Posted: November 19th, 2022

Codes of Ethics Assignment

Engineering ethics guide the operations and responsibilities of engineers in their line of duty. States can subcontract environmentalists to test water samples used for domestic purposes to safeguard people’s health and assure sustainability. As an engineer subcontracted to test samples of drinking water in Ontario, there are several ethical conducts that I will have to abide with for quality service to the citizens. Human life is very critical, and every measure must be considered during water supply, from the municipality or homestead wells to avoid putting lives in danger. Every exposure to hazard has no fiscal measure, and cost-cutting with the aim to save tax money may not work. It is a life and death struggle.
As an engineer responsible for water safety, I must uphold the fundamental principles in the code of ethics. My responsibility is to ensure human and environment safety, hold impartiality and serve the people of Walkerville with fidelity and integrity, and support the society and professionals in their particular disciplines that require my expertise. The results of my work must be quality, embraced by the public, the clients, and my employers.
The scenario in Walkerville, Ontario, the municipality I am subcontracted, is a case illustrating a pure failure of the authority. The ministry of environment, regulating the standards of the drinking water, has insufficient staffing thereby the system has many gaps and sometimes allows unsafe drinking water to be distributed unnoticed. The Walkerville town’s population is about 5000 and fewer staffing may be overwhelmed by the water testing duty that needs extensive and frequent checks.
In the recent test of water that my team conducted in Walkerville, dangerous stains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria of about 1.157 were noticed. The condition resulted from the run-offs that dragged manure to water sources due to heavy rains. Despite my team noticing the risk and giving an alert to the ministry of environment before the risk exposure to human and recommending emergency measures, no action is attempted ten days later. Moreover, the necessary authority has not yet informed the residents of the dangers.
In this case, I will uphold the code of ethics of environmental engineers. The Canon 1 reminds me to hold paramount the safety, welfare, and health of the citizens and comply with the principles that ensure sustainable development. As an engineer, in part four of Canon 1, I am allowed to present any violations that endanger people’s lives in writing to the proper authorities. This event is because the people of Walkerville have no information regarding the health risk they are exposed to due to unclean drinking water yet the agency that should protect them is quite about it. Moreover, my team will take action to sign and seal a design document reviewed to conform to the engineering standards that conform to the wellbeing of people. Also, as an environment engineer, I will deliver an engineering judgment that the general public shall rely on for sustainable development.
The second option that I have as an engineer is represented in the code of ethics, canon 5. According to this principle, I am allowed to build a professional reputation on my service merit and not to engage in unfair competition with others. Therefore, I shall consider it unlawful for the authority to cut down expenditure at the expense of the lives of the local people. Sustainable development ensures the quality of life in the current and future living. The fifth Canon illustrates that engineers shall not permit false representations of the experience. Therefore, I will only allow proper credit, correct and truthful accomplishments, not for myself but for the benefits of the entire area I am inspecting for safety.
My last choice in this event shall be a stipulated in canon 4 of the code of ethics. It would be my choice to act professionally in matters affecting either clients or employers. I shall accomplish the objectives I am tasked with in a faithful and trusted manner to avoid any conflict of interest. The first section requires me to avoid the apparent conflict of interest of any business association with the clients and the employers. As an engineer, I would also take the mandate to serve and advise the residents and the departments I am posted to work. In the case of the delayed actions or failure of a service, such as the gaps enlisted in Walkerville, as an engineer, I have the option of advising the residents on the best alternatives before the authority reacts to the situation.

References
Fleddermann, C. B. (1999). Engineering ethics (Vol. 4). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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