5 replies to this topic

[Pilesar]

I consider engineering a profession and not just a job. I have responsibilities to my employer and also to the public and to the other engineers in the profession. I thought it worth a post to discuss some of the 'shadow' aspects of engineering that may not be explicitly taught in school coursework and are not routinely discussed in this forum but are still an essential part of the profession. 

 

Here are a few guidelines for engineering conduct:

a) Conduct engineering in a professional manner, with diligence and care.

b. Engineers must be competent. If you don't have the required experience or education and are not qualified to perform adequately, then do not accept the engineering assignment.

c) Perform your work in the interests of your employer.

d) Do not accept pay from more than one employer for the same engineering service.

e) Keep in confidence the private information of your employer.

f) Fully disclose all potential conflicts of interest to your employer.

g) Protect the public health and safety. 

h) Do not perform any engineering that is likely to put the public in danger.

i) Inform your employer of engineering decisions that might harm the public. 

j) If your employer does not do what is right and the public is still at risk, then take the matter to the authorities.

k) Engineers must be honest. Engineering requires clear, objective, and truthful communication. 

l) Do not be involved in fraud, theft, intimidation, harassment, bribery, deceit.

m) Do not offer or accept gifts or favors to get engineering work.

n) Do not try to get engineering employment by false advertising or a misleading resume.

o) Never try to damage the reputation of someone else. 

p) When requested to assess another by their prospective employer, be honest.

 

There are other guidelines and I have lots of thoughts but this is enough to start to see if the topic is of interest.

Edited by Pilesar, 14 October 2021 - 08:55 PM.

[Chemitofreak]

 

I consider engineering a profession and not just a job. I have responsibilities to my employer and also to the public and to the other engineers in the profession. I thought it worth a post to discuss some of the 'shadow' aspects of engineering that may not be explicitly taught in school coursework and are not routinely discussed in this forum but are still an essential part of the profession. 

 

Here are a few guidelines for engineering conduct:

a) Conduct engineering in a professional manner, with diligence and care.

 

b. Engineers must be competent. If you don't have the required experience or education and are not qualified to perform adequately, then do not accept the engineering assignment.

Response: All assignments are performed under supervision, so If one has proper guidance, then it should not be a problem to take-up tasks that you have never performed (provided you have right education for the same).

 

c) Perform your work in the interests of your employer.

d) Do not accept pay from more than one employer for the same engineering service.

Response: This is conflict of interest. All the employment contracts have this clause. So perform this on your own peril.

 

e) Keep in confidence the private information of your employer.

f) Fully disclose all potential conflicts of interest to your employer.

g) Protect the public health and safety. 

h) Do not perform any engineering that is likely to put the public in danger.

i) Inform your employer of engineering decisions that might harm the public. 

j) If your employer does not do what is right and the public is still at risk, then take the matter to the authorities.

Response: This is tricky. There are Plants that are designed based on old standards and when we have 5 years review for the documents, we find many faults because all these codes and standards are every evolving. We cannot left right and center start to ask for modifications.

 

k) Engineers must be honest. Engineering requires clear, objective, and truthful communication. 

l) Do not be involved in fraud, theft, intimidation, harassment, bribery, deceit.

m) Do not offer or accept gifts or favors to get engineering work.

n) Do not try to get engineering employment by false advertising or a misleading resume.

o) Never try to damage the reputation of someone else. 

p) When requested to assess another by their prospective employer, be honest.

Response: Most of the people provide a reference who is in good relationship with him/her. People giving unbiased opinions are hard to find.  

 

There are other guidelines and I have lots of thoughts but this is enough to start to see if the topic is of interest.

 

 

Refer to my response in red. This topic can be a topic wherein we can debate for hours and hours.

[latexman]

Along those same lines, the first day I started work for MegaCorp 42 years ago, all the new Engineers were given The Unwritten Rules of Engineering by W. J. King.  I still have it today.

 

TIMELESS ADVICE FOR ENGINEERS The Unwritten Laws of Engineering by W. J. King was first published in 1944 as three articles in Mechanical Engineering magazine. It has been in print as a book ever since, becoming a classic of engineering literature. Recent editions, including a trade version, The Unwritten Laws of Business, have revisions and additions by James G. Skakoon. Mechanical Engineering magazine is excerpting laws from the book, presented in three articles just as in 1944, with comments from contemporary authorities. For the first in the series, we start with “What the Beginner Needs to Learn at Once.” Future installments will be “Relating Chiefly to Engineering Managers” and “Professional and Personal Considerations.”

 

The originating author of The Unwritten Laws of Engineering, W. J. King, observed that the chief obstacles to the success of engineers are of a personal and administrative rather than a technical nature. King, a wartime engineer with General Electric and later a UCLA engineering professor, conceded that he and his associates were getting into much more trouble by violating the undocumented laws of professional conduct than by violating the well-documented laws of science. So he laid down some “unwritten” laws into house rules for professional conduct. None of these laws is theoretical or imaginary, and however obvious they appear, their repeated violation is responsible for much of the frustration and embarrassment of engineers everywhere. Many laws were derived by King while directly observing four engineering departments. These have been supplemented, confirmed, and updated by King and others from numerous discussions, observations, and literature; they do not reflect the unique experience or characteristics of any one organization. Many of these laws are generalizations to which exceptions will occur in special circumstances. There is no substitute for judgment and, in an emergency, vigorous initiative is needed to cut through formalities. But notwithstanding the infrequent striking exception, these laws cannot be violated too often with impunity.

[Pilesar]

Thanks Latexman! I see this book is still in print: https://www.amazon.c...n/dp/0791861961

Sounds interesting -- I plan to get a copy.

Edited by Pilesar, 15 October 2021 - 08:44 AM.

[Bobby Strain]

Well, one frequent transgression is a person taking credit for another's (me) work. And then there are the companies taking client's money for foolish endeavors. And, there are outright scams by promoters. I have been party to the second, with quite vocal objection. And a target of the third. Both involving discarded tire pyrolysis. 15 years apart, different parties.

 

Quite often one encounters pressure to be a "team player".

 

Bobby

[Pilesar]

Giving other people credit for their work is definitely one of those 'shadow' engineering guidelines. It will usually come out who really did the work. When you are the one to put another's good efforts in the spotlight, you may get some of the reflected glory and perhaps the good will of the other person when you need help in the future. Similar effort should be taken to not highlight someone else's mistakes. Avoid making enemies whenever possible.