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Dear Colleagues 

Between the recent crane disaster in the Turtle Bay area of Manhattan and the recent indictment of a professional engineer from the Bronx for failure to follow the rules of professional conduct, the level of public awareness of the engineering profession is at a very high level. In the crane collapse, 18 buildings were issued orders to vacate, four construction workers were killed and dozens more were injured. In the Bronx case Firefighters Lt. Howard Carpluk Jr. and Probationary Firefighter Michael Riley, both of Engine Company 75, died when the floor of the one story commercial building at 1575 Walton Avenue collapsed as they fought the blaze. A structural engineer allegedly “swore falsely” three times in response to questions regarding his professional responsibility to ensure that the renovation was in compliance with the construction plans which were filed with the New York City Department of Buildings. These plans called for the use of steel framing to be attached to steel columns by steel bolts. The Engineer allegedly swore falsely under oath that he had inspected the work and found it to be in compliance with the filed plans. In the weeks following the deadly fire in 2006, forensic investigations by the New York City Fire Department and the Department of Buildings revealed that steel had not been used in the construction job. 

It is during times like this that we have an opportunity to bring forward needed changes to the rules and regulations governing our profession. This is when the New York State Society of Professional Engineer (NYSSPE) along with its parent organization, the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), play a vital role in protecting and enhancing the image of our profession. In order to do this, these organizations need your support and community involvement in our local chapters.  

It is crucial for us as professional engineers to maintain the highest professional standards. In my view, our profession rests on three “pillars”: 1) knowledge and competence; 2) care for public health and safety, and 3) ethics, integrity and honor. The first two sets of values are directly related to our day-to-day operations and performance of our services. The third pillar, ethics and honor, is fundamental to our profession both as individuals and as a group. In most instances our clients are unable to technically evaluate our services and rely on such values. The Self-certification program at the NYC Department of Buildings relies on this “code of honor”. If we do not live up to it, we will, as a group, lose the privileges this bestows. In 2004, Commissioner Lancaster created the Agency's first plain language guide for ethical and professional behavior. The Code of Conduct has since been issued twice to Buildings employees, in 2004 and again in 2006. One of the main tenets of the Code is the zero tolerance policy for misconduct.  

In Canada, The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, or Kipling Ritual, is a ceremony that was developed in 1923 for engineers graduating from Canadian universities and is an obligation young engineers place on themselves to abide by high ethical standards. I have included a copy of such obligation after this message.  

Here in the US, we have The Engineer's Ring which is a stainless steel ring, worn on the fifth finger of the working hand by engineers who have accepted the Obligation of an Engineer in a Ring Ceremony. A copy of this “Obligation of an Engineer” is also included at the end of this message along with the Engineer’s Hippocratic Oath.  

Back to our Chapter:

We have two very good upcoming events along these lines. On April 29, we will feature construction site safety and Chapter 33 of the new NYC Building Code, which replaces the previous Article 19. We will also discuss the new ASCE 7 Loading Requirements that are now incorporated into the new NYC Building Code. On May 20, we will have another lecture on the NYC Building Code relating to Energy Efficiency and the related new enforcement conditions for energy compliance. Please save these dates.  

Last but not least, we have a number of open seats on the Board of our Chapter, and we invite you to take a larger role in our Chapter activities and operations. Please call me at 917-656-9166 if you would like to come to our upcoming Board meeting. 

I hope to meet all the mechanical and electrical engineers in our chapter at our joint meeting with ASHRAE on Tuesday, March 25 at Annie Moore’s Irish Bar, 50 East 43rd St. at 5:30pm.  

Happy Spring!

Marc-Andre Chiffert, P.E., LEED AP,

Chapter President  

The Obligation during The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer by Rudyard Kipling

I _____, in the presence of these my betters and my equals in my Calling, bind myself upon my Honor and Cold Iron, that, to the best of my knowledge and power, I will not henceforward suffer or pass, or be privy to the passing of, Bad Workmanship or Faulty Material in aught that concerns my works before mankind as an engineer, or in my dealings with my own Soul before my Maker. My Time I will not refuse; my Thought I will not grudge; my Care I will not deny towards the honor, use, stability and perfection of any works to which I may be called to set my hand. My Fair Wages for that work I will openly take. My Reputation in my Calling I will honorably guard; but I will in no way go about to compass or wrest judgment or gratification from any one with whom I may deal. And further, I will early and warily strive my uttermost against professional jealousy and the belittling of my working- colleagues in any field of their labor. For my assured failures and derelictions I ask pardon beforehand of my betters and my equals in my Calling here assembled, praying that in the hour of my temptations, weakness and weariness, the memory of this my Obligation and of the company before whom it was entered into, may return to me to aid, comfort and restrain. Upon Honor and Cold Iron, God helping me, these things I purpose to abide.