Engineer A had an obligation to continue to pursue a resolution of the matter by working with Client B and in contacting in writing the supervisor of the county official, the fire marshal, or any other agency with jurisdiction, advising them of the structural deficiencies.

The role of the professional engineer in protecting the public health, safety, and welfare is fundamental to the practice of engineering and is the overriding value in the NSPE Code of Ethics. The NSPE Board of Ethical Review has considered ethical dilemmas involving the public health and safety on many occasions. While there can be no one standard that applies to these types of cases, there are basic values and principles in the NSPE Code of Ethics that provide important guidance to professional engineers who are faced with such situations. An illustration of how the Board has addressed this dilemma can be found in BER Case No. 00-5. In this case, Engineer A worked for a local government and learned about a critical situation involving a bridge that was 280 feet long and 30 feet above a stream. This bridge was a concrete deck on wood piles built by the state in the 1950s. It was part of the secondary roadway system given to the counties many years ago. In June 2000, Engineer A received a telephone call from the bridge inspector stating that the bridge needed to be closed due to the large number of rotten pilings. Engineer A had barricades and signs erected within the hour on a Friday afternoon. Residents in the area were required to take a 10-mile detour. On the following Monday, the barricades were found dumped in the river, and the “Bridge Closed” sign was found beyond the trees by the roadway. More permanent barricades and signs were installed. The press published photos of some of the piles that did not reach the ground and the patchwork installed over the years. Within a few days, a detailed inspection report prepared by a consulting engineering firm, signed and sealed, indicated seven pilings required replacement. Within three weeks, Engineer A had obtained authorization for the bridge to be replaced. Several state and federal transportation departments needed to complete their reviews and tasks before funds could be used. A rally was held, and a petition w...

Engineer A is hired by Client B to conduct a building investigation to determine the origin and cause of a fire resulting in financial loss. During the investigation, Engineer A, who was also a structural engineer, observes that the building is structurally unstable. Engineer A performs a preliminary investigation of the building and after speaking with Client B, concludes that there were recent structural changes made to the building that may have caused the roof to sag and the walls to lean outward due to insufficient lateral restraint. Engineer A also learns that following construction modifications, the building was issued a certificate of occupancy by a county building official. Although not imminent, collapse of the building is a danger, Engineer A believes. Engineer A immediately advises Client B and calls the county building official. The county building official did not return Engineer A’s phone call. Engineer A also recommended to the owners to brace the building to prevent its collapse.

What are Engineer A’s ethical obligations under the circumstances?