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The NSPE
Ethics
Reference Guide
Engineers' Creed
As a Professional Engineer, I dedicate my
professional knowledge and skill to the
advancement and betterment of human welfare.
I pledge:
To give the utmost of performance;
To participate in none but honest enterprise;
To live and work according to the laws of man
and the highest standards of professional
conduct;
To place service before profit, the honor and standing of
the profession before personal advantage, and the
public welfare above all other considerations.
In humility and with need for Divine Guidance, I
make this pledge.
Adopted by
National Society of Professional Engineers
June, 1954
Table of Contents
Page
Foreword ................................................................................................... 2
NSPE Code of Ethics ............................................................................3-4
Subject Reference Guide to NSPE Code of Ethics .................................. 5
Consolidated Table of Contents to the Opinions of the
Board of Ethical Review ...............................................................6-18
NSPE Code of Ethics Case Index .....................................................19-22
(4/16)
Foreword
Professionalism and ethics are twins,
inseparably bound together in the concept that
professional status and recognition must be based
upon public service under a higher duty than mere
compliance with the letter of the law. Ethics
provides the framework within which engineers
may travel the "second mile," so ably defined by
Dr. William E. Wickenden, former president of
Case Institute of Technology:
I. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and
lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness
of the profession.
9. Engineers shall give credit for engineering work to those to whom credit
is due, and will recognize the proprietary interests of others.
a. Engineers shall, whenever possible, name the person or persons who
may be individually responsible for designs, inventions, writings, or
other accomplishments.
b. Engineers using designs supplied by a client recognize that the
designs remain the property of the client and may not be duplicated
by the engineer for others without express permission.
c. Engineers, before undertaking work for others in connection with
which the engineer may make improvements, plans, designs,
inventions, or other records that may justify copyrights or patents,
should enter into a positive agreement regarding ownership.
d. Engineers designs, data, records, and notes referring exclusively to
an employers work are the employers property. The employer
should indemnify the engineer for use of the information for any
purpose other than the original purpose.
e. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout
their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by
engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing
education courses, reading in the technical literature, and attending
professional meetings and seminars.
3. Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.
a. Engineers shall avoid the use of statements containing a material
misrepresentation of fact or omitting a material fact.
b. Consistent with the foregoing, engineers may advertise for
recruitment of personnel.
c. Consistent with the foregoing, engineers may prepare articles for the
lay or technical press, but such articles shall not imply credit to the
author for work performed by others.
4. Engineers shall not disclose, without consent, confidential information
concerning the business affairs or technical processes of any present or
former client or employer, or public body on which they serve.
a. Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested parties,
promote or arrange for new employment or practice in connection
with a specific project for which the engineer has gained particular
and specialized knowledge.
b. Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested parties,
participate in or represent an adversary interest in connection with a
specific project or proceeding in which the engineer has gained
particular specialized knowledge on behalf of a former client or
employer.
5. Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional duties by
conflicting interests.
a. Engineers shall not accept financial or other considerations,
including free engineering designs, from material or equipment
suppliers for specifying their product.
b. Engineers shall not accept commissions or allowances, directly or
indirectly, from contractors or other parties dealing with clients or
employers of the engineer in connection with work for which the
engineer is responsible.
6. Engineers shall not attempt to obtain employment or advancement or
professional engagements by untruthfully criticizing other engineers, or
by other improper or questionable methods.
a. Engineers shall not request, propose, or accept a commission on a
contingent basis under circumstances in which their judgment may
be compromised.
b. Engineers in salaried positions shall accept part-time engineering
work only to the extent consistent with policies of the employer and
in accordance with ethical considerations.
c. Engineers shall not, without consent, use equipment, supplies,
laboratory, or office facilities of an employer to carry on outside
private practice.
7. Engineers shall not attempt to injure, maliciously or falsely, directly
or indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects, practice, or
employment of other engineers. Engineers who believe others are
guilty of unethical or illegal practice shall present such information
to the proper authority for action.
a. Engineers in private practice shall not review the work of another
engineer for the same client, except with the knowledge of such
engineer, or unless the connection of such engineer with the work has
been terminated.
b. Engineers in governmental, industrial, or educational employ are
entitled to review and evaluate the work of other engineers when so
required by their employment duties.
c. Engineers in sales or industrial employ are entitled to make
engineering comparisons of represented products with products of
other suppliers.
8. Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for their professional
activities, provided, however, that engineers may seek indemnification
for services arising out of their practice for other than gross negligence,
where the engineers interests cannot otherwise be protected.
a. Engineers shall conform with state registration laws in the practice
of engineering.
b. Engineers shall not use association with a nonengineer, a
corporation, or partnership as a cloak for unethical acts.
Note: In regard to the question of application of the Code to corporations vis-a-vis real persons, business form or type should not negate nor
influence conformance of individuals to the Code. The Code deals with professional services, which services must be performed by real persons.
Real persons in turn establish and implement policies within business structures. The Code is clearly written to apply to the Engineer, and it is
incumbent on members of NSPE to endeavor to live up to its provisions. This applies to all pertinent sections of the Code.
Subject
12-1
79-5
05-12
73-2
65-7
65-13
64-8
81-5
62-2
61-3
59-1
84-2
75-2
62-8
72-1
61-7
78-8
72-3
73-5
72-8
66-9
63-7
66-4
75-16
10-6
10-9
62-15
92-2
75-9
12-10
60-1
68-9, 73-1, 77-2
96-11
71-8
63-3
04-4
05-7
12-8
79-6
75-4
03-11
71-11
04-11
12-4
15-3
93-7
77-3
93-3
69-9
Subject
65-14
01-8
61-4
92-8
75-15
95-7
71-5
80-2
76-10
63-8, 74-8, 77-6
75-6
71-2
92-3
67-7
91-8
86-5
73-2
96-10
78-7
98-8
94-8
61-5
60-2
65-5
60-8
60-7
71-7
62-6
75-1
74-9
63-2
72-7
69-7
10-7
07-11
06-5
15-8
82-2
13-9
15-7
12-3
01-6
59-3, 60-5
06-7
94-9
02-3
03-7
14-1
Subject
78-3
89-6
89-4
89-5
92-5
67-12
01-11
82-4
76-3
62-7
12-5
05-10
94-11
13-8
95-4
83-1
04-9
76-2
87-3
94-1
85-2
10-10
14-7
94-3
95-6
04-10
02-9
82-6
06-11
99-2
09-7
88-1
15-1
72-2
90-7
91-6
02-6
02-4
62-21
70-6
75-7
14-2
74-2
71-6
97-3
69-8, 79-9
74-4
63-5
06-1
Subject
79-1
04-2
01-7
04-12
10-12
94-5
93-6
79-4
02-8
67-1
11-9
14-9
65-15
80-5
14-11
94-10
72-9
04-3
96-7
15-10
97-4
13-1
78-9
95-9
11-5
02-12
99-1
98-11
75-10
99-9
06-10
07-1
69-13
01-2
76-9
80-6
72-2
01-5
66-5
63-6
00-4
93-5
00-10
81-1
77-4
91-2
76-11
77-12
66-12
Subject
68-5
69-2, 77-10
65-4, 75-8
73-4
66-11
83-2
67-8
77-6
66-8
78-4
93-1
97-12
99-13
08-11
71-1
92-1
07-4
08-9
92-7
13-6
84-1
67-10
69-10
89-2
81-3
80-3
66-12
95-1
11-6
62-14
94-7
05-2
08-5
65-2
87-2
61-8
03-2
99-7
04-1
09-11
70-5
15-5
77-2
88-4
00-11
97-11
15-9
09-9
09-2
10
Subject
09-1
89-7
97-13
98-9
02-11
83-4
99-6
64-2
07-7
07-5
68-8
78-2
62-4
99-5
95-8
11-8
10-3
06-9
01-10
03-6
10-2
99-3
14-3
01-12
08-6
00-9
01-1
12-2
87-1
13-10
03-9
91-1
65-1
73-9
62-16
62-1
91-3
62-5
86-6
74-6
13-3
95-2
64-11
91-5
95-10
09-3
65-7
66-1
85-6
11
Subject
84-4
93-4
85-5
09-4
67-9
15-12
84-5
13-5
86-3
79-2
76-4
75-3
73-3
06-8
62-10
74-5
61-7
79-3
90-3
71-4
13-12
90-2
10-4
00-7
13-2
02-1
07-12
13-4
00-6
10-11
03-1
13-7
74-11
12-12
11-2
98-7
03-12
11-10
06-2
06-3
06-6
03-8
98-4
90-1
05-4
95-5
90-5
05-3
77-9
12
Subject
66-2
11-11
68-2
62-13, 80-1
65-6
14-10
97-2
59-3, 64-11
72-2
67-2
67-6
76-8
67-3
87-5
04-7
87-4
79-8
60-9
12-9
81-4
76-6
96-5
98-2
12-6
05-6
81-6
75-16
63-1
68-10
79-9
65-11
63-10
86-1
99-8
91-7
93-8
85-1
74-7
99-12
15-6
93-9
67-5
79-5
09-6
69-12
91-4
00-1
96-1
91-9
13
Subject
90-4
15-2
14-6
97-8
06-4
00-8
86-4
14-5
63-9
66-3
62-17
74-1
84-3
78-1
62-11
78-6
69-11
76-1
85-4
10-1
14-8
77-7
70-2
65-12
82-7
84-6
74-3
80-4
62-19
01-4
74-11
68-1
69-12
89-3
81-2
64-4
83-5
97-10
76-13
96-8
70-4
68-7, 75-5
63-4
05-8
85-3
94-12
68-4
75-11
74-10
14
Subject
75-14
62-12, 73-6, 88-2
75-13
06-12
76-12
66-6
69-1
66-12
78-5
60-6
59-3
58-1
64-12, 77-2
02-5
09-8
09-12
94-2
65-10
65-17, 72-3
70-1
03-10
95-3
82-1
76-7
75-12
04-5
80-1
09-5
99-4
12-7
89-1
72-6
79-3
88-7
04-6
79-2
65-9
67-11
98-5
13-11
15-4
15-11
14-4
07-10
10-5
12-11
07-8
07-3
08-12
15
Subject
07-9
07-2
00-5
04-8
08-10
92-4
92-6
76-4
08-1
03-3
67-4
61-10
08-2
95-11
61-6
63-11
77-7
08-4
08-3
00-2
60-4
75-1
82-3
69-5
69-3
01-9
96-9
96-3
11-3
14-12
93-2
11-7
64-1
78-10
66-10
97-1
61-9, 65-12, 76-4
72-5, 88-3
97-9
00-12
68-11
62-20
76-1
79-7
99-10
11-12
83-6
02-7
68-12
16
Subject
65-16
75-8
64-3
10-8
03-4
08-8
03-5
77-8
68-3
64-10
00-3
98-1
64-7
97-5
94-6
97-7
02-2
86-2
11-1
88-5
96-4
05-9
73-8
87-6
71-7
72-10
66-7
08-7
72-11
05-5
74-3
70-4
60-3
62-18, 64-9
72-4
73-7
71-10
65-8
77-11
76-5
07-6
64-6
79-10
59-2
94-4
79-3
76-9
70-3
99-11
17
Subject
77-5
90-6
98-3
92-9
65-13
05-11
96-6
69-6
01-3
61-1
77-1
98-6
96-12
97-6
83-3
68-8
68-6
69-2, 77-10
11-4
82-5
88-6
05-1
09-10
18
NSPE Code of
Ethics Section
NSPE Code of
Ethics Section
Preamble
II.1.b.
I.1.
II.1.c.
I.2.
02-7
II.1.d.
I.3.
89-5, 92-1, 92-2, 95-7, 95-10, 03-11, 04-6, 055, 06-6, 07-2, 07-6, 08-3, 10-6, 12-8
I.4.
76-4, 78-3, 79-10, 80-4, 82-7, 83-1, 90-1, 932, 94-3, 94-7, 94-10, 96-3, 97-3, 00-9, 01-2,
03-6, 03-8, 03-9, 03-12, 06-4, 06-6, 06-8, 069, 07-12, 09-10, 12-1
II.1.e.
84-4, 89-7, 91-9, 96-8, 97-12, 98-9, 99-7, 9913, 00-4, 00-5, 01-3, 01-8, 02-11, 07-5, 07-11,
08-1, 08-12, 09-4, 11-3, 11-6, 12-7, 12-8, 152, 15-6
II.1.f.
II.2.
85-3, 87-1, 89-1, 91-8, 93-5, 93-7, 94-8, 9412, 99-11, 01-7, 02-5, 03-4, 09-3, 09-8, 09-9,
10-1, 15-5
II.2.a.
II.2.b.
II.2.c.
II.3.
84-1, 84-6, 91-4, 92-2, 95-7, 95-8, 95-10, 969, 99-12, 01-3, 02-11, 03-10, 04-12, 05-8, 078, 07-12, 08-6, 08-9, 09-1, 09-4, 12-10, 13-3,
13-6, 14-5, 15-3, 15-9, 15-12
I.5.
I.6.
II.1.
II.1.a.
84-3, 92-2, 93-2, 94-10, 95-1, 95-10, 96-1, 965, 00-9, 00-10, 03-5, 03-11, 04-11, 05-11, 075, 07-6, 07-12, 08-6, 09-2, 09-4, 09-5, 09-6,
10-2, 10-10, 10-12, 12-1, 12-8, 14-9, 14-10,
15-1, 15-4, 15-10
99-13, 00-4, 00-9, 00-10, 01-1, 01-4, 04-6, 053, 05-11, 06-6, 06-8, 07-1, 07-2, 07-5, 07-7,
07-12, 08-1, 08-2, 08-3, 08-5, 08-7, 08-8, 0810, 08-11, 09-7, 09-9, 09-11, 10-1, 10-5, 11-2,
11-3, 11-8, 11-12, 12-1, 12-9, 14-10, 15-10
60-5, 61-9, 62-5, 64-4, 65-12, 67-3, 67-10,
71-5, 75-15, 88-5, 92-6, 97-5, 98-8, 99-11, 005, 00-7, 00-8, 01-3, 02-5, 02-11, 05-1, 07-8,
07-10, 08-4, 08-12, 09-1, 09-12, 10-7, 12-2,
12-11, 13-9, 13-11, 14-4, 14-12, 15-4, 15-6,
15-9, 15-11, 15-12
60-5, 60-6, 61-4, 61-7, 61-9, 61-10, 63-10,
64-4, 65-12, 67-10, 70-4, 76-4, 79-2, 80-1,
82-5, 84-4, 84-5, 88-5, 88-6, 89-7, 90-5, 92-4,
92-6, 93-7, 94-4, 96-4, 96-6, 97-5, 98-9, 9911, 00-5, 02-1, 03-3, 04-5, 04-8, 05-2, 07-3,
07-11, 08-10, 08-12, 09-1, 09-3, 10-7, 12-2,
13-9, 13-11, 14-4, 14-12, 15-2, 15-6, 15-11
19
II.3.b.
II.3.c.
II.4.
II.4.a.
II.4.b.
II.4.c.
NSPE Code of
Ethics Section
II.4.d.
II.4.e.
II.5.
83-5, 86-6, 89-2, 91-4, 95-10, 97-8, 99-8, 0110, 01-12, 02-7, 03-1, 03-6, 05-5, 10-8, 11-2,
12-10, 13-3, 14-2, 14-6
II.5.a.
83-1, 90-4, 91-8, 92-2, 95-7, 95-10, 96-1, 9611, 97-1, 97-8, 97-11, 98-6, 99-12, 01-8, 036, 03-11, 04-11, 05-7, 05-8, 07-4, 10-6, 10-9,
11-7, 12-8, 14-10
II.5.b.
III.
99-5
III.1.
III.1.a.
III.1.b.
63-5, 65-12, 76-4, 77-12, 84-4, 84-5, 88-1, 913, 95-5, 98-5, 99-7, 99-8, 01-4, 04-12, 09-6,
11-12, 12-2, 13-8, 14-4, 15-9
III.1.c.
64-2, 72-6, 97-1, 99-3, 02-8, 06-3, 07-12, 102, 10-4, 14-1, 14-7, 15-10
III.1.d.
III.1.e.
70-4, 71-5, 74-3, 84-6, 01-1, 01-9, 01-10, 0112, 03-10, 03-11, 05-1, 05-3, 05-5, 05-11, 067, 06-10, 07-1, 11-7, 11-12, 12-7, 12-8, 14-9,
14-10
III.1.f.
III.2.
III.2.a.
20
III.2.c.
III.2.d.
III.3.
III.3.a.
III.3.b.
72-10, 78-8, 79-3, 79-5, 79-6, 79-9, 80-2, 995, 01-10, 07-7
III.3.c.
III.4.
III.4.a.
NSPE Code of
Ethics Section
III.4.b.
III.5.
21
III.5.a.
III.5.b.
79-1, 81-4, 87-5, 94-3, 95-3, 95-9, 95-11, 9710, 99-9, 02-4, 02-6, 04-7, 06-1, 09-8, 10-3,
11-5, 12-4
III.6.
III.6.a.
III.6.b.
68-4, 69-11, 72-10, 96-4, 97-1, 99-3, 02-8, 063, 14-1, 14-7, 15-10
III.6.c.
15-10
III.7.
58-1, 61-4, 62-19, 81-3, 83-1, 83-3, 89-2, 942, 94-6, 96-3, 96-10, 97-6, 97-7, 97-9, 99-5,
00-1, 00-4, 00-9, 00-12, 01-1, 02-11, 03-9, 042, 04-6, 05-1, 07-2, 07-5, 07-7, 08-6, 08-7, 099, 09-10, 11-3, 11-8, 11-12, 12-1, 12-2, 14-3,
14-12
III.7.a.
III.7.b.
III.7.c.
III.8.
III.8.a.
III.8.b.
III.8.c.
III.9.
NSPE Code of
Ethics Section
III.9.a.
61-4, 62-19, 64-2, 65-16, 69-9, 78-1, 90-3, 932, 94-10, 97-6, 97-7, 07-4, 08-9, 09-5, 13-6,
13-10, 14-5, 14-10
III.9.b.
III.9.c.
III.9.d.
06-9, 13-10
III.9.e.
III.10.
III.10.a.
III.10.b.
64-2
III.10.c.
III.10.d.
III.11.
III.11.a.
III.11.b.
60-4, 82-7
III.11.d.
63-9, 76-1
III.11.e.
22