Eight Mile Road Incident: Ethical Analysis

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The incident described by the engineer working at Eight Mile Road plant demonstrates the imperfection of functioning of the indicator of the state of a pressure relief valve. Such situation can lead to serious complications, including fuel damage if the reactor operates at full power. My boss claims that the memo I have written cannot be passed on. Therefore, I need to obtain the official memo from my engineer colleague from the plant, but he promises to write it only in two months.

Various stakeholders will be affected by my decision. Besides me, other nuclear engineers, employees at Eight Mile Road plant and other nuclear plants, the members of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the public living near the plants, and the nuclear industry will be impacted by my further actions. In addition, my decision can have long-term effects on the environment.

According to The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, protecting the health and safety of the public while developing and using nuclear power in production and utilization facilities is considered the national interest (16). Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 also emphasizes the necessity to enhance environmental quality and assure public safety (233). Therefore, as a nuclear engineer, I am obliged to work according to the interests discussed above and make professional decisions guided by the fundamental laws in the nuclear industry.

As a nuclear engineer, I have a duty to follow the engineering code of ethics. As an employee of the company, I have a duty to contribute to the profitability of the enterprise I am working for, prevent possible problems related to improper functioning of reactors it produces, and follow the rules accepted in the firm. As a member of society, I have a duty to take all necessary actions needed to prevent the situations putting a serious threat to public health, the welfare of people, and the safety of the environment. Duties based on engineering code of ethics mostly coincide with the duties I have as a member of society and appear to be the most important ones.

I can consult peers, mentors, and superiors to make the most appropriate decisions. I would consult my boss to ask for a piece of advice what can be done and how to behave so that my duties are fulfilled.

The first possible course of action includes seeking for the methods of affecting the engineer colleague to receive the official memo as soon as possible, without waiting for it for another few months. Another possible course of actions includes waiting for the official memo for few months and taking further actions only after it is completed.

The first course of action will let me fulfill all of my duties, as it enables me to follow the ethical code of an engineer, follow the rules of my company, ensure the safety of nuclear plants, and protect the society from possible health and environmental issues. The second course of actions will enable me only to stick formally to official rules of the company but can lead to unexpected incidents at the plants using reactors built by my company.

The first variant of the course of action appears to be the best, as it corresponds to ethical values of any engineer, employee, or a member of society and will help me to fulfill all of my duties to the company, nuclear industry, and society.

I would ensure good cooperation with my boss and the administration of Eight Mile Road plant to ensure the proposed course of action. The broader implications of my actions include improvement of the system of delivering memos and eliminating its flaws related to the lack of appropriate regulations guiding the situations that need urgent actions and solutions.

The analysis of the laws, stakeholders, and duties related to the discussed situation reveals that employing the first course of action appears to be the most effective solution. Such conclusion is based on the ability of such actions to let me follow the laws, ensure the satisfaction and absence of the violation of rights and interests of the stakeholders, and fulfill my primary duties. As a nuclear engineer facing the necessity of taking appropriate actions that will eliminate the identified flaws in the functioning of reactors produced by my company, I need to consult my boss to discover how I can speed up the process of completing the task of writing an official memo by the engineer colleague. I need to inform my boss about all details of the information I have attained from the engineer colleague and explain the potential danger of leaving this problem without attention. Informing my boss about the risks related to the issue will encourage her to seek for urgent efficacious solutions.

Together we will have an opportunity to find the methods of influencing the engineer colleague and stimulating him to write the required memo as soon as possible. Such course of actions will help to ensure that my company does not face serious problems related to improper functioning of its production in the nearest future. Therefore, in such way I will fulfill my duties as an employee of the firm. Besides, such solution will help to ensure the safety of public health and environment, as the inappropriate functioning of nuclear plants can result in extremely dangerous consequences putting a huge threat to the health of people and the state of our environment. Therefore, by employing this course of action, I will fulfill my duties to society. Ensuring the safety of nuclear plants, as a part of duties I have as an employee working in the nuclear industry, will also be effective if I apply the discussed solution. Further improvements in the system of dealing with memos related to urgent problems will also be enhanced by my solution as it will encourage the administration to reconsider the current rules and eliminate the flaws.

The effectiveness of my solution will be promoted by the fact that it corresponds to the basic ethical standards any professional working in any field should strive to follow. Fairness, as one of the main ethical values, will be ensured by the discussed solution as it is free from favoritism, self-interest, or preference in judgment (Carroll 140). By employing the mentioned course of action, I will avoid the possibility of behaving unfair caused by the inclination to avoid accepting full responsibility for dealing with the situation and being active. People often avoid being active in complicated situations as long as there are no formal orders to do it. The alternative course of action is based o such behavior. However, though the boss does not oblige me to search for the urgent solution, I need to be active to be fair in terms of my professionalism and human values. Being honest with my boss and informing her about the specifics of the situation on my own corresponds to ethical standards. In the case my boss does not show much interest in dealing with the situation, I have to inform the higher administration about the situation. Small initiative in such situation demonstrates the lack of fairness, as the potential consequences of the absence of actions taken to deal with the problem can result in serious threats put to lives of people by improper functioning of nuclear plants.

Works Cited

Carroll, Archie. Business Ethics: Brief Readings on Vital Topics, New York: Routledge, 2009. Web.

Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as Amended. Nuclear Regulatory Legislation. Washington, DC: Office of the General Counsel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2013. 229-263. Web.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended. Nuclear Regulatory Legislation. Washington, DC: Office of the General Counsel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2013. 7-228. Web.

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Eight Mile Road Incident: Ethical Analysis

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