Engineering is an important and learned profession. The members
of the profession recognize that their work 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. In the
practice of their profession, engineers must perform under a standard of
professional behavior which requires adherence to the highest principles of
ethical conduct on behalf of the public, clients, employers and the
profession.
I. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties,
shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety,
health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional
duties.
2. Perform services only in
areas of their competence.
3. Issue
public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Act in professional matters for each
employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid improper solicitation of
professional employment.
II. Rules of Practice
1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional
duties.
a. Engineers shall at all times
recognize that their primary obligation is to protect the safety, health,
property and welfare of the public. If their professional judgment is overruled
under circumstances where the safety, health, property or welfare of the public
are endangered, they shall notify their employer or client and such other
authority as may be appropriate.
b.
Engineers shall approve only those engineering documents which are safe for
public health, property and welfare in conformity with accepted
standards.
c. Engineers shall not
reveal facts, data or information obtained in a professional capacity without
the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized or required by
law or this Code.
d. Engineers
shall not permit the use of their name or firm name nor associate in business
ventures with any person or firm which they have reason to believe is engaging
in fraudulent or dishonest business or professional practices.
e. Engineers having knowledge of any alleged
violation of this Code shall cooperate with the proper authorities in
furnishing such information or assistance as may be required.
2. Engineers shall perform
services only in the areas of their competence:
a. Engineers shall undertake assignments only
when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical
fields;
b. Engineers shall not
affix their signatures to any plans or documents dealing with subject matter in
which they lack competence, nor to any plan or document not prepared under
their direction and control;
c.
Engineers may accept assignments and assume responsibility for coordination of
an entire project and sign and seal the engineering documents for the entire
project, provided that each technical segment is signed and sealed only by the
qualified engineers who prepared the segment.
3. Engineers shall issue public statements
only in an objective and truthful manner.
a.
Engineers shall be objective and truthful in professional reports, statements
or testimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinent information in such
reports, statements or testimony.
b. Engineers may express publicly a
professional opinion on technical subjects only when that opinion is founded
upon adequate knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject
matter.
c. Engineers shall issue no
statements, criticisms or arguments on technical matters which are inspired or
paid for by interested parties, unless they have prefaced their comments by
explicitly identifying the interested parties on whose behalf they are
speaking, and by revealing the existence of any interest the engineers may have
in the matters.
4.
Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as
faithful agents or trustees.
a. Engineers
shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest to their employers
or clients by promptly informing them of any business association, interest, or
other circumstances which could influence or appear to influence their judgment
or the quality of their services.
b. Engineers shall not accept compensation,
financial or otherwise, from more than one party for services on the same
project, or for services pertaining to the same project, unless the
circumstances are fully disclosed to, and agreed to, by all interested
parties.
c. Engineers shall not
solicit or accept financial or other valuable consideration, directly or
indirectly, from contractors, their agents, or other parties in connection with
work for employers or clients for which they are responsible.
d. Engineers in public service as members,
advisors or employees of a governmental body or department shall not
participate in decisions with respect to professional services solicited or
provided by them or their organizations in private or public engineering
practice.
e. Engineers shall not
solicit or accept a professional contract from a governmental body on which a
principal or officer of their organization serves as a member, except after
public disclosure of all pertinent facts and circumstances, and consent of
appropriate public authority.
5. Engineers shall avoid improper
solicitation of professional employment.
a.
Engineers shall not falsify or permit misrepresentation of their, or their
associates' academic or professional qualifications. They shall not
misrepresent or exaggerate their degree of responsibility in or for the subject
matter of prior assignments. Brochures or other presentations incident to the
solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning
employers, employees, associates, joint venturers or past accomplishments with
the intent and purpose of enhancing their qualifications and their
work.
b. Engineers shall not offer,
give, solicit or receive, either directly or indirectly, any political
contribution in an amount intended to influence the award of a contract by
public authority, or which may be reasonably construed by the public of having
the effect or intent to influence the award of a contract. They shall not offer
any gift, or other valuable consideration in order to secure work. They shall
not pay a commission, percentage or brokerage fee in order to secure work
except to a bona fide employee or bona fide established commercial or marketing
agencies retained by them.
III. Professional Obligations
1. Engineers shall be guided in all their
professional relations by the highest standards of integrity.
a. Engineers shall admit and accept their own
errors when proven wrong and refrain from distorting or altering the facts in
an attempt to justify their decisions.
b. Engineers shall advise their clients or
employers when they believe a project will not be successful.
c. Engineers shall not accept outside
employment to the detriment of their regular work or interest. Before accepting
any outside employment they will notify their employers.
d. Engineers shall not attempt to attract an
engineer from another employer by false or misleading pretenses.
e. Engineers shall not actively participate
in strikes, picket lines, or other collective coercive action.
f Engineers shall avoid any act tending to promote their own
interest at the expense of the dignity and integrity of the profession.
2. Engineers shall at
all times strive to serve the public interest.
a. Engineers shall seek opportunities to be
of constructive service in civic affairs and work for the advancement of the
safety, health and well-being of their community.
b. Engineers shall not complete, sign, or
seal plans and/or specifications that are not of a design safe to the public
health and welfare and in conformity with accepted engineering standards. If
the client or employer insists on such unprofessional conduct, they shall
notify the proper authorities and withdraw from further service on the
project.
c. Engineers shall
endeavor to extend public knowledge and appreciation of engineering and its
achievements and to protect the engineering profession from misrepresentation
and misunderstanding.
3.
Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice which is likely to discredit the
profession or deceive the public.
a.
Engineers shall avoid the use of statements containing a material
misrepresentation of fact or omitting a material fact necessary to keep
statements from being misleading; statements intended or likely to create an
unjustified expectation; statements containing prediction of future success;
statements containing an opinion as to the quality of the Engineers' services;
or statements intended or likely to attract clients by the use of showmanship,
puffery, or self-laudation, including the use of slogans, jingles, or
sensational language or format.
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 confidential information concerning the business affairs or
technical processes of any present or former client or employer without his
consent.
a. Engineers in the employ of others
shall not without the consent of all interest parties enter promotional efforts
or negotiations for work or make arrangements for other employment as a
principal or to 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 interest 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 uphold the principle of
appropriate and adequate compensation for those engaged in engineering work.
a. Engineers shall not accept remuneration
from either an employee or employment agency for giving employment.
b. Engineers, when employing other engineers,
shall offer a salary according to professional qualifications and the
recognized standards in the particular geographical area.
7. Engineers shall not compete unfairly with
other engineers by attempting to obtain employment or advancement or
professional engagements by taking advantage of a salaried position, by
criticizing other engineers, or by other improper or questionable methods.
a. Engineers shall not request, propose, or
accept a professional commission on a contingent basis under circumstances in
which their professional judgment may be compromised.
b. Engineers in salaried positions shall
accept part-time engineering work only at salaries not less than that
recognized as standard in the area.
c. Engineers shall not use equipment,
supplies, laboratory, or office facilities of an employer to carry on outside
private practice without consent.
8. Engineers shall not attempt to injure,
maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation,
prospects, practice or employment of other engineers, nor indiscriminately
criticize other engineers' work. 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.
9. Engineers shall accept responsibility for
their professional activities; provided, however, that Engineers may seek
indemnification for professional services arising out of their practice for
other than gross negligence, where the Engineer's 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,
but must accept personal responsibility for all professional acts.
10. 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 which may justify
copyrights or patents, should enter into a positive agreement regarding
ownership.
d. Engineers' designs,
data, records, and notes referring exclusively to an employer's work are the
employer's property.
11.
Engineers shall cooperate in extending the effectiveness of the profession by
interchanging information and experience with other engineers and students, and
will endeavor to provide opportunity for the professional development and
advancement of engineers under their supervision.
a. Engineers shall encourage engineering
employees' efforts to improve their education.
b. Engineers shall encourage engineering
employees to attend and present papers at professional and technical society
meetings.
c. Engineers shall urge
engineering employees to become registered at the earliest possible
date.
d. Engineers shall assign a
professional engineer duties of a nature to utilize full training and
experience, insofar as possible, and delegate lesser functions to
subprofessionals or to technicians.
e. Engineers shall provide a prospective
engineering employee with complete information on working conditions and
proposed status of employment, and after employment will keep employees
informed of any changes.
BASED UPON THE NSPE Publication No. 2306 As revised, August
1986