In: Electrical Engineering
Two professional engineers with similar backgrounds and expertise in electrical engineering are assigned to the same project because of time constraints and other factors, but are given responsibility for different parts of the project. Engineer A prepares, designs, and stamps the design documents for which he is responsible, and Engineer B prepares, designs, and stamps the design documents for which he is responsible. The project and design documents are released for construction. A change in project scope requires revision to a subset of the design documents. Both Engineer A and Engineer B make their respective changes and revise the design documents for which they are responsible. It is the practice of the company that the engineers’ work requires a professional engineer to manually "initial" the revision block of the document being revised, identifying the responsible engineer. Engineer A delays release of his revisions which causes completed revisions by Engineer B also to be held until all design documents are ready to be released. Management strongly encourages Engineer A to complete his work so that all design documents can be released. Engineer A completes his work at a point in time when neither Engineer B nor immediate management is available. In completing his work at the behest of management, Engineer A makes minor changes to design documents prepared and revised by Engineer B without consulting Engineer B. It is understood that Engineer A was technically competent to make the revisions of Engineer B’s work.
Is it ethical for Engineer A to make the change? Why?
Could the Engineering Manager or Chief Engineer in charge signoff the work of his/her employees?
What is the ethical course of action?
What could happen if the proper process is not followed?
Though the engineer A has the capability to make changes in the work of engineer B, he/she has to consult the engineer B before making changes.
If by chance this was not communicated to engineer B, and the documents were released, there can be very minor modifications at construction site and the construction engineer will ask the engineer B for the modification.
At that point of time if he/she comes to know that his work was revised by engineer A, it would become a issue which depends on the nature of engineer B.
To avoid such unforeseen disturbances among the team of company, it is suggestible to make any corrections with proper communication to the assigned engineer. And also there might be any strong factor at site which has forced the engineer B to design so and had not come to the notice of engineer A.
Chief engineer in charge can forward the documents to management for release as the future unforeseen accidents at construction site has to be taken care by the management team.
A small miscommunication or no communication at all may lead to an accident at construction site which takes the lives of mankind at work. Also there can be delay in other erection works which depend on the prerequisite assembled designs.