ENGINEERS IN SOCIETY

Semester Sep 2016

Engineers in Society

TOPIC 2
ETHICS IN ENGINEERING

What is Engineering Ethics?

Engineers in Society

The study of moral issues and decisions faced individuals and organizations
engaged in engineering activities.
Issue of ethics arise because of the specialist knowledge of the professional, and
how the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to
the public

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

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1. REGISTRATION
2. CONSULTANCY
3. SUPERVISION
4. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
5. CODE OF ETHICS

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

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1. REGISTRATION
DO
An engineering graduate with accredited engineering degree must
register with the BEM to take up employment as an engineer
DONT
An engineer should not be the Submitting Person for designs beyond
his/her area of competency
An engineer should not endorse his PE Stamp and sign on reports or
plans not prepared by him
An engineer must not practise in the branch of engineering he is not
registered in

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

2. CONSULTANCY
DO
An engineer should be transparent his work if requested/required by
the client/authorities.
An engineer should take full responsibility for the checking of the work
himself.
An engineer should undertake continuing professional development to
enhance his knowledge and capability.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

2. CONSULTANCY
DONT
An engineer should not accept work not within his area of competency
as well as work that he is not familiar with.
An engineering consultant should not carry out projects for fees below
the minimum outlined in the scale of fees.
An engineer should not endorse any work not performed and/or
supervised by him.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

3. SUPERVISION
DO
An engineer who is the Submitting Person should be responsible for the
project regardless of whether it is self-supervised and/or delegated
supervision.
An engineer must be familiar with and knowledgeable in the work he is
to supervise.
An engineer supervising a project shall keep proper records of all
documents and correspondence pertaining to the project.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

3. SUPERVISION
DONT
An engineer must not over or under certify progress of works.
An engineer must not certify work not within his expertise.
An engineer must not accept site supervisory staff who are not qualified
or are incompetent.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

4. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
DO
An engineer should notify the relevant authorities changes in designs or
withdrawal of services.
An engineer should submit completed forms in time for inspection and
approval for Certificate of Fitness / Certificate of Completion and
Compliance.
An engineer should ensure that environmental, health and safety
measures are implemented as per drawings and
specifications.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

4. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
DONT
An engineer should not allow works to proceed before plans are
submitted to and/or approved by the relevant authorities.
An engineer should not undertake a project for which the client is not
going to fulfill statutory requirements.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

5. CODE OF ETHICS
DO
An engineer must be familiar with the Code of Conduct of Engineers.
An engineer must understand the need for responsibility and liability as
stipulated in the Code of Conduct.
An engineer must respond promptly to complaints and enquiries by
clients /authorities.

Code of Ethics for Young Engineers

Engineers in Society

5. CODE OF ETHICS
DONT
An engineer should not knowingly mislead the public by giving
misrepresented information so as to gain commercial
advantage/mileage.
An engineer should not respond to an open advertisement to bid for
provision of professional service if such provision for the service
requires bidding fees or equivalent as is usually imposed on contractors.
An engineer should avoid favoritism among vendors and other
suppliers.

How Moral Problems Arise in Engineering?

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Project Realization
conflict

Design

conflict

Start

Conception

Manufacturing/
Fabrication
conflict

conflict

Sales &
Service

Testing
conflict

Engineers in Society

Terminologies
Constructor

Owner

Contractors

Client

Owner
Client

Consultant/
Contractor

Consultants

P.Eng

P.Eng

Designer

Client Consultant Contractor

(common)

Designer
Constructor

Design & Build

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

Engineers in Society

BACKGROUND
The Highland Towers Condominium is located in the district of Hulu
Kelang, Selangor.
The Highland Towers consisted of three blocks 12 storey high apartments
named simply Block 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Directly behind the 3 blocks
was a steep hill with a stream flowing west, which would have passed to the
south of the Highland Towers site if it was allowed to follow its natural
course.
It was constructed between 1975 and 1978. Block 1 was completed and
occupied in 1979.
On Saturday, the 11th December 1993, at about 1.30p.m., after 10 days of
continuous rainfall, Block 1 collapsed 14 years after completion and killed
48 people.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

Engineers in Society

Highland Towers tragedy a misadventure: Court

Malay Mail 04/11/1997
THE Coroner's Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday returned a verdict of
misadventure following an inquest into the Highland Towers
condominium tragedy which claimed 48 lives on December 11 1993.
Coroner Mohamed Radzi Abas said that the Highland Towers collapse
was not a natural disaster.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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MAIN CAUSE

In the course of the Highland Towers development, the stream

was diverted by means of a pipe culvert to flow northwards
across the hill slope directly behind Highland Towers.
After due consideration, the High Court decided that Block 1
had collapsed due to a landslide caused primarily by water
which emanated from the damaged pipe culvert, and the
inadequate and unattended drains on the 5th Defendants land.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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Landslide was caused by water, says engineer

NST 26/08/1998
KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. - A consultant geotechnical engineer told the
High Court today that the landslide in December 1993 behind Highland
Towers was caused by water. Dr Alan Weeks said the amount of water
did not have to be excessive for the landslide to occur.

Engineers in Society

The Highland Tower Story

Defendants
1st Developer
2n
Draftsman
d
3rd Engineer
4th

Majlis Perbandaran Ampang

Jaya

5th Arab-Malaysia Finance Bhd

6th Tropic
7th Owner of Metrolux land
8th

Project manager for the 7th

Defendant

Remarks
Properties Sdn Bhd
Engaged by the developer as the
architect for the project
Engaged by the developer as the
engineer for the project
MPAJ was the local authority for
approvals related to the project
Owner of 50 lots of bungalow
land directly at the rear of site.
The company that carried out
clearing works on the 5th
defendants land in 1992
The higher land adjacent to the
5th defendants land
Was in charge of the
development of the Metrolux
land

9th Selangor State Government

10t Director of Lands and Mines,
h Selangor

Refer to Section 4.11 of the text book for fur

Engineers in Society

The Highland Tower Story

Liable Defendants

Liability Percentage

1st Developer

15

2n
Draftsman
d

10

3rd Engineer

10

4th Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya

15

5th Arab-Malaysia Finance Bhd

30

6th Tropic

7th Owner of Metrolux land

8th

10

Project manager for the 7th

Defendant

10

9th Selangor State Government

10t Director of Lands and Mines,

h Selangor

Refer to Section 4.11 of the text book for fur

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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Engineer of Highland Towers to face charges

NST 05/05/1998
KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - More than four years after the Highland
Towers tragedy that killed 48 people on Dec 11, 1993, the Board of
Engineers Malaysia has brought charges against the consultant
engineer of the condominium project. A top BEM official said today a
tentative date had been set for hearing where engineer Wong Yuen
Kean would be judged by his peers on matters relating to ethics and
professionalism.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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Highland Towers draughtsman `not qualified'

NST 14/10/1997
KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - The Coroner's Court here was told today
that the draughtsman for the Highland Towers condominium which
collapsed on Dec 11, 1993, was not qualified to draw plans for a 12storey high building. Henry Lee Inn Seong, 49, the immediate past
president of the Malaysian Institute of Architects, said the
draughtsman, Wong Tin Sang, was not qualified to draw plans for
buildings over 300 sq m or 3,000 sq ft in area, that is buildings above
two storeys.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

Engineers in Society

The 2nd Defendant was an Architectural Draftsman. He drew and

submitted the layout plans for and on behalf of the 1st Defendant.
The 2nd Defendant knew that he was not a fully qualified and
registered architect. When the layout plan was approved subject
to conditions, the 2nd Defendant prepared and submitted the
building plans.
The 2nd Defendant, whilst submitting the layout plans and
building plans, had held himself out as a registered architect. The
local authority, by some error on their part in not checking the
2nd Defendants credentials had in fact permitted him to submit
such plans.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

Engineers in Society

The 3rd Defendant was a qualified civil engineer. The 2nd

Defendant appointed the 3rd Defendant, who was his
brother, to be the consulting engineer for Highland Towers.
Initially, the 3rd Defendants scope of works was restricted
to the structural aspect of the three blocks. But subsequently, the
3rd Defendant was engaged by the 1st Defendant to submit
proposals over the drainage of the area.
His drainage plan was approved. He was also retained by the 1st
Defendant to design and supervise the construction of two
retaining walls on the Highland Towers site.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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A building draftsman is only permitted under the

Architects Act 1967 to design buildings of no more than
two storeys in height and limited floor space. In this
case, each block of Highland Towers consisted of 12
storeys with a built area far exceeding that allowed for a
building draftsman to undertake.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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I drew plans for Highland Towers

NST 13/03/1999
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri. - A retired draughtsman told the High Court
today he drew the layout plans for Highland Towers based on a copy of
a layout plan which had been approved for a previous developer on the
site. Wong Tin Sang, 63, said the layout plan which contained basic
information like configurations, measurements, lots and contours, was
given to him by the developer of Highland Towers, Highland Properties
Sdn Bhd.

Collapse of Highland Towers Apartment

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I was not responsible for drainage system

NST 16/03/1999
KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - A retired draughtsman told the High Court
today that he was not responsible for the drainage system at the
hillslope of the Highland Towers condominium and had advised the
developer on the matter. Wong Tin Sang, 63, said the Highland Towers
project required a structural engineer and he did insist that the
developer, Highland Towers Properties Sdn Bhd, engage one for the
hillslope.

Engineers in Society

Summary

The decisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal

confirmed that architects and engineers have a duty to secure
the safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance
of their professional services.
The courts emphasised that every architect and engineer owe a
duty to third parties to ensure that they are sufficiently
qualified to undertake the assignments for which they accept
professional responsibility. The architects and engineers must
also know when to seek a competent specialist in areas outside
their expertise.

Engineers in Society

Lesson Learned

Architects and engineers owe a professional obligation to the public

and their profession to conduct themselves and practice their
profession in accord with ethical standards.
Local authorities are also required to act reasonably and in
accordance with the law.
Both the professionals depend on the personal confidence of the client
in their technical competence; and the confidence of the public at
large in the integrity and ethical conduct of the professions as a
whole.
Clients and the public place trust and confidence in the competence
and skills of the professional architects and engineers.

Case Study 2 Terengganu Stadium

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Collapse the roof of Terengganu Stadium

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On June 2, 2009, a major part of the roof construction collapsed

under normal weather conditions, including the section above the
royal box. It was only a year after officially opened. The major
cause for the collapse of the roof was identified to be the failure
of design and the materials used.
One of the structural repair job on the roof was scheduled on the
day of the collapse itself, along with some electrical repair works
being carried out on other part of the stadium. As of June 2010,
the cleaning work and relocation of the collapsed roof were not
finished.[5]

Collapse the roof of Terengganu Stadium

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DESIGN
The Architects conceptual design was accepted and used by the maincontractors in-house Korean sub-contractor to design-and-build the space
frame structure. At no point during the design process did the Contractor
say the design was unbuildable. The design therefore did not contribute to
the collapse.
CONSTRUCTION
It was determined that PWD Terengganu was both Superintending Officer
(SO) and Project Manager for the Stadium Project. Sufficient evidence was
adduced that the consultants were not required to carry out day to day
supervision. They were only required to advise the SO/PWD when required.
The Architects request to have his representative appointed on site was
rejected initially. Instructions and queries, if any, had to go through the
SO/PWD. It appears that the Architect did not have authority to supervise,
or even give instructions during the construction of the roof.

Collapse of Terengganu Stadium

Engineers in Society

Engineer charged over Terengganu stadium collapse

The Star, 31/1/2011
A consultant engineer was charged at the Session Courts here Monday over
the roof collapse incident at Terengganu Stadium on June 2, 2009.
Based on the charge sheet, the consultant engineer was alleged to have acted
like an approved examiner in issuing a document dated Jan 15, 2009 on the
main roof truss system and its related works for the proposal to construct the
stadium.
An investigation committee established by PWD determined that the main
cause of the collapse to be a faulty design with failure to take into account
the support condition of the roof structure.
The charge under Section 419 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail
term of seven years or fine, or both, upon conviction.