Ethics and Innovation in Engineering Assessment Answer

Ethics and Innovation in Engineering
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Introduction
Engineering ethics is a topic that has shown a certain horizon of uncertainty in the contemporary setting. Experts have tried to ascertain the scope of the topic and its study systematically but no substantial success has been realized. In many fields of study, it is evident that the main focus is usually related to how to uphold the existing ethical codes of conduct for public interest and environmental sustainability (Harris, Pritchard, Rabins, James and Englehardt, 2013). In some cases, management costs may favor profit margins of an organization. Such situations have the capacity to taint the validity of ethical provisions (Harris et al., 2013). As such, the direction provided by ethical codes may be overruled.
Ignorance in association with warnings and direction provided by ethical codes has resulted in myriads of accidents in ways that would have been clobbered. All in all, engineers bear the entire cut of the blame since it is hard to ascertain whether or not if their decisions considered the interests of the public and environmental sustainability. Therefore, it is significant to know the exact action to undertake in case a tragedy related to unethical engineering operations befall. Such accidents are varied in nature while each of them having specific impacts. Due to this, it is valid to analyze previous accidents and build implementable plans to help curb similar incidences in the near future (Chikoto, Sadiq and Fordyce, 2013). Developing appropriate plans help evade unforeseen accidents associated with industrial activities.
Accidents resulting from technological and industrial accidents refers to occurrences that are not natural in nature. These accidents usually have negative implications both economically, socially and environmentally. They include mineral explosions, accidental release of harmful chemical elements, explosions resulting from unregulated nuclear reactions and methodological mistakes resulting from lack of a clear observation of rules and regulations associated with a specific industrial operation (Lindberg, Hansson and Rollenhagen, 2010). With the existing face of technological advancement and emerging trends in industrial operations, companies seem to have shifted ways on how they carry out production activities. The entire production process is currently sophisticated which proximal utilization of chemicals in every aspect of the process. More so, industries have raised the level of complexity in their production process (Garetti and Taisch, 2012). One major implication of such changes is the fact that these practices have sidelined the ethical codes of operations which prioritizes environmental and public interests over companies profit margin optimization (Harris et al., 2013). This has resulted in increasing cases of avoidance towards keen observation of ethical codes of conduct.
Aim to be Fulfilled by this Report
Basing on the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill (Bp Oil spill), this report aims at addressing issues that arose in relation to the conduct of engineers in the incidence that is considered as the largest ever experienced marine oil spill in the history of the United States of America. The Deep-Water Horizon Oil Spill accident resulted from cases of unregulated gas and oil explosions (McNutt, Camilli, Crone, Guthrie, Hsieh and Ryerson, 2012). It led to the fateful death of eleven crew members while leaving a mark in the history concerning oil spills recorded in the United States of America (McNutt et al., 2012). The root causes of the incidences were believed to have been in the making for quite some time. They lie on the decisions made by the British Petroleum Management where priority was rendered to speed instead of security. Moreover, their reputation was tattered in the way they unethically dealt with boundary issues (McNutt et al., 2012). The crew members also had to bear a fraction of the blame due to their dubious decisions that contributed to the fateful incident.
Overview of the Accident
The explosion of the British Petroleum offshore rig happened on 20th April 2010 claiming the lives of eleven rig workers while spilling much of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil well is estimated to be located at 5000 feet distance underneath the sea (McNutt et al., 2012). The amount of crude oil spilled is estimated to be 5 million gallons. Such an incidence ponders and compromises with the marine life as well as the community that was staying alongside the seashore. The consequences arising from it are devastating. Areas affected by the oil spill were located within a cut-out of 30 miles length and 70 miles breadth (McNutt et al., 2012). This encircles the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi (McNutt et al., 2012). Furthermore, the continuous spread of the spilled crude oils threatens the existence of endangered species like the whales and migratory birds and turtles that reside in the Gulf of Mexico.
The speculation concerning the possible causes of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and the actual Bp spill of oil is attributed to several reasons. For instance, the raised reasons are based on the integrated investigation by the Ocean Management Bureau, the Enforcement and Regulation bodies as well as a trusted investigation by the Commission on Deepwater Horizon Oil spill (Williams, Gero, Bejder, Calambokidis, Kraus, Lusseau and Robbins, 2011). This raises issues of unethical conduction of activities and the incapacitation of the crew to ascertain all safety measures, a task to which they were accustomed (Williams et al., 2011). The crew was to blame for misinterpretation of pressure readings and not spotting the issue early enough. The leak seems to be dated at sometimes back but it was either not detected or was assumed by the crew (Williams et al., 2011). Evidently, the engineers seem to have bypassed some ethical provisions like installation of emergency alarms, cross-checking the suitability and capacity of parts of the system like separators, BOP batteries and dodgy cement (Williams et al., 2011). Such cases raise attention on the level at which ethical codes are observed by engineers since they seem to focus on the speed and profitability margins instead of the interests of the public as well as the environment.
Impacts of the Deepwater Oil Spill Industrial Incident
Impacts associated with the Deepwater Oil Spill incident can vary widely from health, economic and environmental perspectives. The ocean acted as a central hub that integrated human life, the environment and other economic specifications that may be affiliated with the survival of humanity.
Health Impacts
Generally, gases are meant to flow freely from the exact points where they are produced. As such, communities residing alongside the affected shorelines were exposed to dangers of inhalations of harmful gases and chemical components associated with the spillage (Middlebrook, Murphy, Ahmadov, Atlas, Bahreini, Blake and Holloway, 2012). Such exposure leads to extended periods of psychological torture and prolonged medical usage by the victims (Grattan, Roberts, Mahan, McLaughlin, Otwell and Morris, 2011). Consequently, the loss of lives by the eleven crew members was such a negative implication since human life is irreplaceable (Grattan et al., 2011). Families and friend suffered an eternal loss as a result of the death of their loved ones.
Environmental Impacts
The effect on the state of the environment is a long-term impact that will be felt alongside the shorelines of Alabama and other affected states. The Gulf Coast acts as a home for many marine lives. It is a habitat wild organism as approximately five million in the number of migratory birds passes through the area (Smith, Smith and Ashcroft, 2011). More so, during winter, The Times-Picayune reports that the affected area is an appropriate ground where 70 of the countrys waterfowl rests. This includes Louisianas state bird and brown pelican. Most of the endangered wild species rely on the Gulf waters for survival. It comprises of dolphins and sharks, six varied species of whales, four sea turtle species and the North Atlantics Blue Tuna.
Economic Impacts
The Associated Press estimates the losses encountered from the Deepwater Oil Spill incident in terms of billions of dollars. For companies like Louisianas Oyster and Shrimp Harvest will be majorly affected as they fully depend on Gulf water to run their endeavors (Smith et al, 2011). The estimated amount usually registered as profits by these companies includes 1.8 million on seafood sales, 1 billion gain on recreational and fishing expeditions and 757 million in fishing in salt water (Smith et al., 2011). Despite these major losses of the annual income, many of the jobs supported by these companies have been halted, hence this affects the way of life of those who were initially working with the companies on a full-time basis. In general, the tourism sector is adversely affected while incapacitating the economic stature of the British Petroleum cycle. The new regulations enacted after the incidence further affected the oil market severely.
Ethical Problems Done before the Horizon Oil Spill Incident
The Deepwater Oil Spill Incident happened as a result of a combination of vices from major stakeholder who were fully relied on to ensure the safety of the entire process. Firstly, the Bp managements preference for speed over safety contributed majorly to the incident (McNutt et al., 2012). The Bp engineers went forth to undertake dubious decisions that would not be ascertained. In addition, technology underutilization was not updated. The Federal regulators failed to thoroughly conduct their scrutiny tasks during sign-offs for their plans. It is also evident that safety standards were ignored while violating the seven federal rules associated with notifications on impending changes on drilling plans.
Ethical Problems Done After the Horizon Oil Spill Incident
The environmental group held back much of the needed information that would have otherwise helped in the formulation of immediate response plans. Emphasis was majorly bestowed upon external stakeholders instead of creating a clear focus on corporate liability (McNutt et al., 2012). After the incident, media and other vital scientists were denied access to much of the needed information regarding the incident. Moreover, the British Petroleum failed to disclose the chemical dispensation which might have otherwise reduced the magnitude attributed to the leak.
Conclusion
Incidences such as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill usually happen due to mistakes and negligence aspects that normally seem meager before such haphazardly befalls. Evidently, mistakes done by the British Petroleum Management and the engineering the can be relied on as the core causes of the incident. The 2010 disaster should act as a reminder of the consequences that await the aversion of ethical codes in any expertise (Passow et al., 2012). Despite the fact that oil industries have contemporarily developed and installed control and mitigation measures, the entire responsibility lies with individual companies on how they make decisions to favor public interests and environmental standards. For instance, the incidence happened due to the speedy urge of the British Petroleum to mint profits over the expenses of ethics and safety provisions. This report has fully exploited all aspects attributed to the incidence and more so, framing it as a tragedy that would have been prevented. However, the impacts of the incident are evident in peoples lives until now.
Recommendations
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill should act as a benchmark incidence that can be capitalized on while laying mitigation measures for possible future incidences. It is worth to enforce companies to adhere to safety provisions in every area of their operations. Therefore, it critical that companies, as well as experts, should act ethically and be fully be aware of the repercussions associated with non-compliance. In any company, signs of problems with the system should be rectified regardless of the extent and magnitude it confers to the normal operations. This will help instill safety as a priority over profit-making in companies thus, observation of valid interests.

References
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Garetti, M., amp Taisch, M. (2012). Sustainable manufacturing trends and research challenges.Production planning amp control,23(2-3), 83-104.
Grattan, L. M., Roberts, S., Mahan Jr, W. T., McLaughlin, P. K., Otwell, W. S., amp Morris Jr, J. G. (2011). The early psychological impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Florida and Alabama communities.Environmental health perspectives,119(6), 838-843.
Harris Jr, C. E., Pritchard, M. S., Rabins, M. J., James, R., amp Englehardt, E. (2013).Engineering ethics Concepts and cases. Cengage Learning.
Lindberg, A. K., Hansson, S. O., amp Rollenhagen, C. (2010). Learning from accidentswhat more do we need to knowSafety Science,48(6), 714-721.
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Passow, U., Ziervogel, K., Asper, V., amp Diercks, A. (2012). Marine snow formation in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.Environmental Research Letters,7(3), 035301.
Smith, L. C., Smith, M., amp Ashcroft, P. (2011). Analysis of environmental and economic damages from British Petroleums Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Albany Law Review,74(1), 563-585.
Williams, R., Gero, S., Bejder, L., Calambokidis, J., Kraus, S. D., Lusseau, D., ... amp Robbins, J. (2011). Underestimating the damage interpreting cetacean carcass recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident.Conservation Letters,4(3), 228-233.