Engineering & Organisation

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY
ENGINEERING &
ORGANISATION
CHAPTER TWO
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ENGINEERING FIRMS
• Engineers may work in the public or private

engineering firm.
• Engineering firms come in all sizes, ranging
from one-person consultancies operating
out of their home to huge multinational
companies that deal not only in engineering
but also the construction, operation, and
maintenance of facilities.
• Not every engineer in a firm needs to be
licensed, but a licensed engineer is required
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ENGINEERING FIRMS
to supervise every project. If they only

offer their services to other businesses,
and not the public, they do not need to be
licensed.
• This falls under what is known as an
industry exclusion, which says that
engineers that work for industry do not
have to be licensed.
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ENGINEERING FIRMS
• Such firms typically engage in mechanical design work and act as an extension of a
company’s in-house engineering department.
• Companies often bring in an outside firm when they are short on staff, or when they
get a new project but do not want to hire staff and then lay them off when the
project ends.
• Consulting firms get hired to perform engineering work for many entities and types
of clients, both in the private and public sectors. These include:
• Land and property developers • Construction firms
• Government agencies and municipalities • Large engineering firms
• Industrial and commercial companies • Architects
• Hospitals • Private individuals
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ENGINEERING FIRMS
• Government agencies often hire engineering firms for major projects such as a new
facility or structure being built.
• Many municipalities such as city and town governments hire a firm on a permanent,
on-going basis to serve as a municipal engineer and handle engineering-related
projects and services as they come up in the jurisdiction.
• Large engineering firms often serve as the prime firm to handle the overall
engineering effort on a major project and then hire smaller specialty firms as
subcontractors to carry out individual parts of the design work. These often include
mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), geotechnical, structural, and
environmental engineering firms.
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ENGINEERING FIRMS
• Architects operate in similar fashion and hire structural and MEP engineering firms
to work as subs on a building project they designed.
• However, engineering firms also often work side by side with each other and
architects on a building project, all reporting to the building owner.
• When a private individual hires an engineer, it usually involves a house or building
inspection or investigating a structural problem.
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CLASS ACTIVITY 2
• Form a group consisting of five (5) members.

• Discuss and share your thoughts on the following perception of engineers working
in the public sector:
Truth or misconception?
Engineers working in government agencies

are unqualified, lazy and overpaid. They
spend all day taking coffee breaks and
browsing the internet.
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WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
• There are many reasons why an engineer might want to work in the public sector.
For starters, the government is responsible for running a number of engineering
projects.
• Due to the array of projects tied to government work, there are lots of
opportunities for engineers of all disciplines to work within the public sector.
• Reported benefits of working in the public sector include:
• Security and stability – Although the private sector is prone to market shifts and
periods of instability, the public sector enjoys much more stability due to
government-backing. As a result, engineers who work for the public sector have
a much higher degree of security and can enjoy a certain level of protection
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against closures and hostile financial conditions. Another substantial advantage

of public sector jobs is a guaranteed pension scheme, the benefits of which far
outweigh those in private sector jobs.
• Service – Perhaps one of the most satisfying parts of working in the public sector
as an engineer, or indeed in any job role within a government organisation, is
being able to directly affect your local area and even the wider area, by
producing top quality work.
• Shorter working hours – Hours within the public sector tend to be a lot less
demanding than in the private sector. Many government organisations also offer
flexitime working hours, as well as accommodate for engineers who may
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work part-time, taking into account the different circumstances of employees.

• Training opportunities and career development – Employees within the public sector
are frequently encouraged to expand their existing skillsets by attending training
programmes or gaining extra qualifications. Government organisations are
dedicated to helping staff realise their potential and further their career.
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WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
• Employment in the private sector consists of any work outside of local, state, and
federal agencies.
• The private sector is more focused on revenue than the public sector.
• An engineer may want to work in the private sector because it has more flexibility in
just about every aspect of employment. Hiring of employees is less stringent without
some of the strict guidelines of the public sector, and salaries tend to be more higher
and negotiable than the public sector.
• One of the major benefits of working in the private sector is that it allows you more
room to move around from one position to another. Though every organisation has
its own set of rules, they tend to be a little more flexible in this sector than in public
service.
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WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
• Pay raises are also easier to obtain, as the decisions can be made from within the
company, instead of being based on central rules and regulations followed
throughout the entire state or government.
• Another benefit for working in the private sector is the ability to move up quickly in
an organisation.While this is not impossible to do in the public sector, it can often
prove more difficult, as there are tight restrictions placed on the entire process.
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REVELATIONS OF A PUBLIC SECTOR ENGINEER

WHO USED TO WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Government work does not match the stereotype. We don't sit around all day drinking coffee and
browsing the web. I work with some amazingly talented engineers and we work hard. I've worked in
the Land Development Division, am now in the Capital Projects Division, and I work closely with the
Transportation Engineering Division. All hard workers.
The pros are excellent benefits. I'll be honest, the benefits are too generous in my opinion. Other pros
are, while you still need to be budget conscious, there isn't that stress of being billable and ensuring
company profit. I do still have some late nights, taking work home, and even the occasional all-nighter
for certain deadlines but it seems to be far less than when I was in private.
The cons are it could be hard to get into a public sector job. Also, I think the pay is typically a little
less than private sector. What I miss is the hardcore designing. You may get to do design in the public
sector, depending on how much design your agency does in-house but in my situation, we outsource
anything medium and above and keep only the smaller in-house. It becomes a lot more managing than
design.
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ENGINEERS IN ORGANISATIONS
Organisational Culture
• Organisational culture is a vital component within the organisation. An
organisation’s culture is defined as the norms, expectations, patterns and unwritten
rules inside a company, which shape our experience and determine if we are inside
or outside the company.
• The value of an organisation’s culture is not the identity of those inside the
organisation looking out, but how that identity captures the mind and heart of the
customers we serve.
• We need to recognise and deliver value to the customers and investors who give us
the right to exist as a company and we make sure our personal values ensure a
legacy of goodness.
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• Engineers must have some understanding of the organisation in which they are
employed. This knowledge helps engineers to understand:
• How they and their managers handle issues under the influence of the
organisation.
• How one can act in the organisation effectively, safely and in a morally
responsible way.
• In order to understand the organisational cultures in which engineers work, we first
must understand the types of companies:
Engineer-Oriented Customer-Oriented Finance-Oriented

Companies Companies Companies
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Engineer-Oriented Companies
• In these firms, there is general agreement that quality takes priority over others,
except safety.
• Engineers often described their relationship to managers in these firms as one in
which negotiation or arriving at consensus was prominent.
• Managers would rarely overrule engineers when there was a significant engineering
issue, although they might make the final decision when issues as cost or marketing
are involved.
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Customer-Oriented Companies
• Decision making is similar to that of engineer-oriented firms, but with four significant
differences:
• Managers think of engineers as advocates of a point of view different from their
own. Managers focus on business factors such as timing and cost, while
engineers focus on quality and safety.
• More emphasis is placed on business considerations.
• While safety is the main priority, quality can be sacrificed to get the product
sold.
• Communication between engineers and managers may be somewhat more
difficult.
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Finance-Oriented Companies
• These firms are more centralised. As such, engineers may receive less information for
making decisions.
• Consequently, engineers’ decisions are given less weight by managers.
• Managers are less inclined to try to reach consensus and engineers are seen as
having a staff and advisory function.
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Functions of Engineers and Managers

• The primary function of engineers within
an organisation is to use their technical
knowledge and training to create
structures, products and processes that
are of value to the company and its
customers.
• But engineers are also professionals and
they must uphold the standards that their
profession has decided.
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• Thus, engineers have a dual loyalty – to their organisation and to their profession.
• These obligations included meeting the standards associated with good design and
accepted engineering practice.
• Engineers also attribute key importance to safety and therefore are more inclined to
be cautious.
• The function of managers is different, in the sense that they direct the activities of
the organisations, including the activities of engineers.
• Rather than being oriented towards technical standards, they are more likely to be
governed by organisational standards, and in some cases by their own personal
moral beliefs.
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• The perspectives of managers and engineers differ. Managers view themselves as

custodians of the organisation and are primarily concerned with its current and
future well-being (economic terms, public image, employee morale, etc.).
• Engineers, on the other hand, tend to assign a serial ordering to the various
considerations relevant to the design so that minimal standards of safety and quality
must be met before any other considerations are relevant.
• Proper engineering and management decisions are described as follows:
• Proper Engineering Decisions (PED) – A decision that should be made by engineers
because it involves technical matters that require engineering expertise, or falls
within the ethical standards embodied in engineering codes, especially those to
protect the health and safety of the public.
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• Proper Management Decisions (PMD) – A decision that should be made by

managers because it involves factors relating to the well-being of the
organisation, such as cost, scheduling and marketing, and employee morale or
welfare. The decision does not force engineers to make unacceptable
compromises within their own technical and ethical standards.
• The PMD makes it clear that management standards should never overrule
engineering standards when the two are in substantial conflict, especially with regard
to safety and even quality.
• The PMD also specifies that a legitimate management decision must not force
engineers to violate their professional practices and standards.
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• Engineers are expected to give advice, even in decisions properly made by managers.
Management decisions can often benefit from the advice of engineers, such as
advising on improvements in design, alternative designs and ways to make a product
more attractive.
• Furthermore, engineers may be in the best position to anticipate the sorts of
problems products could have down the road. Engineers forewarn managers of
future problems and advise them of available alternatives.
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CLASS ACTIVITY 3

• Watch the given video on “Engineering Failures”. Discuss and share your thoughts on
the following:
Who should be held responsible for project failures?
What criteria should engineers follow in order to ensure safe designs?
How can organisations ensure their project is safe for public use?
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ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY
• Moral values are embedded in the engineering process itself, rather than merely
imposed on it by external rules and laws.
• Ethical issues arise as a product develops from a mental concept to physical
completion (refer to next slide).
• Engineers encounter both moral and technical problems concerning:
• Variability in the materials available to them
• The quality of work by co-workers at all levels
• Pressures imposed by time and the impulse of the marketplace
• Relationships of authority within corporations
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• The manifold activities of engineers can be summarised as follows:
Initiation of Task Design Manufacture Implementation Final Tasks
• Idea, specific request, • Concept, goals, • Scheduling of tasks • Advertising, sales and • Geriatric service:
or market demand preliminary design • Purchasing financing Rebuilding, recycling
• Performance components and • Operating and parts • Disposal of materials
specifications materials manuals and wastes
• Preliminary analysis • Fabrication of parts • Shipping and
• Detailed analysis: • Assembly / installation, operator
Simulation / construction training.
prototyping • Quality control / • Provisions for safety
• Specifications for testing measures and devices
materials and • Use of the product
components • Field service:
• Detailed shop drawings Maintenance, repairs,
spare parts
• Monitoring social and
environmental effects
• Reporting findings to
parties at possible risk
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• Dealing with the complexity requires close cooperation among the engineers of
many different departments and disciplines.
• It is not uncommon for engineering organisations to suffer from “silo mentality”
which makes engineers disregard or hold in low esteem the work carried out by
other groups other than their own.
• It will be difficult to improve a design or even to rectify mistakes under such
circumstances.
• Engineers do well to establish contact with colleagues so that information can be
exchanged freely. Such contacts become important when there is a need to tackle
morally complex problems.
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• Problems that arise in the stages of the engineering process may be caused by:
• Lack of vision as a result of overlooking suitable alternatives, or accepting alternatives
without critical thinking.
• Incompetence among engineers carrying out technical tasks.
• Lack of time or proper materials, which are attributed to poor management.
• Silo mentality, which keeps information compartmentalised rather than shared across
different departments.
• The notion that there are safety engineers somewhere down the line to catch potential
problems.
• Improper use or disposal of the product by an unwary owner or user.
• Dishonesty in any activity in the engineering process.
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• Engineers need foresight, caution and the ability to construct scenarios to help them
imagine who may be affected indirectly by their products and decisions, in good or
harmful ways.
• There are many elements that link to engineers either personally or through their
work to clients, the community, organisations representing their industry, their
profession, the government, and even the natural environment (refer to next slide).
• The problem of conflicting priorities and loyalties is one engineers will come across
again and again. This will require engineers to make the right decisions because some
decisions could threaten the engineer’s job security.
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Global Environment Engineering Firm

(society & nature) Family
Engineer
Manager Colleagues
Industry (other firms) Engineering Profession Clients or consumers

(societies)
Law, Government and

Public Agencies
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ENGINEERING AND SAFETY
• Ensuring safety is a foremost duty of

engineers. The following criteria must
be met to help ensure a safe design.
1. The minimum requirement is that
a design must comply with the
applicable laws. This requirement
should be easy to meet, since
legal standards for product safety
are generally well known, are
published, and are easily
accessible.
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ENGINEERING AND SAFETY
2. A design must meet the standard of accepted engineering practice. Engineers

cannot create a design that is less safe than what everyone else in the
profession understands to be acceptable.
3. Alternative designs that are potentially safer must be explored. Engineers
should discuss alternative design strategies with others in their field.
4. The engineer must attempt to foresee potential misuses of the product by the
consumer, design to avoid these problems and even design to protect when
someone misuses the product.
5. Once the product is designed, both prototypes and finished devices must be
rigorously tested to determine whether the product meets the specifications
and is safe to use.
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ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION
What is Ethics?
• Ethics is a system of moral principles. They affect how
people make decisions and lead their lives.
• Ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals
and society, and is also described as moral philosophy.
• Ethics covers the following:
• how to live a good life
• our rights and responsibilities
• the language of right and wrong
• moral decisions - what is good and bad?
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• Engineering is an important and learned

profession. Engineers are expected to
exhibit the highest standards of honesty
and integrity.
• Engineering has a direct and vital impact
on the quality of life for all people.
Accordingly, the services provided by
engineers require honesty, impartiality,
fairness, and equity, and must be
dedicated to the protection of the
public health, safety, and welfare.
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• Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behaviour that requires

adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.
• Thus ethics is not peripheral to, or an add-on to, engineering. It is integral to the
practice of engineering, part of engineering problem solving.
• Safety and guarding against avoidable harm are built into engineering; they are the
principles that underlie engineering codes and standards.
Keep integrity and your work ethics intact.

So what if it means you have to work harder;
an honorable character is your best calling
card, and that’s something anyone can have.
Kathy Ireland
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Ethics and Morality

• Ethics and morality are concerned with many forms of belief about good and bad,
right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate human behaviour, rights, virtue and
vice.
• Ethics and morality are studies of what we must do, and how we must behave from a
moral viewpoint, as opposed to an economic, religious, political or prudential
viewpoint.
• “What we must do” may be different from “how we must do” from a moral
perspective.
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• Example:
If I want to get to an important meeting on
time, it might be prudent to exceed the
speed limits as I drive to the meeting. In this
case, I must speed.
But we know that morally, it is wrong to
speed.Therefore, from a moral perspective, I
must not speed.
• This is often the case, where there is a
difference between what one must do
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morally and what one must do to achieve a non-moral goal, such as an economic
goal.
• The kinds of situations that are particularly challenging in ethics are those that
involve an ethical dilemma.
• An ethical dilemma exists whenever moral reasons or

considerations can be offered to support two or more
Ethical opposing courses of action.
Dilemma • Example: Respect for individual self-determination could be offered as a moral
reason to support a person’s decision not to wear seatbelts while respect for
the value of human life may be used to support or justify mandatory seatbelt
laws.
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• An ethical dilemma is not the same as an ethical issue.
• An ethical issue is a general topic or problem involving moral

rules, principles and norms.
• Ethical issues are caused by major differences of opinion and
Ethical Issue disagreement concerning what is morally correct.
• Examples:
• Physician-assisted suicide is an ethical issue in medicine.
• Vendor policies, perks and gifts are ethical issues in business.
• Weapons research is an ethical issue in engineering.
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CLASS ACTIVITY 4

• Watch the given video on “Damn Dams”. Discuss and share your thoughts on the
following:
Should we stop building dams?
Would you, as an engineer, agree to work on a construction project that can

potentially be harmful to the environment and society?
Should engineers have the right to refuse participation in a project because of

personal beliefs and principles?
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• Engineering ethics can be further divided into:

• Microethics – concerned with individuals and the internal relations of the
engineering profession. Microethics can be at two levels; individual and
professional. The individual ethics include honesty, integrity, fairness, etc., while
professional ethics at micro level include adherence to safety, quality, etc.
• Macroethics – concerned with the collective, social responsibility of the
engineering profession and societal decisions about technology. Macroethics
looks at bigger picture issues such as sustainability, poverty, social justice, and
bioethics, which need to be addressed by the engineering profession (and
society) as a whole. Macroethics typically covers certain professional and social
ethics.
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Engineering Ethics
Microethics Macroethics
Personal Ethics Professional Ethics Professional Ethics Social Ethics
Competence, Product Liability,

Honesty, Sustainable
Adherence to Environmental
Integrity, Development,
Safety, Ensuring Protection, Public
Fairness, etc. Bioethics, etc.
Quality, etc. Welfare, etc.
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Microethics
• Personal ethics – include personal qualities like decency, honesty and truthfulness.
Technical ethics and ethical responsibility also define the engineer.
• Technical Ethics
• the technical decisions and judgements made by engineers.
• microlevel analysis of individual technologies or practitioners.
• respecting intellectual property rights.
• Ethical responsibility
• making wise choices when such choices unexpectedly present themselves.
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• a willingness to engage others in the crucial choices.

• making choices on issues that confront technological society and how
intelligently to confront them.
• Professional ethics – the moral responsibility of engineers that covers
• professional relationships between engineers and other individuals who are their
managers, clients, colleagues and employers.
• the role of engineers in the industry and other organisations, professional
engineering societies, and responsibilities of the profession.
• Both personal and professional responsibilities are represented in a code of ethics
that is covered under professional competencies in the organisation.
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Macroethics
• Macroethics is generally not captured by professional codes of conduct. Macroethics
covers certain professional and social ethics as follows:
• Professional ethics – is concerned with
• the collective social responsibility of the engineering profession.
• the collective action that can transcend international boundaries.
• issues that affect all members of the profession.
• ethical implications such as risk and product liability.
• Social ethics – is concerned with
• technology policy decisions at the societal level.
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• macro level analysis of technology as a whole.

• ethical implications of public policy issues, sustainable development,
healthcare, and information and communication technology.
• ethical issues generated by new developments such as nano-
technology, cyber weapons, etc.
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CODE OF ETHICS IN ENGINEERING
• A code of ethics (or code of conduct)

has value as both an internal guideline
and an external statement of
corporate values and commitments.
• A well-written code of conduct
clarifies an organisation's mission,
values and principles, linking them with
standards of professional conduct.
• The code articulates the values the
organisation wishes to foster in
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leaders and employees and, in doing so, defines desired behaviour.

• As a result, written codes of conduct or ethics can become benchmarks against
which individual and organizational performance can be measured.
• Additionally, a code is a central guide and reference for employees to support day-
to-day decision making.
• It encourages discussions of ethics and compliance, empowering employees to
handle ethical dilemmas they encounter in everyday work.
• It can also serve as a valuable reference, helping employees locate relevant
documents, services and other resources related to ethics within the organisation.
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• Externally, a code serves several important purposes:

• Compliance: Legislation requires individuals serving on boards and organizational
leaders of public companies to implement codes or clearly explain why they
have not.
• Marketing: A code serves as a public statement of what the company stands for
and its commitment to high standards and right conduct.
• Risk Mitigation: Organisations with codes of ethics can reduce the financial risks
associated with government fines for ethical misconduct by demonstrating they
have made a "good faith effort" to prevent illegal acts.
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ASCE Code Of Ethics

• One of the most well-known codes of ethics is the one by the American Society of
Civil Engineers (ASCE).
• The ASCE Code of Ethics states that engineers should uphold and advance the
integrity, honour and dignity of the engineering profession by:
1. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare and the
environment.
2. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers and
clients.
3. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession.
4. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.
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• The ASCE Code of Ethics outlines 8 canons (rules) for civil engineers to follow:
1. Hold Safety Paramount
• Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the
public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable
development in the performance of their professional duties.
2. Service With Competence
• Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.
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3. Issue True Statements
• Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful

manner.
4. Act As A Faithful Agent
• Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as

faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
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5. Reputation By Merit
• Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their

services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
6. Uphold Professional Honour
• Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the

honour, integrity, and dignity of the engineering profession and shall act
with zero tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption.
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7. Continue Professional Development
• Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout

their careers, and shall provide opportunities for the professional
development of those engineers under their supervision.
8. Treat All Persons Fairly
• Engineers shall, in all matters related to their profession, treat all persons
fairly and encourage equitable participation without regard to gender or
gender identity, race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual
orientation, disability, political affiliation, or family, marital, or economic
status.
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ICE Code Of Professional Conduct

• The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in UK emphasises on engineers’ duty to
behave ethically or in other words, ‘to do the right thing’ in dealings with clients,
colleagues, other professionals, and anyone else they come into contact with in the
course of their duties.
• Members should always be aware of their overriding responsibility to the public
good. The ‘public good’ includes care and respect for humanity’s cultural, historical
and archaeological heritage, in addition to the duties specified in the Rules of
Professional Conduct to protect the health and well being of present and future
generations and to show due regard for the environment and for the sustainable
management of natural resources
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• The code highlights 6 basic rules:

1. All members shall discharge their professional duties with integrity and shall
behave with integrity in relation to all conduct bearing upon the standing,
reputation and dignity of the Institution and of the profession of civil
engineering.
2. All members shall only undertake work that they are competent to do.
3. All members shall have full regard for the public interest, particularly in
relation to matters of health and safety, and in relation to the well-being of
future generations.
4. All members shall show due regard for the environment and for the
sustainable management of natural resources.
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5. All members shall develop their professional knowledge, skills and

competence on a continuing basis and shall give all reasonable assistance to
further the education, training and continuing professional development of
others.
6. All members shall:
a) notify the Institution if convicted of a criminal offence;
b) notify the Institution upon becoming bankrupt or disqualified as a
Company Director;
c) notify the Institution of any significant breach of the Rules of Professional
Conduct by another member.
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BEM Code Of Conduct

• One of the functions of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) is to regulate the
conduct and ethics of the engineering profession in Malaysia.
• Any matter concerning the professional conduct of registered engineers will be
studied by BEM to determine whether there is a breach of professional ethics or
code.
• In exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 4(1)(f) of the Registration of
Engineers Act 1967 [Act 138], BEM determines the Code of Conduct of its
registered members.
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BEM Code Of Conduct for Graduate Engineers

• The BEM Code of Conduct outlines 3 main rules for
Graduate Engineers:
1. Not to falsify qualifications.
2. To certify work only if he has supervised,
witnessed or inspected such work.
3. Not to accept benefits from more than one
party.
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Not to falsify qualifications

1. Shall not falsify his qualifications or permit misrepresentation of his
qualifications. He shall not misrepresent or exaggerate his
responsibility in or for the subject matter of previous assignments. He
shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning employers,
employees, associates, joint ventures’, or past accomplishments.
2. Shall check with due diligence the accuracy of facts and data before he
signs or endorses any statement or claim. He shall not sign on such
documents unless, where necessary, he has made qualifications on
errors and inaccuracies.
3. Shall respond, within reasonable time, to communication from the
Board or any other relevant authority on matters pertaining to his
professional service.
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Not to falsify qualifications (cont’d)
4. Shall undertake assignments only if he is qualified by education and

experience in the specific technical fields of that assignment in which
he is to be involved.
5. Shall sign only those engineering documents that he has prepared or
has been prepared under his control.
6. Shall be objective and truthful in making professional reports,
statements and testimonies. He shall include all relevant and pertinent
information in such reports, statements, or testimonies, which should
bear the date indicating when the information was current.
7. Shall not express publicly technical opinions that are not founded upon
his competence and knowledge of the facts in the subject matter.
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Not to falsify qualifications (cont’d)
8. Shall not issue any statement, criticism or argument on technical

matters that are inspired or paid for by interested parties, unless he
has prefaced his comments by explicitly identifying the interested
parties on whose behalf he is speaking and by revealing the existence
of any interest he may have in the matter.
9. Shall notify the Board in writing within three (3) months – if he is
convicted of an offence involving false or negligent certification, fraud
or dishonesty in Malaysia or elsewhere; or if he becomes a bankrupt.
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM
To certify work only if he has supervised,

witnessed or inspected such work
1. Shall keep proper records of his participation, supervision, inspection

or witnessing of activities on site including the dates and time, subject-
matter, condition of site, weather, etc.
2. Shall check or verify with due diligence the accuracy of facts and data
before he signs or endorses any statement or certification. He shall
not sign on such documents unless he has supervised, witnessed or
inspected the carrying out of such work.
3. Shall bring to the attention of the Engineer or Employer at the earliest
possible opportunity of any instance where the work or materials used
are not in compliance with the specifications, drawings or conditions
of contract.
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM
To certify work only if he has supervised,

witnessed or inspected such work (cont’d)
4. Shall not issue instructions to the Contractor or give verification or
approval to works carried out by the Contractor unless he has been
authorised by the Engineer or Employer to do so.
5. Shall not reveal facts, data or information without the prior consent of
the Engineer or Employer, past and present, except as authorised or
required by law or when the withholding of such information is
contrary to the safety, health and interest of the public.
6. Having knowledge of any violation of this Code of Conduct or any law
or regulation shall report thereon to the Engineer or Employer and,
where relevant, also to public authorities and cooperate with the
Engineer or Employer in furnishing such information or assistance as
may be required.
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM
Not to accept benefit from more than one party
1. Shall not accept any benefit or compensation, financial or otherwise,

from more than one party for professional engineering services on the
same project, or for professional engineering services pertaining to the
same project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed
to by all interested parties.
2. Shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest that may
influence or appear to influence his judgment or the quality of his
services.
3. Shall not solicit or accept any consideration, financial or otherwise,
directly or indirectly, from outside agents in connection with the work
for which he is responsible.
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM
Not to accept benefit from more than one party

(cont’d)
4. When acting as Advisor or Director of a company or an agency, he

shall not participate in decision with respect to professional
engineering services solicited or provided by him or his organization
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM
SELF-DRIVING CARS: A NEW ETHICAL DILEMMA
• Watch the given videos on “Self-Driving Cars” or “Autonomous Cars”, the latest
engineering product that is taking the world by storm.
• Ponder on the following questions and share your thoughts:
Are engineers making life easier for us or just making us lazy?
Would you trust your vehicle to make decisions for you on the road?
Should self-driving cars be allowed on roads?
BDD/FKAAS/UTHM

Engineering & Organisation

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BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

• Engineers may work in the public or private

to supervise every project. If they only

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

• Form a group consisting of five (5) members.

Engineers working in government agencies

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

against closures and hostile financial conditions. Another substantial advantage

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

work part-time, taking into account the different circumstances of employees.

WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

REVELATIONS OF A PUBLIC SECTOR ENGINEER

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

Engineer-Oriented Customer-Oriented Finance-Oriented

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

Functions of Engineers and Managers

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

• The perspectives of managers and engineers differ. Managers view themselves as

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

• Proper Management Decisions (PMD) – A decision that should be made by

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

• Form a group consisting of five (5) members.

Who should be held responsible for project failures?

What criteria should engineers follow in order to ensure safe designs?

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

• The manifold activities of engineers can be summarised as follows:

Initiation of Task Design Manufacture Implementation Final Tasks

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ENGINEERING AND MORAL COMPLEXITY

Global Environment Engineering Firm

Industry (other firms) Engineering Profession Clients or consumers

Law, Government and

ENGINEERING AND SAFETY

• Ensuring safety is a foremost duty of

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ENGINEERING AND SAFETY

2. A design must meet the standard of accepted engineering practice. Engineers

ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

• Engineering is an important and learned

ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

• Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behaviour that requires

Keep integrity and your work ethics intact.

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY

ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

Ethics and Morality

ETHICS IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

BFC 32202 – ENGINEERS & SOCIETY