A Practical Application of Code of Ethics in Failure Case Studies

Several packages of failure case studies have been published by the Education Committee of the ASCE Forensic Engineering Division aiming to promote failure literacy of professionals and students in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. This paper discusses the efforts of the committee to compile a collection of failure case studies of ethics, including design flaws of Citicorp Building (NY, US), Harbour Cay Condominium collapse (FL, US), Rana Plaza collapse (Savar Upazila, Bangladesh), Sampoong Superstore collapse (Seoul, South Korea), Versailles Wedding Hall (Israel), Hyatt Regency Walkway collapse (MO, US), Montreal Olympic project management failure (Montreal, Canada), and Flint water crisis (MI, US). The paper discusses the overview of three cases in ethics and provides guidance on using these cases to understand and interpret the code of ethics of professional engineers. Lessons learned from these cases are presented, reaffirming that all professional engineers should commit to ethical responsibilities in society, the natural and built environment, the profession with regards to their clients, employers, and peers. It concludes that the health, safety, and welfare of the public should take precedence over all other responsibilities of practicing professional engineers.