I chose Civil Engineering because to me, at the time it felt like a calling. The code for Indiana (and most states) for professional engineers states that the health safety and welfare of the public are paramount. I believe there are both engineers and other associated professionals that tend to miss the “public” – meaning ALL people – and “welfare” – meaning the health, happiness and fortune of a specific group. My profession doesn’t just call on me to view the world this way – it requires it. Not just to “do no harm” but to do what I can to make the world safer, cleaner, and better for all of the people in it.
1 – Sometimes the tradeoffs (slower cars, longer crossing times, better bicycle and pedestrian access) of a poor level of service on a roadway can outweigh the benefits for the driver.
2 – Codes and standards should NEVER outweigh the professional and ethical responsibility to do the right thing. There are cases where detention is not required for certain developments. All professional engineers still have a responsibility to do what they can to not infringe on the rights and freedoms of adjacent property owners by slowing down or detaining anyway.
3 – Potential client or contractor expense/savings should NEVER outweigh the professional and ethical responsibility to do the right thing. Skirting ADA requirements, not installing appropriate crossings, signage, traffic calming, etc. because it’s too difficult or expensive can put people at risk. It could be to code, but that’s not where our professional responsibility stops.
4 – The source of the water, power, materials, for both the construction AND operation of the projects we build and design should ABSOLUTELY be part of our professional responsibility. Now, we can’t always know all of the details, ins and outs, direct costs and benefits of these items specifically, but it doesn’t mean we can use that lack of knowledge as an excuse.
5 – It is not just okay, but MANDATORY for professional engineers to change their minds on appropriate processes and methods for design as new information comes to light. At one point it was just fine with code and our limited understanding to simply pipe sewage 500 feet into lake Michigan without treatment. If you’re not actively reviewing water quality methods, phosphorus, micro plastics, etc. and their impacts on the safety of the public you are sworn to care for, then you are culpable.
Advocating for safety and the welfare of all people should be part of our professional responsibility. Advocating against projects and design methods that we know to cause harm is also a part of that responsibility. I understand that there is a high degree of interpretation here, which is exactly as it should be, as long as the approach to that interpretation comes from that original professional responsibility – our calling – that the ultimate health, safety and welfare of the public is above all else.