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Professional knowledge, ethical conduct

Mark Chapple BSc (Hons) IEng MIHEEM AMCIBSE examines the issue of engineering ethics, and asks ‘whether ethics is an alien word to the engineering profession?’

In the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) and Engineering Council (UK) (ECUK) joint workshop held in 2008 to discuss ‘Engineering Ethics and Accreditation’, Shannon1 noted that ‘codes of conduct have been of interest to professional organisations for hundreds of years’, were ‘central to the medicine, law and engineering professions that could be trusted by society’, specified ‘standards of acceptable behaviour between professionals and their clients’, and were ‘predated by examples of guidance such as the Hippocratic Oath’. The engineering profession has accepted and abided by such guidance for hundreds of years, albeit the guidance has more recently been known as codes of conduct, rules, and regulations, rather than ethics. The term ‘ethics’ within engineering is still relatively modern. 

What are ‘Ethics’?

It can be said ethics are common sense; in the engineering arena, many of the ethical principles are simply good engineering. We should not need to tell somebody: This is what you have to do to be a good engineer’, because it is largely common sense, or is it? An engineer’s conduct towards other engineers, employers, clients, and the general public, is an essential part of an engineer’s life. Uff2 supports this view; the subject might be called professional ethics ... defining the principles of good professional engineering practice.

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The Fire Safety Event 2024

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
30th April - 2 May 2024

Wales regional conference, exhibition and awards dinner 2024

International Conference Centre (ICC) Newport
28th - 29th May 2024

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Crowne Plaza Newcastle Upon Tyne
3rd - 5th June 2024

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Manchester Central
4th - 5th June 2024

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National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham
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Healthcare Estates 2024

Manchester Central
8th-9th October 2024

Access the latest issue of Health Estate Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

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