The Professional Engineers Of Ontario - 1384 Words

In Canada, individual regulating bodies are in place to licence and regulate practitioners in their respective professions. It is in the public’s best interest that these professionals are knowledgeable and driven to progress society in a responsible manner. This includes acting in an ethical manner that aligns with the personal and corporate standards expected of members in a particular profession. The Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) is in place to regulate such behavior among engineers and protect the common interest of the Ontario community. At the end of this paper it will be evident that public welfare is paramount. This will be shown by how it ought to be enforced under the PEO, and how failure of the Ford Pinto was fueled by†¦show more content†¦Since professional misconduct is only defined as the â€Å"breach of the Act or regulations, other than an action that is solely a breach of the code of ethics† , the code of ethics is not directly enforc eable. However acting in an unethical manner could potentially lead to a breach of professional misconduct. This is particularly evident in the article s.77. 2. (i) which states: â€Å"A practitioner shall, regard his duty to public welfare as paramount † This article is a clear reminder to practicing engineers that their duty to public welfare takes precedence over serving employers or clients. It is important that engineers are aware of their vast influence, and revere the responsibility they hold to the public health and safety. With the constant discovery of scientific principles and new engineering designs, the responsibility often lies in the hands of engineers to decide what is in the best interest of the public. Millions of people around the world use products and structures developed by engineers, every day. Before accepting work from a client, it is important that engineers have a good understanding of their own personal limitations. If work is accepted that they are â€Å"not competent to perform by virtue of [their] training and experience† , there is a clear disregard for public welfare and potential for a serious safety hazard. It is again evident that the