Obligation-Conflict Resolution

Case 12-11 (2012) · Public Health and Safety—Scaffolding for Highway Ramp

Professional obligations conflict, and the board applies no fixed rule for which one wins. Each resolution is recorded as three edges: competesWith (the tension), prevailsOver (the obligation the board allowed to win in this case), and defeasibleUnder (the situation under which the yielding obligation gives way). The same tension is then traced across comparable cases, where its resolution shifts with context. Hover any obligation or state to see its definition; click to open it in OntServe.
How this case resolved it
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Engineer A BER 00-5 Public Pressure Resistance Bridge Closure prevails over Engineer A BER 00-5 Full-Bore Multi-Authority Campaign Bridge Collapse
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
  • Safety Closure Enforcement Failure — BER 00-5 Barricades
Engineer A Non-Acquiescence Supervisor Refusal Scaffolding Safety Escalation prevails over Engineer A Illegal Traffic Hazard Supervisor Notification Writing Present Case
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
  • Engineer A Observed Illegal Commercial Vehicle Use Creating Scaffolding Hazard
Engineer A Public Welfare Paramount Scaffolding Design Obligation prevails over Engineer A Corrective Options Presentation Supervisor Present Case
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
  • Engineer A Public Safety at Risk — Worker and Public Endangerment from Scaffolding Proximity to Illegal Traffic
Engineer A BER 00-5 Full-Bore Multi-Authority Campaign Bridge Collapse prevails over Engineer A BER 00-5 Five-Ton Limit Strict Enforcement Supervisor Escalation
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
  • Multi-Authority Escalation Obligation — BER 00-5 Bridge
Engineer A BER 07-10 New Owner Priority Notification Jones Barn prevails over Engineer A BER 07-10 Written Notification Town Supervisor Barn Safety
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
  • Certificate of Occupancy Issued Despite Structural Concern — BER 07-10
Engineer A Graduated Escalation Scaffolding Commercial Vehicle Hazard Present Case prevails over Engineer A Precedent-Informed Calibration Present Case vs BER 00-5 vs BER 07-10
No State context committed for this edge.
Open tensions recorded without a resolution: Engineer A BER 00-5 Full-Bore Multi-Authority Campaign Bridge Collapse vs Engineer A BER 00-5 Retired Inspector Unlicensed Practice Determination Engineer A BER 00-5 Full-Bore Multi-Authority Campaign Bridge Collapse vs Engineer A Precedent-Informed Calibration Present Case vs BER 00-5 vs BER 07-10 Engineer A Good Faith Safety Concern External Reporting Threshold Assessment vs Engineer A Graduated Escalation Scaffolding Commercial Vehicle Hazard Present Case
What the board concluded
  • Engineer A should immediately notify verbally (and in writing if necessary) Engineer A's immediate supervisor at OPQ Construction of the safety hazards to employees (and others) due to commercial vehicles passing by while inspection and repair is being performed on the ramps.