I. Reliability Management
C. Ethics, safety, and liability
1. Ethical issues (Evaluate)
Identify appropriate ethical behaviors and responsibilities of a reliability engineer in relation to product safety and liability.
As with other professional fields, holders of an ASQ certification are bound by the ASQ Code of Ethics.
Additional References
Ethics and Your Work as a Reliability Engineer (article)
Quick Quiz
1-144. Wadjet, an experienced engineer working for Draconian Enterprises, has authored a book on reliability principles in her spare time. Draconian has decided to implement a reliability training program and asks her advice and she is considering recommending that her book be used. What professional action should she immediately take?
(A) Recommend another book to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
(B) Recommend her own book if in her best judgment it is the best.
(C) Inform her employer of her business connection to the book.
(D) If the book is widely available and her royalty is modest, she need take no other action.
(C) Inform her employer of her business connection to the book.
Here’s an except from the ASQ Code of Ethics (assessed 29 May 2016 at http://asq.org/about-asq/who-we-are/ethics.html)
Article 5 – Act as faithful agents or trustees and avoid conflict of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest.
It is the conflict or appearance of a conflict of interest that is the issue. If the only reason to recommend her book is the profit that she would receive it is a conflict of interest. The employer may or not be all right with that particular arrangement, so informing them of the situation is appropriate. In this case, by not informing the other party it at a minimum appears that she is withholding information pertinent to the selection of a book for the training program.
One way to avoid the issue is to not make the recommendation. The book may well be the right one for the program and deserves consideration. By informing her employer all parties have the same information concerning the business connection to the book.
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