Ethical issues in engineering design - 3TU.Centre for Ethics and ...

Conclusions of the empirical study
Table 8.2 continued Summary of the piping and equipment case-study.
Ethical issues,
questions and
problems
Can the details on the
drawing be produced
without too much
difficulty or danger for
people on the
construction site?
Kind of issues Solution and
decision
approaches
Division or
ascription of
responsibility
between
engineering
company and
contractor.
Related to type of
contract, less
likely in turn-key
contract.
Discussion on
assigned
responsibilities of
customer,
engineering
company and
contractor.
Table 8.3: Summary of the bridge case-study.
Normal, high to middle level design
Ethical issues Kind of issues Solution and decision
questions and
problems
approaches
Assumption:
designing by
legislation and
codes leads to
safe bridges.
Choice between
European code
and NEN code
Operationalisation Approval for building
I of requirements permission, no disasters
have occurred with
bridges built according to
codes.
Decision makers
involved
Piping designer,
engineering company,
contractor, customer
Decision makers
Organisations
formulating the
regulative framework,
permission issuing
organisations,
European Union,
Governments,
Standardisation
Institutes
Operationalisation Fatigue loads better Customer will make
I of requirements predicted in European choice based on advice
code. Bridge probably not
more expensive using
European code. Less
experience with European
code, calculations will take
more time.
from IBA
157