A MODULE FOR TEACHING THE ROLE OF ETHICS IN SAFE PRACTICE

Abstract: The first duty of a professional engineer, emphasized in every professional act and code of ethics in Canada, is to protect the public. This duty extends from the design of structures, devices and processes that are safe and do not fail, to ensuring that structures, devices and processes are used in a safe manner. Engineers therefore have a duty to conduct their practice in an ethical manner, practicing only within their scope of competency, and taking personal responsibility for their works. Because the teaching of engineering is generally considered the practice of engineering, engineering educators have an ethical responsibility to ensure that students graduate with an understanding of what constitutes “ethical practice”. This presentation will describe a training module that allows students to explore ethically challenging situations through examination of case studies. The module is based on the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba (APEGM) Code of Ethics and the cases that are presented are based on actual disciplinary cases