RedVector RV-10508

Ethical Decision Making for Engineers #3

Ethical Decision Making for Engineers #3

1 hr. Online Course

Level: Fundamental

Item#: RV-10508

SME: Ray W. James, P.E., Ph.D., F ASCE

Engineering is an important and learned profession. As a member of the engineering profession, you are expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity. In order to continue this effectiveness, the services that you as an engineer provide require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public safety, health, and welfare. Engineers must adhere to a standard of professional behavior upholding the highest principles of ethical conduct. We call the standard of behavior “engineering ethics,” and embody it in the codes of ethics published by the state boards and by professional societies, such as NSPE.
 
In this third course, we will continue the direction of the NSPE Code of Ethics by looking at a few case studies and how they apply specifically to the Code. We will look into the topic of using existing work for different clients and disclosing required information. We will look at cases involving conflict of interest and the engineer’s responsibilities for handling incomplete specifications. Finally, we will look at the ethical responsibility to notify authorities and owners of potentially dangerous conditions.
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:
  • Describe the Board of Ethics Review reasons for making their decision regarding the ethical responsibilities of the engineers involved. 
  • Identify and explain the factors that arise when engineers are involved in conflict of interest situations because of relationships with previous employers 
  • Explain the restriction against accepting compensation  from more than one part for the same services and the different subtleties when the previous work is done for public clients vs. private clients, 
  • Explain the responsibilities of engineers to submit or approve only complete work in conformance with applicable standards, 
  • Explain when actions may be required to mitigate dangerous conditions.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Ray W. James, P.E., Ph.D., F ASCE
Ray W. James, P.E., Ph.D., F ASCE Photo
Ray W. James, P.E., holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Texas. He is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering with research interests primarily in the area of highway bridge engineering. He served as Assistant Dean for Student Services in the Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University 2005-2012, and he is presently Associate Head of the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering. In addition to teaching mechanics and structural engineering courses, as the holder of the Bovay Faculty Fellowship, he is the College of Engineering’s course coordinator and regularly teaches a course titled Engineering and Ethics which is required of all engineering majors at Texas A&M. Dr. James has participated in and led College of Engineering study abroad programs in France and Germany.
A registered professional engineer in Texas, Dr. James has authored or co-authored more than 25 publications and is a Fellow and Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He won the Arthur M. Wellington Prize from ASCE in 1988 and the Charles W. Crawford Service Award from the College of Engineering in2009. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau engineering honor societies. He is a co-author of the 5th edition of Engineering Ethics—Concepts and Cases, the author of a chapter on “Ethics and Business Practices” for Kaplan’s Fundamentals of Engineering—FE/EIT Exam Preparation, 18th ed., and has developed and offered commercial short courses on engineering ethics to professional societies and corporate clients in Texas, Louisiana, and Qatar.
State Licenses
AK - Engineer (Health, Safety & Welfare - ,)
AL - Engineer (General - ,)
AR - Engineer (General - ,)
DE - Engineer (Ethics (maximum of 6 hours), General - ,)
FL - Engineer (Ethics - 0009980)
Accreditation: FBPE Approved Provider #0003352, License #33
GA - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
GA - Engineer (General - ,)
IA - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
ID - Engineer (General - ,)
IL - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
IL - Engineer, Professional (Ethics, General)
IL - Engineer, Structural (Ethics, General)
IN - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
IN - Engineer (Ethics - CE21800018)
KS - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
KS - Engineer (Health, Safety & Welfare - ,)
KY - Engineer (General - ,)
LA - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
MD - Engineer (Ethics, General - ,)
ME - Engineer (General - ,)
MI - Engineer (Ethics, General - ,)
MN - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
MO - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
MO - Engineer (General - ,)
MS - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
MT - Engineer (General - ,)
NC - Engineer (Ethics, General - ,)
ND - Engineer (Ethics, Health, Safety & Welfare - ,)
NE - Architect (Ethics, General)
Accreditation: Vector Solutions is authorized by IACET to offer 0.10 CEUs for this program
NE - Engineer (Ethics, General)
Accreditation: Vector Solutions is authorized by IACET to offer 0.10 CEUs for this program
NH - Engineer (General - ,)
NJ - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
NJ - Engineer (Ethics - 24GP000006300)
NM - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
NV - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
NY - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
NY - Engineer (Ethics)
Accreditation: Vector Solutions is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU for this program.
OH - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
Accreditation: RedVector is the approved provider of this course offering. RedVector has changed its name and is now operating as Vector Solutions.
OK - Engineer (General - ,)
OR - Engineer (General - ,)
PA - Engineer (General - ,)
PR - Engineer (General - ,)
SC - Engineer (General - ,)
SD - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
SD - Engineer (General - ,)
TN - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
TN - Engineer (Health, Safety & Welfare - ,)
TX - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
TX - Geoscientist (Ethics)
UT - Engineer (General - ,)
VA - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
VA - Engineer (General - ,)
VT - Engineer (General - ,)
WA - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
WI - Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
WI - Engineer (Ethics - ,)
WV - Engineer (General - ,)
WY - Engineer (General - ,)
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Environmental Engineers - AAEES - Member (General - ,)
American Institute of Architects - AIA - Architects (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
American Society of Civil Engineers - ASCE - Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Port & Navigation Engineers (ACOPNE) (Ethics)
American Society of Civil Engineers - ASCE - Academy of Geo-Professionals (AGP) (Ethics)
American Society of Civil Engineers - ASCE - American Academy of Water Resources Engineer (AAWRE) (Ethics)
Canada - Alberta Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Alberta Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - British Columbia Architect (AIBC) (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - British Columbia Engineer (Ethics, General - ,)
Canada - Manitoba Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Manitoba Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - New Brunswick Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - New Brunswick Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Northwest Territories and Nunavut Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Northwest Territory Architect / Restricted Practitioner (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Nova Scotia Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Nova Scotia Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Ontario Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Ontario Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Prince Edward Island Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Prince Edward Island Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Quebec Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Quebec Engineer (General - ,)
Canada - Saskatchewan Architect (General - RV1744-2026)
Accreditation: AIA Registered Provider J315
Canada - Saskatchewan Engineer (Ethics, General - ,)
Canada - Yukon Engineer (General - ,)
National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies - NICET (General - ,)
Soil Science Society of America - SSSA - Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) (Ethics)