402 Ethics

Elliot Lake Mall roof collapse, key words

human tragedypublic safetymultiple participantsinappropriate behavioursemergency responsecontinual improvement

What happened at the Elliot Lake Mall roof collapse?

in june 2012, mall roof collapsed killing 2 and injuring 19inspecting eng. said structurally sound and changed report at owner's requesttrial found engineers not guilty

Professional

a member of a profession

Profession

A field of work that adheres to certain ethical standards possessing qualifications knowledge and skills

Professionalism is characterized by what?

Characterized by attitudes, behaviours, and qualities:- honesty, integrity- accountability- respectfulness- fairness

Professional Considerations for development

- Approvals and permitting processes- Adherence to relevant codes and standards- Consultation and engagement processes- Environmental and societal impacts- Sustainability and environmental stewardship- Public health and public safety

Protection of the public

- "Hold paramount the safety, health an welfare of the public"- Minimizing the risk of failure and negative impacts impacting public safety with respect to design, construction and operation of facilities

Define Public interest

Public interest: benefit to the general public - assessed by comparing net benefits and costs to the public of a decision, program or project.Note. it may be unclear if a particular decision is in the public interest

What are other Roles/Responsibilities not related to the Code of Ethics

- entrepreneurship- profit making- volunteerism

Competing Stakeholder Interests - Role

Role of the engineer is to provide informed option for the consideration of decision markers based by rationale

3 main events that allowed engineering to fully develop as a profession

the printing pressthe industrial revolutionorganization and regulation

What year were exams for professional qualifications introduced

1890s in the UK

When did Canada start regulating laws for engineering (Prov. associations)

1920s

when and where did engineering start in BC?

ubc in 1915

Self-regulation

the regulation of a profession by the members themselves

How is engineering regulated in Canada

Self-regulationthe regulation of a profession by the members themselves(1 or 2 non eng)

Professional Governance Act changed what?

- roles and activities have changed- overseen by a Superintendent of Professional Governance

EGBC is governed by

Council of- 7 elected registrants, including the President and Vice-President- 4 lay members appointed by Lieutenant Governor- the immediate Past-President - Council, not the members, elect the President

what is the role of EGBC?

regulate engineering practice in BC:- regulatory: individual and firms activities- national: liaison on reg. matters via Engineers Canada- non-regulatory:

Regulatory Roles

1. Registration2. Permit to practice - for companies3. Mandatory continuing education4. Professional practic5. Discipline (members)6. Enforcement (non members)

what is the CanadianEngineering Accreditation Board responsible for?

National Roleengineering accreditation of programs across canada(developing national guidelines for professional engineering qualifications, standards of practice, ethics and professional conduct)

Non- Regulatory Roles

- Liaison with other professional associations- Advocacy and promotion- Promote careers through student scholarships- Branch activities and other forms of membership engagement

P.Eng Requirements

- Academic- 4 years of experience- Law and Ethics- English competeny- Good characterContinued education- \>= 60 hours over a 3 year rolling period

Quality Management

1. Use of Professional Practice Guidelines2. Direct Supervision3. Documented Checks of Engineering and Geoscience Work4. Documented Independent Review of High-Risk Professional Activities or Work5. Documented Independent Review of Structural Designs6. Documented Field Reviews During Implementation or Construction7. Retention of Project Documentation8. Authentication of Documents

when was the first iron ring ceremony?

1925

what is the symbolism of the iron ring?

Serves as a reminder of the obligations, ethics and humility associated with the engineering profession

Ethics

accepted principles of right and wrong that govern the conduct of a profession

difference between ethics and morals

ethics are defined behaviours with little scope for personal interpretationmorals are based on personal beliefs and can be altered

Expert Testimony when?

should only be given if you truly believe it is correct

EGBC 13 principles

1. assure public safety2. assume professional responsibility only when qualified3. adhere to law4. Adhere to standards and policies5. maintain competence6. State qualifications accurately7. Distinguish between facts, assumptions and opinions8. avoid conflicts of interest9. report unprofessional practices10. Stand your ground - present consequencesof overturned professional judgements11. Identify responsibilities of professional contributors12. Undertake work and documentation requirements with due diligence13. act with fairness, courtesy and good faith

Code of Conduct

Relate to additional aspects of prof. behaviourconflict of interest and perception, confidentiality, competency, EDI

what is corporate citizenship?

a company's ethical responsibilities including legal with respect to its communities and the environment

Accountability

legal and/or ethical obligation to give various stakeholders an accounting for the actions and activities of an individual or an organization. That is, there is an obligation to report and explain and to be answerable for the resulting consequences

Individual Accountability

to take responsibility as an individual and be answerable for one's actions

Conflict of interest?

circumstances that create a risk that official duties or professional judgement will be unduly influenced by private/personal motivations

3 types of conflicts of interest

- perception of conflict of interest: perceived one if there is none- potential conflict of interest: situations that could develop into actual- conflict of commitment: time interest may interfere

Confidentiality

rules or commitments that limit access to information

what does FIPPA stand for?

BC's freedom of information and protection of privacy act

Whistleblowing

expose information that is deemed illegal, unethical or incorrect within an organization

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

rights or entitlements society believes every person should have

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

List the fundamental freedoms and protects: democratic, mobility, equality, language rights

Canadian Human Right Act

prohibits discrimination on basis of gender, race, ethnicity etc. for federally-regualted act
(Provinces/territory have their own discrimination law that applies)

What are Human rights exceptions

Religious institutes may give priority to others

Duty to Accomodate

Legal duty to adjust a policy, practice or service to accommodate the situations arising under the code; the accommodation depends on the specific situation

what is an undue hardship?

provides a justifiable limit to the duty to accomodate

Undue Hardship

A justifiable limit to the duty to accommodate(substantial risk to health or safety, by failing to meet the objectives of the program, or financial / logistical challenges that threaten the viability of the program)

Equity

the quality of being fair or impartial(extra measures need to be taken in some disadvantaged groups)

Employment equity

ensure employees receive fair treatment, disadvantaged groups need more attention
(Equity Act - ensure no one is denied employment unrelated to ability)

Pay Equity

aims to increase the pay of predominantly female occupations

Diversity

need to include people who are excluded

Inclusion

include representation ad benefits to different groups

Discrimination (3 Types)

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members- Systemic: organization rules cause certain groups to be disadvantaged- Religious: based on beliefs- Racial

Harassment

An action that can offend, humiliate, insult an indiv

Bullying

form of aggression where there is a power imbalance

According to the Criminal Code of Canada what are Hate crimes (speech)

advocating genocideinciting hate breaching peacewillful promotion of hate

2 Approval steps req for a project

Environmental Assessment (EA) - regulatory review processPermitting - issued by relevant authorities to enable a proj to proceed

Example of Approval organization

Canada Energy Regulator (was National Energy Board)BC Oil and Gas CommissionBC Environmental Assessment OfficeRegional districts, municipalities and cities

how long can the approval process take?

a few weeks to several years

Examples when Approvals are considered

adherence to laws and bylaws o the quality of engineering, including a reliance on codes and standards as appropriatepublic safety and the public interestenvironmental and societal impactsconsultation processIndigenous peoples consultations and engagementuse of stamp; evidence of insurance coverage

How are Codes Standards, and Guidelines used

- there are many that can apply to a building but it can be up to the designer to decide guidelines that they choose to follow

Are they the same for everything?

No they are variable by discipline (structural is more defined)

Consultation Plan Elements

StakeholdersFormats of the interactionsUtilization of feedbackCommunication outcomes

Examples of non-interactive formats

- advertisements, fliers and posters- information posted on client website- public displays and notices- storyboard

Examples of interactive formats

- website- surveys- public meeting and presentation- open house- charrette- focus groups- committee-style meetings

Community Engagement

build ongoing, permanent relationships with the community for the purpose of applying a collective vision for the benefit of a community

triple bottom line

accountability framework with respect to financial, social, and environmental performance

what is carbon credit?

Tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide

examples of manifestations of climate change

longer frost-free seasonsincreased precipitationincreased extreme weather eventssea-level risearctic becoming ice-free

2 things causing sea level rise

thermal expansion due to increasing temperaturesloss of land-based ice (due to melting)

for a project to proceed, what two approval steps are most likely required?

Environmental AssessmentPermitting

what is community engagement?

the process by which community benefit organizations and individuals build ongoing, permanent relationships for the purpose of applying a collective vision for the benefit of a community

What does the BC worker's compensation act (1902) govern?

laws and regulations regarding occupational health and safety

workplace safety definition

preventing injury and illness to employees and volunteers in the workplace

reasons to have a workplace safety program

legal obligationsminimize injury and illnessethical and moral obligationsreduce costsavoid reputational damage

7 elements of a workplace safety program

1. an OHS policy statement2. Regular inspection of the premise3. Appropriate written instructions for the workers4. periodic management meetings5. investigation of accidents6. Records and Statistics7. instruction and supervision of workers

3 types of risk assessment models

simple checklist approachrisk matrixfull problematic analysis

some benefits of risk management

saving resourcesprotecting reputation and public imagepreventing legal liabilityprotecting people from harmprotecting the environment

4 risk mitigation strategies

risk avoidancerisk reductionrisk transferaccepting risk (carrying a contingency)

what is an emergency preparedness plan?

a plan to reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with emergencies/disasters

6 stages of implementation of emergency preparedness plan

preventionmitigationpreparednessresponserecoveryinvestigation

engineers can be professionally liable if:(3 things)

they have been convicted of an offence in canada and if that offence renders that person unsuitable for licensingthey have violated the act, bylaws, or codethey have demonstrated incompetence or unprofessional conduct

common causes of engineering complaints

conduct matterspracticing outside area of expertisemisuse of seal

what APEGBC cannot do

resolve disputes or award compensationgive engineering advicedemand performanceaffect the approval processes by third parties

what is an environmental assessment?

a regulatory review process that identifies adverse effects to environmental, social, economic, health, heritage and First Nations values.

common characteristics of EA projects

large scale projectwould have adverse effects if not mitigatedhave public and first nation profilecomplex and diverse technical or social issueshave significant civil engineering component

what is an environmental IMPACT assessment?

the process of identifying future consequences of a current or proposed action

five pillars of value components

environmental, social, economic, health, herritage

2 types of EA's

federal and provincial-to reduce duplication BC's can be substituted for Canada's

common issues of EA before starting

insufficient technical studiesschedule-driven agendalack of EA leadinvolve first nations

Common EA issues once you've started

table of commitmentsresourcing (EA is expensive [1-10M])locally unwanted land use when larger society wants it

first nations reserve

lands set aside under the indian act for their exclusive use

first nations treaty lands

signing of a treaty may give rise to land tenure

first nations traditional territory

lands identified by FN that they and/or their ancestors occupied

phases of FN engagement

1. preparation2. engagement

6 principles of engagement with first nations

be respectfulengage earlybe open and transparentact with honourlistenbe willing to adapt if possible

For a project to succeed, which two approval steps are required?

Environmental Assessments and Permitting

What do EA's and Permitting adhere to?

codes and standards, consultation, and FN engagement

Who has the authority to give such approvals?

federal and provincial acts and municipal bylaws

What are examples of Provincial Acts?

Water ActMines ActPublic Health ActEnvironmental Management Act