Engineering Ethics: Finding Your Voice Jocelyne Gray, PE Director of Operations-Water, Mason County PUD No. 1 Vice President, South Puget Sound SWE Section

Ethics Courses 1986 Challenger Shuttle Explosion 1986 Challenger Shuttle Explosion 1981 Kansas City Hyatt Regency Skybridge Collapse 1981 Kansas City Hyatt Regency Skybridge Collapse Gift Giving Gift Giving Whistleblowing Whistleblowing Moonlighting Moonlighting

NSPE Code of Ethics Licensed engineers are to provide "...honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity..." and protect "...public health, safety, and welfare.“ Engineers must “conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.”

Case Study #1 Original RV Park Design RV 1RV 5RV 6RV 3RV 2RV 4 RV 1 or RV 6 had to leave first in order for RVs 2 through 5 could leave.

Questions Was public health endangered? Was public health endangered? Was public safety endangered? Was public safety endangered? Was public welfare endangered? Was public welfare endangered?

Questions Would you be scared or terrified to approach your new boss about a previously employee's design being severely flawed? Would you be scared or terrified to approach your new boss about a previously employee's design being severely flawed?

TRAC RV Park

Case Study #2 Chlorination of Contaminated Wells 2010 two public drinking water wells contaminated with E. coli 2010 two public drinking water wells contaminated with E. coli DOH requires wells to be permanently chlorinated DOH requires wells to be permanently chlorinated 2 commissioners are anti-chlorination 2 commissioners are anti-chlorination Manager asks me to discontinue chlorination without DOH approval Manager asks me to discontinue chlorination without DOH approval

Chlorination of Contaminated Wells Do Dept. of Health and the State Board of Licensing supersede authority of my manager and the Board of Commission? Do Dept. of Health and the State Board of Licensing supersede authority of my manager and the Board of Commission?

Case Study #3 Female Engineer Female Engineer Male Supervisor Male Supervisor HR Manager HR Manager Boss Boss President President 20 Employees 20 Employees 40% women employees 40% women employees

Case Study #3 Management Issues Pay inequality Pay inequality Bullying and intimidation Bullying and intimidation

Management Issues If there is no change, who is the next level to whom you should report the issues of pay inequality and bullying? If there is no change, who is the next level to whom you should report the issues of pay inequality and bullying? Is pay inequality illegal? Is pay inequality illegal? Is bullying illegal in the work place? Is bullying illegal in the work place? Is harassment illegal in the work place? Is harassment illegal in the work place? Is bullying different from harassment? Is bullying different from harassment?

Outcome of Investigation Supervisor was a bully Supervisor was a bully Bullying is not illegal, but disrespectful Bullying is not illegal, but disrespectful Supervisor assigned anger management training Supervisor assigned anger management training Supervisor assigned management training Supervisor assigned management training Manager assigned management training Manager assigned management training

Outcome of Investigation All employees got training about respect All employees got training about respect Female supervisors were greatly paid less than male supervisors (30% difference in some cases) Female supervisors were greatly paid less than male supervisors (30% difference in some cases) Female supervisors got pay raises Female supervisors got pay raises

Current Ethics Issues What issues are you currently experiencing? Should you go to a higher supervisor or to the executive management team? Is there a potential conflict of interest? Is there a clash of personalities?

Resources NSPE Case Studies resources/board-of-ethical-review-cases NSPE Case Studies resources/board-of-ethical-review-cases resources/board-of-ethical-review-cases resources/board-of-ethical-review-cases Texas A&M University Zachry Department of Civil Engineering Ethics Case Studies Texas A&M University Zachry Department of Civil Engineering Ethics Case Studies ComputingCases.org ory/hughes_case_history.html ComputingCases.org ory/hughes_case_history.html ory/hughes_case_history.html ory/hughes_case_history.html NSPE Code of Ethics NSPE Code of Ethics ClearPoint Co – Harassment vs Bullying blog/2013/01/25/workplace-bullying-and-harassment- whats-the-difference/ ClearPoint Co – Harassment vs Bullying blog/2013/01/25/workplace-bullying-and-harassment- whats-the-difference/ blog/2013/01/25/workplace-bullying-and-harassment- whats-the-difference/ blog/2013/01/25/workplace-bullying-and-harassment- whats-the-difference/

Contact Information LinkedIn: Mason County PUD No. 1 website: mason-pud1.org