Question

Case Study

N. Got, P.Eng., has been hired recently as the chief engineer, as well as his assistant, James Lo, C.E.T., by a gold mine near a remote town in Northern Ontario. The mining company is the main employer in the region. Immediately upon starting the new job, N. Got spent some time reviewing the mining company’s operational procedures. No Got discovered that, for several years, tailing ponds at the mine have been releasing toxic and corrosive substances into the environment in violation of the law. N. Got also found in the company’s file a recent report prepared by an engineering consulting firm in Toronto. The report concerned an economic feasibility study for updating the mine’s facility. In the report, the engineering consulting firm specifically urged the mining company to undertake a number of expensive capital improvements necessary to ensure compliance with environmental law. N. Got also learned that the mining company could not afford the necessary improvements. N. Got found nothing in the mining company’s files that indicated that any governmental authorities were aware of the illegal discharges.

1. Discuss N. Got’s obligations with respect to the mining company

2. Discuss N. Got’s obligations with respect to the public. What is the public interest in this case? How would the public interest be impacted by N. Got’s actions? How should a potential mine closure and the resultant loss of a large number of jobs affect N. Got’s professional duties?

3. Discuss N. Got’s obligations with respect to the engineering consulting firm.

Answer 1

1. Mr N. Got have many obligations with respect to the company. He has to take care of all the operational process taking place inside the company. N. Got being chief engineer should assist all the mining works in the best way possible to increase the profits of the company. N. Got should hold overall leadership and the responsibility of mining operations. Any discrepancies associated with the functional units of the company should be overseen by N. Got. As he holds the most superior position in the company he has to be committed to regular work alongside other staff members and external consultants, and most importantly provide guidance to his team. Mr N. Got must ensure each assigned task is completed and keep required records, logs and reports. Mr N. Got must attain the role of a guidance for the rest of the employees and give orders or suggestions when ever required.

2. Mr N. Got has got a very significant role in keeping up the public interest. In this case the public interest is to avoid the pollution of the environment and provide a safe and healthy state of living for the people inhabited in the society. N Got has got a role to play in this case as he holds the superior position in the company. His actions will affect both the public and the company. He has to make sure to go hand in hand facilitating both public and the company. The operation process taken up at tailing ponds will affect adversely the locality inhabited around the company and it needs immediate actions to compensate the losses than has happened to the environment due to untreated release of toxic and corrosive substances directly into the environment. He has to see that, the release of toxic and corrosive materials is undertaken after proper treatment and if it is not case then public will have to face the adverse conditions of deteriorating health conditions of the themselves.The position of leading a company comes after immense hardwork and it even holds immense responsibility on it. Here N. Got is playing the same role and he need to consider the livelihood of the workmen working under his supervision and any incorrect step may lead to loss of livelihood to the people associated with the firm. As the mining company is the main employer in the region, it serves livelihood to maximum people living in the region and its closure may lead to unemployement and loss of livelihood to the workers. Professional duties of N.Got force him to adhere to the company as a loyal employee and his professional ethics held him responsible for the consequences due to the toxic release. He has a role to play as a whistle blower as well as a leader to facilitate job security for the workers under his control. He has to try to become an internal whistle blower which will facilitate the workers and if he directly reports the case to the government , then he will be held responsible for closure and indirectly loss of livelihood for the workers.

3. Mr N. Got has got responsibility to consult the engineering consulting firm so that, they can together work out a systematic plan to reduce the harmful effects of the toxic release. N Got should work together with the consulting firm to develop new operations which are economical and affordable by the company so as to reduce the harmful effect on the environment. The report submitted by the consulting firm has to be thoroughly studied and the issue is to be taken up with the superior management staff so as to provide the required support to the consulting firm to assist in overcoming this problem.

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