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Responsibility in Engineering

The document discusses engineering responsibility and the progression of engineering tasks. It notes that engineering responsibility involves both accountability for past and present work as well as adhering to regulatory and reasonable standards of care. Engineering tasks proceed from initiation and design to manufacture, implementation, and final tasks like maintenance and disposal. Several potential problems are outlined at each stage of an engineering project that could undermine responsible practices, such as unrealistic assumptions, lack of safety measures, or inadequate testing. Underlying causes of irresponsible behavior are discussed like incompetence, lack of resources, or dishonesty. The final sections describe the chemical industry's Responsible Care initiative and codes of management practices adopted in the Philippines to promote continuous environmental, health, and safety improvements.

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86 views

Responsibility in Engineering

The document discusses engineering responsibility and the progression of engineering tasks. It notes that engineering responsibility involves both accountability for past and present work as well as adhering to regulatory and reasonable standards of care. Engineering tasks proceed from initiation and design to manufacture, implementation, and final tasks like maintenance and disposal. Several potential problems are outlined at each stage of an engineering project that could undermine responsible practices, such as unrealistic assumptions, lack of safety measures, or inadequate testing. Underlying causes of irresponsible behavior are discussed like incompetence, lack of resources, or dishonesty. The final sections describe the chemical industry's Responsible Care initiative and codes of management practices adopted in the Philippines to promote continuous environmental, health, and safety improvements.

Uploaded by

qwerasdf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Responsibility

In Engineering
Responsibility in
Engineering
Obligation-Responsibility
Standard of Care, Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice
Blame-Responsibility
Causation, Liability
Impediments to Responsible Action
Self-Interest, Self-Deception, Fear, Ignorance,
Egocentric Tendencies, Microscopic Vision, Uncritical
Acceptance of Authority, Groupthink
Take-Home Ideas
• Responsibility has to do with accountability,
both for what one does in the present and future
and for what one has done in the past.

• The obligation-responsibilities of engineers


require, not only adhering to regulatory norms
and standard practices of engineering but also
satisfying the standards of reasonable care.
Take-Home Ideas
• Engineers can be expected to be held
accountable, if not legally liable, for
intentionally, negligently, and recklessly
caused harms.

• Responsible engineering practice


requires good judgment, not simply
following rules.
Take-Home Ideas
• A good test of engineering responsibility
is the question, “What does an engineer do
when no one is looking?”

• Impediments to responsible practice


include self-interest, fear, self-deception,
ignorance, egocentric tendencies, narrow
vision, uncritical acceptance of authority,
and groupthink.
The Profession
of Engineering
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task

Design

Manufacture

Implementation

Final Tasks
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task (Idea, specific request, or market demand)

Design

Manufacture

Implementation

Final Tasks
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task
Concept, goals, preliminary design.
Performance specifications.
Design Preliminary analysis.
Detailed analysis: simulation/prototyping
Specifications for materials and components.
Detailed shop drawings.
Manufacture

Implementation

Final Tasks
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task

Design
Scheduling of tasks.
Purchasing components and materials.
Manufacture
Fabrication of parts.
Assembly/construction.
Quality control/testing.

Implementation

Final Tasks
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task

Design

Manufacture Advertising. Sales and financing.


Operating and parts manuals.
Shipping and installation. Operator training.
Provision for safety measures and devices.
Implementation
Use of the product.
Field service: Maintenance, repairs, spare parts.
Monitoring social and environmental effects.
Final Tasks Reporting findings to parties at possible risk.
PROGRESSION OF ENGINEERING TASKS
Initiation of
Task

Design

Manufacture

Implementation

Final Tasks Geriatric service: rebuilding, recycling.


Disposal of materials and wastes.
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems

• Blind to new concepts. Violation of patents


Conceptual Design or trade secrets. Product to be used illegally.

Goals; performance • Unrealistic assumptions. Design depends on


specifications unavailable or untested materials.

Preliminary • Uneven: Overly detailed in designer’s area of


Analysis expertise, marginal elsewhere.
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems

Detailed • Uncritical use of handbook data and computer


programs based on unidentified
Analysis methodologies.

Simulation, • Testing of prototype done only under most


favorable conditions or not completed.
prototyping

Design • Too tight for adjustments during manufacture


and use. Design changes not carefully checked.
specifications
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems
Scheduling of • Promise of unrealistic completion date based
on insufficient allowance for unexpected
Tasks events.

• Specifications written to favor one vendor.


Purchasing Bribes, kickbacks. Inadequate testing of
purchased parts.

Fabrication • Variable quality of materials and workmanship.


Bogus materials and components not detected.
of parts
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems
• Workplace safety. Disregard of repetitive-
Assembly/construction motion stress on workers. Poor control of toxic
wastes.

• Not independent, but controlled by production


Quality control/testing manager. Hence, tests rushed or results
falsified.

• False advertising (availability/quality). Product


Advertising and sales
oversold beyond client’s needs or means.
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems
Shipping, • Product too large to ship by land. Installation and
installation, training subcontracted out, inadequately
supervised.
training

Safety measures • Reliance on overly complex, failure-prone safety


and devices devices. Lack of a simple “safety exit.” Used
inappropriately or for illegal applications.
Use Overloaded. Operations manuals not ready.

Maintenance, • Inadequate supply of spare parts. Hesitation to


parts, repairs recall the product when found to be faulty.
Engineering Tasks & Possible Problems

• No formal procedure for following


Monitoring effects
life cycle of product, its effects on
of product
society and environment.

• Lack of attention to ultimate


Recycling/disposal dismantling, disposal of product,
public notification of hazards.
Underlying Causes
Lack of vision (tunnel vision, groupthink)

Incompetence

Lack of time or lack of proper materials

Silo mentality

“somewhere down the line” notion

Improper use or disposal of the product by an unwary owner or user

Dishonesty in any activity


Global
Engineering Firm
environment Family
(society & Engineering Engineer
nature) Firm

Manager Colleagues

Engineering
Industry Clients or
(other firms) Profession consumers
(societies)

Law,
government,
& public
agencies
Intertwined Responsibilities
Responsible Care
RESPONSIBLE CARE
Responsible Care is the chemical industry's global
voluntary initiative under which companies,
through their national associations, work together
to continuously improve their health, safety and
environmental performance, and communicate
with stakeholders about their products and
processes in the manufacture and supply of safe
and affordable goods that bring real benefits to
society.
RESPONSIBLE CARE
Responsible Care was first conceived in Canada
and launched in 1985 to address public concerns
about the manufacture, distribution and use of
chemicals.
The number of chemical industry associations
embracing the Responsible Care ethic has grown
from 6 to 53 countries since 1992 when Agenda 21
was adopted at the Rio Earth Summit.
RESPONSIBLE CARE
Associations sign up to the initiative through the
International Council of Chemical Associations
(ICCA), which acts as the 'guardian' of Responsible
Care, monitoring its implementation and ensuring
it evolves to address current concerns and issues.
Each association runs its own national programme
with their member companies.
SPIK
The Chemical Industries Association of the Philippines is known
by its local name, the Samahan sa Pilipinas ng mga Industriyang
Kimika (SPIK). The association was formed in Manila in 1978 by
the leading companies’ top executives who saw the need to
strengthen representation in the local and international for
promoting the chemical industry in particular and the country’s
development in general.

Initially established to address concerns and interests that affect


and influence the industry, SPIK expended its functions to
include advocating responsible and competitive practices in the
manufacture and handling of chemicals.
CODES OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
The Philippine RC program adopted the original Six (6)
Codes of Management Practices. The Codes aim to
promote the continuous improvement of the
environment, health and safety effectively and efficiently
by carrying out activities for environmental conservation,
process safety, occupational safety and health,
distribution safety, chemical and product safety, and
social dialogue in one integrated management system.
Pollution Prevention Code
The Pollution Prevention Code aims to continuously
reduce the amount of all chemicals discharged into the
atmosphere, water and soil as well as the amount of
waste generated from business activities. In doing so, the
Code enhances the environment, health and safety of
individuals and groups interested in or affected by the
business, and responds to their concerns.
Process Safety Code
The Process Safety Code aims to prevent incidences of
fire, explosion, chemical spills and similar occurrences in
the course of manufacture, packaging or use of chemicals.
Employee Health and Safety Code
Employee Health and Safety Code, with the cooperation
of employees, aims to decrease labor injuries, reducing
latent dangers, promote health and create a comfortable
working environment, thereby improving health and
safety levels at the site.
Distribution Safety Code
Distribution Safety Code aims to reduce risks during the
transportation and distribution of chemicals that may
affect employees, transporters, distributors,
subcontractors and the environment.
Product Stewardship Code
Product Stewardship Code aims to promote the
environment safety and health of all interested parties by
conducting risk management throughout the whole
lifecycle of products.
Community Awareness and Emergency Response Code
The Community Awareness and Response Code aim to
inform the local community on matters of environment,
health and safety throughout the whole lifecycle of
products and proper knowledge dissemination about
environment, health and safety to the employees and the
public, as well as appropriately addressing concerns of
society.

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