In 1906, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) selected to exemplify in a set of laws the ideas articulated in an address by its leader, Schuyler S. Wheeler. After many discussions and much alteration, the AIEE Board of Directors implemented a code in March, 1912. In the meantime, the American Institute of Consulting Engineering, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), and ASCE each adopted a code of its own6. By 1915, every key engineering association in the United States had a code of ethics.
Present Codes of Ethics.
Most vocations habitually modify their codes of ethics. Many have undertaken radical amendments more than once. But engineering seems to be exceptional in the number of challenging codes projected and adopted over the years. Some engineers are autonomous practitioners. Some are employees of huge businesses. Engineering is a vast field and hence there is a need for comprehensive codes of ethics for each varying field as the requirements of each field are quite unique and diverse from the other.
Arrangement and Enforcement Provisions.
The arrangement and enforcement provisions of engineering and technical society codes of ethics vary. Some associations have drawn out codes of ethics with comprehensive canons, principles, regulations, and commentary while others are prearranged only with short, concise manner conveying general thoughtful positions. Habitually the uppermost ethical responsibilities come into view at the beginning of each society's code of ethics, with less important obligations appearing later on in the code of ethics. In addition, while several codes are proposed as broad-spectrum supervision and are encouraging, others have more grave consequences with punitive punishment imposed for infringement of the code of ethics.
Key Provisions in Major Codes of Ethics.
