Whose Responsibility Is It to Keep Your Work Current?

As a member of the ASCE, I have agreed to conduct my life and complete my work according to the fundamental canons of the Society’s Code of Ethics, which read as follows:

In order for me to insure that I am upholding my responsibility to “hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public,” I believe that I must stay abreast of advances in the body of knowledge related to civil engineering and the various codes and standards to which my work must conform. And, I will confess, this sometimes seems like a daunting task!

I have found myself drawn into many discussions about the need to stay current, the importance of keeping up with the changes in codes and standards, and the ever growing legal requirements regarding “continuing education” for licensed professionals. Here I offer my thoughts on these matters with the hope of stimulating your thoughts. I do not offer them to find fault with other points of view (of which there are many) and I do not offer them as expectations or requirements to be adopted by others. It is my belief that each of us must come to our own “position” in these matters, and it is my hope that each person reading this will thoughtfully develop their professional lives around what they honestly believe is their ethical responsibility.

My dad was a carpenter and I was always taught that it was my responsibility to provide the tools that I would use each day (in his case, hammer, rulers, chisels, brace and bits, squares, etc.) and to keep them in good condition. In the same vein, I have always believed that it is my responsibility to have a copy of the building code, the Ten State Standards, the AISC and American Concrete Institute (ACI) Specifications, and the ASCE Mini-mum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures on my desk, and to know what is in them. These, my college textbooks, and other reference books that I have acquired constitute my personal, professional “tool box.” For me to show up at work without these tools would be, for me, comparable to a carpenter showing up at my house and asking to borrow a hammer. My confidence in his skills and in his professionalism would be seriously diminished.

It seems likely that anyone reading this essay is aware that the codes and standards are revised and reissued as our human experience grows and as new materials become available. It has also been my experience that codes change as those in code writing positions develop new ways, perceived superior to them, of accomplishing old tasks. Whatever the reason for the change, however, codes change and I am obligated (legally and ethically) to see that my work conforms to their requirements. That being the case, I believe that when a code is revised and becomes law (either directly or by reference) I am obligated to procure it and become skilled in its intended application. Now that I am an employee, I believe that if my employer provides me with a personal copy, it is a benefit not unlike a paid vacation. If my employer does not provide me with a personal copy, I believe it is my responsibility to procure one and utilize it, nevertheless!

Standards (ASTM, American National Standards Institute, ACI, Underwriters Laboratories, Factory Mutual, etc.), on the other hand, are, in my view, much like power saws, demolition hammers, ladders, and other equipment. They are expensive tools that are regular necessities but can be effectively utilized by a group. Because of their expense, and because they can be used by a group of people, it has always been my belief that these tools are appropriately provided by the employer. When I was an employer I provided them, following the example of my previous employers.

As with codes, standards change over time. New materials and tests are introduced, materials and tests that are no longer relevant are eliminated, and other standards are revised to reflect the growing body of knowledge and changes in technology. However, because of their expense and because the changes are usually subtle, my practice as an employer was to replace copies of the ASTM Standards every five years. If, during that period changes occurred that I deemed significant, I normally procured a copy of the change only and pressed it into service.

As one who has now returned to employee (rather than employer) status, it seems appropriate that my employer provide current editions of the standards that are used in the conduct of its business. This decision is my employers to make, not mine. However, the decision of whether or not to use up-to-date standards remains mine, and mine alone. If I must equip myself with tools because my employer chooses not to, it now becomes an ethical matter, not for my employer, but for me. I believe that I have a responsibility to the public to complete my work and perform my duties with excellence and that means using current standards with skill and understanding. If I choose to use outdated standards to the detriment of the public or my employer’s client, it is a choice that I have made and an act for which I, not my employer nor another, must bear full responsibility.

My view of seminars, classes, and other forms of training is similar to my view regarding standards. During my career, employers provided opportunities for my continuing growth by sending me to training and professional development opportunities at their expense, and I always perceived it as a very real employment benefit. As an employer, my approach was similar but with the added expectation that those who were sent were expected to return and teach their colleagues. By handling the matter in this fashion costs were controlled and the entire staff benefited. Now, as an employee once again, I believe it is appropriate for my employer to cover the cost of training but my employer’s choice in the matter does not relieve me of either the legal requirement to maintain my licenses to practice or the ethical requirement to upgrade and/or refresh my skills in those areas where I practice. My responsibility to “hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public” is mine and mine alone.

So I ask you, the reader, what is your responsibility as a practicing civil engineer to stay current with respect to the various codes and standards that you use in the completion of your work? How much time, if any, are you obligated to spend to become familiar with new codes, new regulations, updates in mate-rial and performance standards, or advances in analytical methods?

If you are an employee:

If you are an employer:

And, to each of you I ask, “What do your answers to these questions say about the level of authority that the Code of Ethics holds in your life?”

Michael Garrett has over thirty years’ experience in the design and construction fields. He is a senior structural engineer with the URS Corporation’s Buffalo, New York, office and is presently licensed to practice in several states. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].