Terence et al.,
In engineering, the licensing is needed to cover the grievous harm that can
result from "bad engineering" (negligence, immoral/unethical behaviour,
etc). People often put their lives in the hands of engineers when they use
engineered products. The licensing is supposed to provide the needed level
of trust.
Should other design disciplines be so regulated? I would say it depends on
the effects that can be caused by "bad design". If people can die, then
I'd say yes absolutely. If the result of the "bad design" is something
that is aesthetically displeasing, then I'd have to wonder.
I guess it really depends on what's being designed.
Cheers.
Fil
Terence Love wrote:
> Ken noted that:
> <snip>When you enter certain professions, you undertake an oath, a sworn
> responsibility to those whom you serve. This oath is a binding obligation
> on therapists, physicians, ministers, priests, pastoral counselors,
> deacons, psychologists, and psychiatrists. <snip>
>
> A similar oath, with extensive implications for professional and personal
> responsibility is also taken by engineering designers certified by
> professional engineering institutions. (see, for examples, the codes of
> ethics/conduct of IMEchE -reproduced below, ASME, and IEAust). In the
> limit, failure to conform with the codes results in removal of the
> individuals' authority to practice.
>
> Wondering if people feel this would help in other design disciplines?
>
> Best wishes,
> Terry
>
> Research Fellow
> Curtin University
> Visiting Fellow
> Lancaster University
> Conselho Cientifico
> UNIDCOM, IADE
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ===<snip IMechE Code of Conduct>
> Code of Conduct Regulations Pursuant to By-law 33
> Amended and approved by the Trustee Board on 11 December 2002
> Members are specifically referred to By-law 31, which sets out the core
> ethical obligations for all members of the Institution. The following
> Regulations are founded on the principles contained within this By-law.
> CONDUCT OF CORPORATE AND NON-CORPORATE MEMBERS
> CR1. Members shall take reasonable and appropriate steps to inform an
> employer, contractor, or client in writing of any conflict between their
> personal interest and faithful service to the employer or client.
> CR2. Members shall not divulge any confidential information regarding the
> business affairs, technical process or financial standing of their clients,
> contractors, or employers without their consent.
> CR3. Members shall not solicit nor shall they receive any inducement
> directly or indirectly on any article or process used in or for the
> purposes of the work in respect of which they are employed unless or until
> such inducement has been authorised in writing by the employer or client.
> Gifts of a relatively trivial nature are not considered to be an inducement.
> CR4. Members who become aware, or have reasonable grounds for believing,
> that another member is engaged in conduct or has engaged in conduct which
> is in breach of the Code of Conduct shall inform the Institution in writing
> of that belief.
> CR5. Members shall immediately advise the Institution in writing if they
> are convicted of a criminal offence or upon becoming bankrupt or
> disqualified as a Company Director. Such notification to be addressed to the
> Chief Executive of the Institution and delivered in person or by recorded
> delivery.
> CR6. Members shall exercise due care and consideration for the effects of
> their work on the health and safety of individuals and society.
> CR7. Members shall only accept and perform work for which they are
> qualified and competent to undertake, and shall seek and obtain whatever
> advice and assistance that may be required to fully discharge their
> responsibilities.
> CR8. A member shall not recklessly or maliciously injure or attempt to
> injure whether directly or indirectly the reputation, practice, employment
> or livelihood of another person.
> CR9. Members shall ensure, so far as they are able, that other engineers
> receive credit for their professional achievements and receive any
> concomitant rewards to which they may be entitled.
> CR10. Members shall not knowingly undertake work on behalf of one client or
> employer that they may then need to review, authorise or certify on behalf
> of a second client or employer.
> CR11. Whilst acting for a client or employer, members shall not be at the
> same time, directors or substantial shareholders in any company with which
> they may have material dealings on behalf of their client or employer,
> without divulging the full facts in writing to their client or employer and
> obtaining their written consent to such action.
> CR12. Members who act as independent experts, conciliators, mediators or
> arbitrators shall do so with impartiality, uninfluenced by any personal
> considerations.
> CR13. Members shall not use information obtained in confidence for the
> purpose of making personal profit. Neither shall they use any information
> obtained in the course of an assignments for the purpose for personal
> profit, if such action is contrary to the aims of the assignment.
> CR14. Members shall not divulge, without prior permission, any unpublished
> information obtained by them as members of an investigating commission or
> advisory board.
> CR15. Members whose professional advice, is not accepted shall take
> reasonable steps to ensure that the person overruling their advice is aware
> of any hazards which the member believes may result from such overruling or
> neglect be they of a safety, environmental, quality, operational, or
> financial nature.
> CR16. Members shall take due account of disaster prevention, mitigation and
> recovery methods during the exercise of their responsibilities.
> CR17. Members, in recognising the importance of cultural and environmental
> factors shall strive to accomplish the objectives of their work with the
> most efficient use of natural resources (the Best Practicable
> Environmental Option) and endeavour to produce systems which minimise the
> consumption of energy, whilst reducing waste and pollution and encouraging
> recycling by taking due account of total life-cycle implications of
> products and projects in relation to the environment (the Best Available
> Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost).
> CR18. Members shall promote the principles and practices of sustainable
> development whilst taking into account the needs of present and future
> generations.
> CR19. In the event of any conflict between a members' duties to his
> superiors and colleagues or his duties to the Institution, the duties to
> the Institution shall prevail.
> CR20. Members shall co-operate with any reasonable request made by an
> Investigating Panel, and or, Disciplinary Board, or an Appeal Hearing for
> the purposes of their functions.
> ===
--
Prof. Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ryerson University Tel: 416/979-5000 x7749
350 Victoria St. Fax: 416/979-5265
Toronto, ON email: [log in to unmask]
M5B 2K3 Canada http://deed.ryerson.ca/~fil/
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