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The Flixborough chemical plant disaster exposed some problematic ethical issues found in the engineering industry. The industry provides a professional code of ethics that is used to shape the duties and responsibilities of engineers together with the type of product and service that they provide. The bomb disaster was a result of a lack of compliance to the engineering code of ethics that created a dangerous atmosphere for workers in the plant and people living in the neighboring community.
Looking at the different types of ethical theories, it is clear that there was no compliance to the utilitarian theory. The theory provides the greatest good to the greatest number of people. In the case study, the repair work did not consider the danger that it posed to the welfare of the majority including the costs involved. Additionally, the operation did not conform to the rights and duties ethics. The decision made did not consider the rights of the people who were to be affected by the explosion. It did not also adhere to the duties provided by the engineering industry where safety takes precedence over anything else. Finally, the operation did not comply with the virtues ethics which provides that actions taken by engineers should exhibit good character. Clearly, the actions caused by the decision did not exhibit any good traits but were unreasonable and careless.
Therefore, the explosion was a result of non-compliance to the code of ethics in the engineering profession. It did not reflect responsible engineering practices. It means that moral principles were not applied to professional practices which led to the disaster. The most important professional ethic of safeguarding the health and safety of the public was ignored (Flixborough Case Study). The decision to do the repair work did not reflect that the concerned individuals could have been accountable for their actions which led to the loss of life. The engineers could have used a safe process, products, and structures before starting the operation. Their main concern could have been the welfare of the people and not how fast they could have fixed the leakage.
Reference
Unknown author. Flixborough Case Study.
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