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COREN Registered Engineer practice questions

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Question 1Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

Which body is statutorily empowered to register engineers and regulate engineering practice in Nigeria?

  1. The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE)
  2. The Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE)
  3. The Federal Ministry of Works
  4. The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Correct answer.

Explanation

COREN was established by Decree No. 55 of 1970, now the Engineers (Registration, etc.) Act, and is the statutory body that registers engineers and regulates engineering practice in Nigeria. The NSE and the various institutions are professional associations; they admit members but cannot confer the legal right to practise.

Question 2Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

In the COREN code of conduct, the engineer's first and paramount obligation is to:

  1. advance the financial interests of the employer
  2. safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public Correct answer.
  3. maintain the confidentiality of all project records indefinitely
  4. protect the commercial interests of the client at all times

Explanation

The COREN code places the health, safety and welfare of the public above duties owed to a client, an employer or the profession itself. Where an instruction conflicts with public safety, the engineer must refuse it and escalate the matter through the proper channel.

Question 3Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is asked by a contractor to seal and sign as-built drawings prepared by an unregistered draughtsman the engineer has never supervised. The engineer should:

  1. seal the drawings without further checks, since a registered engineer is employed by the firm
  2. seal them after checking only the title block and the client's name
  3. decline unless he or she can personally verify the work and take responsibility Correct answer.
  4. seal them and add a footnote stating that the draughtsman is solely responsible

Explanation

Signing and sealing a drawing certifies that the engineer prepared it or closely supervised its preparation and accepts professional responsibility for its content. COREN treats the sealing of work the engineer has not reviewed and verified as professional misconduct, whatever the employment relationship.

Question 4Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

An engineer serving on a government tender evaluation panel holds shares in one of the bidding companies. Analysis of the engineer's ethical position indicates that the engineer must:

  1. vote against the company to demonstrate his impartiality
  2. disclose the interest and withdraw from evaluating that bidder Correct answer.
  3. continue on the panel, since the shares are a private investment
  4. sell the shares only after the contract has been awarded

Explanation

A financial stake in a bidding company creates a conflict of interest that must be disclosed to the panel and resolved by withdrawing from the evaluation of that bidder. Abstaining from a vote or selling the shares after award does not remove the influence the engineer could exert during the tender process.

Question 5Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

An engineer who has left a consultancy is asked by a new employer for the detailed design calculations of a client he served at the previous firm. The engineer should:

  1. provide them only after deleting the client's name
  2. provide the calculations because he wrote them personally
  3. refuse without consent from the client or former employer Correct answer.
  4. provide them once the new employer signs a confidentiality agreement

Explanation

Design calculations produced for a client are confidential and are generally owned by the client or the former employer under the contract of engagement. Transferring them to a new employer without consent is a breach, and deleting the client's name does not cure it.

Question 6Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

Under COREN's rules on professional practice, an engineer's advertisement of services is acceptable when it is:

  1. placed through paid agents who collect a success fee
  2. designed to show that the engineer is better than named rivals
  3. worded to guarantee results for every client
  4. factual, verifiable and not likely to mislead Correct answer.

Explanation

Advertising is permitted only where the content is truthful, factual and free from self-laudation or disparaging comparison with other engineers. Paying commission to an agent for obtaining work is prohibited because it introduces an improper inducement into the award of professional engagements.

Question 7Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

An engineer registered in civil engineering is offered a design job in structural dynamics outside his experience. According to the code, he should:

  1. decline the assignment or obtain competent specialist collaboration Correct answer.
  2. accept it and hand the calculations to a junior staff member
  3. accept the job eagerly in order to gain the needed experience and learn as he goes
  4. accept it but leave the drawings unsigned

Explanation

An engineer must accept only work for which he or she can demonstrate competence, and where a project exceeds that competence the engineer must decline or bring in a qualified specialist. Gaining experience at a client's expense without competent supervision exposes the public to unacceptable risk.

Question 8Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

An engineer discovers that a colleague signed off on concrete cube test results that were never actually run, on a public building project. After internal reporting to the site manager is ignored, the most appropriate step is to:

  1. report the falsification to COREN or another appropriate authority Correct answer.
  2. post the evidence on social media to force the company to act
  3. keep quiet in order to protect the colleague's career and reputation
  4. quietly correct the records and say nothing further to anyone

Explanation

Falsifying test results is grave misconduct that directly endangers public safety, so the duty to protect the public overrides loyalty to a colleague. Where internal reporting fails, the engineer should report the matter to COREN or another appropriate authority through proper channels rather than through social media or concealment.

Question 9Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

COREN's continuing professional development requirement exists mainly to ensure that registered engineers:

  1. belong to at least one recognised professional institution
  2. be promoted to the highest grade of registration available to them
  3. pay their annual practising fees on time
  4. keep their knowledge and skills current throughout their careers Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuing professional development requires registered engineers to maintain and update their technical and managerial competence after initial registration. It ensures the public is served by engineers whose knowledge reflects current codes, technology and practice.

Question 10Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A supplier offers a registered engineer a substantial personal payment to approve substandard materials for a project. The engineer's correct response under the code is to:

  1. accept it if the materials will still meet the minimum specification
  2. refuse the payment and report the supplier's conduct Correct answer.
  3. accept it as a customary token of appreciation in the industry
  4. accept it and pass part of the money to the site workers

Explanation

A personal payment offered in exchange for approving non-conforming materials is a bribe and breaches the engineer's duty of integrity and the obligation to protect the public. The engineer must reject the offer and report the attempted inducement so the procurement process is protected.

Question 11Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

What is the primary purpose of the COREN seal and stamp on an engineering document?

  1. To certify that the document is protected by copyright and cannot be copied by others
  2. To show that the engineer's employer has approved the professional fee charged for the work
  3. To confirm that the document has been checked for typographical and formatting errors
  4. To authenticate that the document was prepared or approved by a registered engineer Correct answer.

Explanation

The COREN seal and stamp identify the registered engineer who prepared or approved the document and who is accountable for its technical content. They are not a fee-approval, proofreading, or copyright device.

Question 12Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer discovers, after submitting a structural report to a client, that a material assumption in the analysis was wrong. What is the most appropriate professional response?

  1. Wait until the client raises the issue, then blame the error on a junior member of staff.
  2. Withdraw the report from the client's records and take no further action on the project.
  3. Quietly revise the report and file it without notifying the client, to avoid alarm.
  4. Inform the client promptly, explain the effect of the error, and issue a corrected report. Correct answer.

Explanation

Professional integrity requires prompt disclosure of a material error that could affect the client's decisions or the safety of the works. The engineer should explain the consequences and issue a corrected report, rather than conceal the mistake or shift blame.

Question 13Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

Under Nigerian engineering law, who is entitled to use the title "registered engineer"?

  1. Any person who holds a degree in engineering from an accredited university.
  2. Any person who is a corporate member of a recognised engineering professional body.
  3. Any engineer who has completed at least ten years of supervised site experience.
  4. Only a person whose name appears in the register maintained by COREN. Correct answer.

Explanation

The Engineers (Registration, etc.) Act reserves the use of the title "registered engineer" for persons entered in the register maintained by COREN. A degree, professional-body membership, or years of experience alone does not confer the protected title.

Question 14Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A client's confidential process data is held by a registered engineer. In which situation may the engineer properly disclose it?

  1. Whenever a fellow engineer asks for the information to help with a separate project in the same field.
  2. Where disclosure is required by law or needed to prevent serious harm to the public. Correct answer.
  3. Never, under any circumstances, even when a court order or statute compels the engineer to give evidence.
  4. Only after the client has permanently closed the business and all contractual obligations have expired.

Explanation

Confidentiality is a core duty, but it is not absolute. Disclosure is justified where the law compels it or where it is necessary to prevent serious harm to the public; casual or commercial disclosure is not.

Question 15Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer bidding for a design contract learns that a competitor has quoted a fee that cannot cover the site supervision required by the design. What is the professionally appropriate response?

  1. Match the competitor's fee and reduce site supervision to protect the budget.
  2. Submit a fee based on the full scope and the supervision actually needed. Correct answer.
  3. Withdraw from all design practice to avoid competing on price.
  4. Report the competitor anonymously to the client without checking the facts.

Explanation

A fee should reflect the full scope of work, including the supervision needed for safe and proper execution. Deliberately cutting supervision to match an unrealistic competitor's price compromises safety and is improper.

Question 16Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A junior engineer in a firm develops a novel foundation solution. The principal engineer presents it at a conference as his own work. What does COREN's code require?

  1. No acknowledgement is needed because the junior engineer is an employee of the firm.
  2. The junior engineer must remain unnamed unless he holds a separate consultancy licence.
  3. The principal engineer should acknowledge the junior engineer's contribution clearly. Correct answer.
  4. Acknowledgement is required only if the solution is later patented for profit.

Explanation

Giving due credit for another person's technical contribution is part of honest professional conduct. Employment status does not remove the junior engineer's authorship, and acknowledgement is not limited to patented or profitable work.

Question 17Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

While inspecting a contractor's works, a registered engineer is offered a fully paid holiday by the contractor. What is the correct professional action?

  1. Accept it only after the project has been completed and handed over.
  2. Accept it if its value is small compared with the contract sum.
  3. Decline it because it could compromise the engineer's independent judgement. Correct answer.
  4. Accept it after disclosing the gift to the engineer's own employer.

Explanation

Accepting valuable hospitality from a contractor whose work the engineer inspects creates a conflict of interest and may impair independent judgement. Disclosure to the employer does not cure the underlying risk.

Question 18Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is engaged as an expert witness in a construction dispute. How should the engineer present technical evidence?

  1. By omitting findings that weaken the case of the appointing party.
  2. As an advocate for the party that appointed and is paying the engineer.
  3. By adjusting the opinion to match the instructions given by the lawyers.
  4. As an independent, objective assessment based on the available evidence. Correct answer.

Explanation

An expert witness owes a duty to the tribunal or court to give independent, objective evidence, not to advocate for the appointing party. Selectively omitting or adjusting findings undermines that duty.

Question 19Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

An engineer's employer instructs him to approve a pavement design using a layer thickness that his own calculations show to be unsafe, in order to reduce cost. What should the engineer do?

  1. Approve it after adding a verbal warning that is not recorded in the project file.
  2. Approve the design because the employer carries the legal liability for the decision.
  3. Refuse to approve the design and raise the safety concern through proper channels. Correct answer.
  4. Resign quietly and leave the client unaware of the safety problem.

Explanation

The engineer's paramount obligation to public safety overrides a commercial instruction to approve an unsafe design. The engineer should refuse approval and document and escalate the concern through proper channels.

Question 20Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer sits on a COREN disciplinary panel and discovers that the respondent is his business partner in a separate consultancy. What is the proper course of action?

  1. Disclose the relationship and recuse himself from hearing that particular case. Correct answer.
  2. Resign permanently from all professional conduct panels.
  3. Ask the respondent to withdraw his registration before the hearing begins.
  4. Hear the case but abstain from voting when the panel reaches its decision.

Explanation

A decision-maker must not sit on a case where a close personal or business relationship creates a reasonable apprehension of bias. Disclosure and recusal protect the integrity of the disciplinary process.

Question 21Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is asked by a client to issue a practical completion certificate for a block of flats. The engineer has not visited the site for the final inspection because the contractor sent photographs. What is the proper professional response?

  1. Issue the certificate with a note that excludes responsibility for any latent defects.
  2. Ask the contractor's site agent to sign the certificate on the engineer's behalf.
  3. Issue the certificate because the contractor's photographs provide sufficient visual evidence of completion.
  4. Decline to certify until the works are properly inspected under the engineer's supervision. Correct answer.

Explanation

Certification is a professional act that confirms the engineer has reasonable knowledge of the works. The engineer must inspect the works personally or ensure they are inspected under competent supervision; contractor photographs alone are not adequate evidence. A disclaimer cannot replace the required inspection.

Question 22Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is offered payment by a manufacturer to endorse a construction chemical as 'best on the market' in advertisements. Under the COREN code of conduct, the engineer may endorse the product only if:

  1. The payment is fully disclosed in writing to the engineer's employer or client before publication.
  2. The product has already been used on at least one project in Nigeria.
  3. The claims rest on objective testing and are truthful and within the engineer's competence. Correct answer.
  4. The manufacturer is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Explanation

Public statements and endorsements must be objective, truthful, and within the engineer's area of competence. Disclosure of payment is relevant to conflicts of interest but does not make exaggerated or unsupported claims ethical. Commercial registration or one prior use does not validate a 'best on the market' claim.

Question 23Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is engaged by a client to review a structural design prepared by another firm. The engineer finds several departures from the approved code. How should the engineer report the findings?

  1. Report only the departures that can be corrected at no extra cost to the client.
  2. Refuse to review another registered engineer's work because professional courtesy prevents criticism.
  3. Present the findings anonymously so the other firm is not embarrassed.
  4. State the departures factually, cite the code, and avoid personal attacks. Correct answer.

Explanation

A reviewing engineer must give an objective and truthful account of technical deficiencies. Criticism should be directed at the work and supported by the applicable code or standard, not at the persons involved. Professional courtesy does not require withholding valid safety-related findings.

Question 24Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer finds that a waste-water treatment plant under construction will discharge untreated effluent because a safety interlock was omitted. The engineer's employer rejects correction on cost grounds. What is the engineer's most appropriate next step under professional ethics?

  1. Resign immediately and take no further action because the employer owns the project and its risks.
  2. Publicly name the employer on social media before making any regulatory report.
  3. Sign the design as checked because the employer has accepted the commercial risk.
  4. Document the concern, seek correction through management, and report to the regulator if unresolved. Correct answer.

Explanation

The engineer's paramount duty is to protect public health and the environment. The engineer should record the technical concern and pursue correction through internal channels. If the employer persists and serious harm remains likely, disclosure to the relevant regulatory authority is justified.

Question 25Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

During construction, a registered engineer discovers that a contractor has substituted a lower-grade reinforcement steel than specified, although the mill certificates presented at approval were for the correct grade. The engineer should:

  1. Accept the substitution if a new mill certificate and a price discount are provided.
  2. Record the matter in the site diary and take no further action until the monthly meeting.
  3. Approve the work because the structural calculations show a small reserve capacity.
  4. Order the affected work stopped, require testing or removal, and document the nonconformance. Correct answer.

Explanation

The engineer must enforce the approved specification and protect structural safety. A suspected nonconformance requires stopping affected work, verifying by testing or removing the material, and documenting the issue. A price discount or unexplained reserve capacity does not justify accepting non-compliant steel.

Question 26Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is designing a rural road and can reduce project cost by routing it through a protected wetland, avoiding an environmental assessment. What does the COREN code require?

  1. Consider environmental impacts and comply with applicable environmental law before selecting the route. Correct answer.
  2. Choose the cheaper route because public funds must be used economically.
  3. Delegate the environmental decision to the contractor because construction methods are the contractor's responsibility.
  4. Proceed if the wetland is not inhabited by endangered species.

Explanation

The code requires engineers to consider the safety, health, and welfare of the public and the environment. Avoiding a required environmental assessment is inconsistent with lawful and ethical practice. Cost savings alone cannot justify bypassing environmental obligations.

Question 27Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer in Nigeria is invited to design a bridge in another country where local law requires registration for engineering practice. What is the correct professional conduct?

  1. Prepare the design in Nigeria and arrange for a local technician to sign it on the engineer's behalf.
  2. Accept the work because COREN registration is recognized worldwide.
  3. Comply with the other country's registration requirements before offering or providing the services. Correct answer.
  4. Ask the client to confirm that local authorities will not check registration.

Explanation

Registration is jurisdiction-specific, and engineers must comply with the laws of the country where the services are provided. COREN registration does not automatically authorize practice elsewhere. Arranging for an unqualified person to sign the design would also breach professional obligations.

Question 28Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

After a building collapse, a registered engineer is interviewed by a newspaper. The engineer has not inspected the site and has no detailed information. What is the ethical approach?

  1. Offer a definitive cause of the collapse to reassure the public and the affected community.
  2. Blame the contractor so that the engineering profession is protected.
  3. State the limits of the information and avoid speculation outside competence. Correct answer.
  4. Decline all comment because engineers should never speak to the media.

Explanation

Engineers who make public statements must be objective, truthful, and stay within their competence. Without site inspection or detailed information, the engineer should make clear what is not known. Speculative blame or reassurance can mislead the public and harm the profession.

Question 29Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is retained by a client to audit a private hospital's oxygen supply system. The engineer discovers a defect that could cause a fire and explosion, but the client refuses to inform the hospital management or regulators and cites confidentiality. What should the engineer do?

  1. Resign quietly and return the fee to avoid any further involvement.
  2. Post the findings in a professional forum without naming the hospital.
  3. Disclose the defect to the hospital and, if necessary, the regulator to protect public safety. Correct answer.
  4. Maintain confidentiality absolutely because the client owns the audit report and controls its distribution.

Explanation

Confidentiality is not absolute where disclosure is necessary to prevent serious harm to public safety. The engineer should first try to have the client inform the hospital, but may disclose to the appropriate recipient if the danger remains. Protecting life takes precedence over the client's instruction to stay silent.

Question 30Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer reviewing a colleague's foundation design finds a likely error that could cause settlement, but the colleague insists the design is correct. The reviewing engineer should:

  1. Defer to the colleague because both are registered and the colleague is senior.
  2. Report the colleague to COREN immediately without first discussing the technical issue.
  3. Withdraw from the review to avoid a dispute between registered engineers.
  4. Document the basis, obtain independent review, and escalate if the issue remains unresolved. Correct answer.

Explanation

The reviewing engineer must protect public safety and resolve the technical disagreement objectively. The proper path is to document the concern with calculations, seek independent technical review, and escalate if the safety issue is not resolved. Seniority or professional courtesy does not justify ignoring a credible risk.

Question 31Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer has completed no formal learning since registration ten years ago. Why does continuing professional development matter for ethical practice?

  1. To satisfy clients who prefer a longer curriculum vitae
  2. To keep professional competence current and reliable Correct answer.
  3. To reduce the annual practising fee payable to Council
  4. To qualify automatically for a higher registration grade

Explanation

Continuing professional development is a professional obligation, not a route to automatic promotion or fee reduction. It helps engineers keep pace with standards, methods and safety knowledge so that their advice remains competent and trustworthy.

Question 32Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is balancing a client's demand for a cheaper design against the safety of future occupants. Which duty takes precedence?

  1. The employer's commercial interest, because it bears the risk
  2. Public safety and welfare, which override commercial pressure Correct answer.
  3. The client's cost target, because the client pays the fee
  4. The contractor's construction convenience, because time is critical

Explanation

The professional duty to protect public safety and welfare is paramount and cannot be traded for cost or convenience. Commercial pressures may shape a design, but they never justify accepting a known risk to life or health.

Question 33Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer whose experience is in road pavements is invited to design a specialised offshore platform. What does the competence principle require?

  1. Accept after asking the client to sign a liability waiver
  2. Accept because registration covers all engineering fields
  3. Accept and rely on the contractor to correct any errors
  4. Decline unless competent or assisted by a qualified specialist Correct answer.

Explanation

Engineers must practise only within their competence or obtain the expertise needed for the task. A liability waiver does not create competence, and relying on a contractor to correct design errors reverses professional responsibility.

Question 34Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer part-owns a materials testing laboratory. On a project he leads, he must select a laboratory for concrete cube tests. What is the most appropriate action?

  1. Specify his own laboratory and keep the ownership confidential
  2. Disclose the ownership and use an independent laboratory approved by the client Correct answer.
  3. Specify his own laboratory after disclosing ownership and rely on his judgement
  4. Ask the contractor to choose a laboratory and share the fee with his own laboratory

Explanation

A financial interest in a testing facility creates a conflict of interest that must be disclosed and managed. Using an independent laboratory approved by the client protects objectivity; mere disclosure while still selecting his own laboratory may not remove the bias.

Question 35Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A firm wants to advertise its principal as 'the most accurate designer in Nigeria, guaranteeing zero defects'. How should the registered engineer respond?

  1. Approve because confidence attracts more clients and projects
  2. Refuse the guarantee but keep factual experience claims Correct answer.
  3. Refuse all advertising as unethical in every case
  4. Approve with a small disclaimer at the bottom

Explanation

Professional advertising must be truthful and must not create unjustified expectations or imply guaranteed outcomes. Factual descriptions of experience are acceptable, but a zero-defect guarantee is misleading because engineering involves uncertainty and shared responsibility.

Question 36Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is asked to seal structural drawings prepared by a technician who is not under his supervision. What is the correct professional action?

  1. Refuse until he reviews it and accepts responsibility Correct answer.
  2. Seal because registration alone makes the drawing acceptable
  3. Seal and obtain an indemnity from the technician
  4. Seal after a quick check of the title block and notes

Explanation

Sealing a drawing asserts that the engineer has reviewed it and accepts professional responsibility for its content. A quick check or an indemnity from the technician cannot substitute for proper review and responsible charge.

Question 37Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A public official tells a registered engineer that a permit will be delayed unless a 'facilitation fee' is paid to his personal account. What is the appropriate professional response?

  1. Ask the contractor to pay and record it as a site expense
  2. Pay because the delay harms the client
  3. Pay but report it after project completion
  4. Refuse and use lawful approval channels Correct answer.

Explanation

Facilitation payments are bribes and are incompatible with professional integrity, even when a project is delayed. The engineer should refuse and pursue lawful approval processes, documenting the request where appropriate.

Question 38Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer learns that a site technician is marketing and signing structural designs as an 'engineer' without COREN registration. What should the engineer do?

  1. Report the matter to COREN with relevant evidence Correct answer.
  2. Publish accusations on social media
  3. Ignore it because only the client can complain
  4. Warn the technician privately and take no further step

Explanation

Using a protected title and signing engineering work without registration undermines public safety and the regulatory system. A registered engineer should report the matter to COREN with evidence rather than rely on private warnings or public accusations.

Question 39Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A project manager asks a registered engineer to date a design certificate earlier than the actual review date so that it appears to precede construction. What should the engineer do?

  1. Refuse because backdating a professional certificate is dishonest Correct answer.
  2. Ask the contractor to backdate the construction records instead
  3. Backdate it and note the true date in a private file
  4. Backdate it if the design is technically sound

Explanation

Professional certificates must accurately record when work was reviewed and approved. Backdating creates a false record and conceals the true sequence of events, regardless of whether the design is technically sound.

Question 40Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A client asks a registered engineer to sign a clause forbidding any report to COREN about a serious structural defect found during a design review. How should the engineer respond?

  1. Sign but report only if a collapse occurs
  2. Refuse because public safety overrides such a clause Correct answer.
  3. Sign because client confidentiality is absolute
  4. Sign and advise the client orally to repair the defect

Explanation

Confidentiality does not permit an engineer to conceal a serious risk to public safety from the regulator. A contractual clause cannot override the professional duty to report unsafe conditions through appropriate channels.

Question 41Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

Which instrument sets the ethical and professional conduct standards that a COREN-registered engineer must follow?

  1. The Nigerian building code
  2. The client's project specification
  3. COREN's code of professional conduct Correct answer.
  4. The employer's human resources manual

Explanation

COREN's code of professional conduct states the ethical duties of registered engineers, including public safety, competence, honesty and avoidance of conflicts of interest. Project specifications, building codes and HR manuals govern technical, construction or employment matters, not professional ethics.

Question 42Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer has just certified a contractor's milestone payment. The contractor later sends him a costly hamper as a 'thank you'. What is the most appropriate ethical response?

  1. Share it with the site team so no individual benefits
  2. Decline or return the hamper and record the offer Correct answer.
  3. Accept it because it was unsolicited and arrived after certification
  4. Accept it but disclose only if a payment dispute arises

Explanation

A gift from a contractor who may benefit from the engineer's decisions can create an obligation or the appearance of favouritism. The engineer should decline or return it and disclose the offer in line with the employer's policy.

Question 43Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A client sends a registered engineer a set of proprietary process drawings for a completed project and later asks him to use them on an unrelated project for a different client. What should the engineer do?

  1. Reuse them if the new client pays him a licence fee
  2. Obtain the first client's consent before any reuse Correct answer.
  3. Reuse the drawings because the first project is complete
  4. Reuse only the parts that carry no client logo

Explanation

Client drawings and process information are confidential and usually remain the client's intellectual property after the project ends. Reuse for another client requires the first client's informed consent or a licence.

Question 44Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer sits on a tender evaluation panel. He realizes that one bidder is a company owned by his brother-in-law. What is the correct professional action?

  1. Declare the relationship and step down from that bid Correct answer.
  2. Evaluate all bids but give his relative lower marks
  3. Ask another panel member to score the relative's bid
  4. Continue silently because he can remain objective

Explanation

An engineer must avoid conflicts of interest and must disclose any relationship that could affect impartiality. Stepping down from that bid protects the integrity of the tender.

Question 45Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

While reviewing a junior colleague's draft technical report, a registered engineer finds a long section copied verbatim from another author's paper without citation. What should the engineer require before allowing the report to be issued?

  1. Addition of a general disclaimer at the end of the report
  2. Proper attribution and rewriting in the colleague's own analysis Correct answer.
  3. A verbal apology to the team instead of a citation
  4. Removal of the section only if the original author complains

Explanation

Using another author's text without attribution is plagiarism and breaches professional integrity. The section must be properly cited or rewritten with independent analysis before the report is issued.

Question 46Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer's employer directs him to delete a safety warning from an operating manual because it may alarm customers. The warning concerns a known risk of injury. What should the engineer do?

  1. Delete it but keep a private note for personal protection
  2. Reword it so vaguely that customers are unlikely to notice
  3. Refuse to delete it and escalate the matter through proper channels Correct answer.
  4. Comply because the employer bears commercial responsibility

Explanation

A known risk of injury must not be concealed for commercial or public-relations reasons. The engineer should refuse and escalate through the proper technical or management channels.

Question 47Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A registered engineer is engaged as an expert witness in a construction dispute. During cross-examination, he is asked about a specialised area outside his expertise. What is the ethically correct response?

  1. Answer confidently to protect the client's case
  2. State the limits of his expertise and decline a definitive opinion Correct answer.
  3. Give an opinion based on what the opposing expert said
  4. Refuse to answer all remaining questions from counsel

Explanation

An expert witness owes a duty of objectivity to the tribunal and must not give opinions outside proven competence. Stating the limits of his expertise is the honest and professional response.

Question 48Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A contractor asks a registered engineer to sign a prequalification reference stating that the contractor's work was 'fully supervised and defect-free' on a project where the engineer made only two inspection visits. What should the engineer do?

  1. Decline to sign and offer a factual statement of his involvement Correct answer.
  2. Sign it because the contractor needs work and no harm is likely
  3. Ask a site technician to sign it on his behalf
  4. Sign it but add a secret note to the client's file

Explanation

A reference must be truthful and limited to matters the engineer actually knows from his own supervision or inspection. Signing an inflated claim would misrepresent the contractor's record.

Question 49Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

Six months after a registered engineer specified a particular pipe fitting, he learns from a reliable test report that the fitting may fail under the operating pressure used on his project. The client has not yet been informed. What is the engineer's ethical duty?

  1. Inform the supplier only and let the supplier contact the client
  2. Promptly inform the client and recommend investigation and corrective action Correct answer.
  3. Wait until a failure occurs so that liability can be established
  4. Keep silent because the specification met the published standard

Explanation

The engineer has a continuing duty to protect public safety and to inform the client when reliable information shows a risk from his design. Prompt notification allows investigation and correction before harm occurs.

Question 50Engineering practice, ethics and professional conduct

A client proposes a contract clause requiring the engineer to certify every future stage of the contractor's work as compliant, whether or not the engineer has inspected it. How should the engineer respond?

  1. Reject the clause and require certification only after adequate inspection Correct answer.
  2. Accept it but delegate all future inspections to the contractor
  3. Accept it if the contractor agrees to keep daily site records
  4. Accept it because certification is only an administrative formality

Explanation

Certification is a professional statement that work has been inspected and found compliant. An engineer must not certify work he has not adequately verified, because doing so misleads the client and may endanger the public.