act without conflict of interest and with full disclosure (Correct answer)
- Requirement to promote sustainable development
Correct answer: Duty to act without conflict of interest and with full disclosure
Engineers must disclose any financial interest that could reasonably be seen as influencing their professional recommendations, as undisclosed conflicts undermine client trust.
Question 4: Which of the following actions is consistent with an engineer's duty to the profession under a code of ethics?
- Refusing to mentor junior engineers to maintain a competitive advantage
- Supporting unlicensed individuals in presenting themselves as engineers
- Mentoring junior colleagues and contributing to the advancement of the profession (Correct answer)
- Avoiding involvement in professional associations to prevent conflicts
Correct answer: Mentoring junior colleagues and contributing to the advancement of the profession
Engineers have an affirmative duty to support the profession, which includes mentoring junior practitioners and participating in professional development activities.
Question 5: An engineer signs a contract with a client that includes a clause waiving the client's right to sue for negligence. From an ethical standpoint, this clause is:
- Acceptable if negotiated openly and both parties agree
- Problematic because it may incentivize the engineer to be less diligent (Correct answer)
- Standard practice and fully consistent with professional ethics
- Acceptable only if approved by the provincial engineering regulator
Correct answer: Problematic because it may incentivize the engineer to be less diligent
Liability waivers for negligence are ethically problematic because they can reduce the engineer's incentive to maintain the standard of care expected by the profession.
Question 6: A client instructs an engineer to use a material that the engineer believes does not meet the required safety standard for the application. The engineer should:
- Use the material as instructed since the client assumes final responsibility
- Refuse to specify the non-compliant material and document the client's instruction and the engineer's objection (Correct answer)
- Use the material but note the deviation in small print within the specifications
- Request a second opinion and proceed if one other engineer agrees with the client
Correct answer: Refuse to specify the non-compliant material and document the client's instruction and the engineer's objection
Engineers must refuse to specify materials that do not meet safety standards; client instructions do not override the engineer's professional responsibility for public safety.
Question 7: Under engineering codes of ethics, which statement best describes the relationship between an engineer's duty to the employer and duty to the public?
- Duty to the employer always takes precedence as the engineer is bound by contract
- Duty to the public is paramount and supersedes employer instructions when safety is at risk (Correct answer)
- Both duties are equal and must always be balanced without one taking precedence
- Duty to the public applies only to licensed engineers working on public infrastructure
Correct answer: Duty to the public is paramount and supersedes employer instructions when safety is at risk
Engineering codes of ethics universally place the duty to protect public health, safety, and welfare above obligations to employers or clients.
NPPE Application of Codes of Ethics 5
A professional engineer is asked to provide an expert opinion on a matter outside their area of expertise.
Ethical conduct requires that the engineer: