You are an engineer on a team designing a bridge for a state government. Your team submits what you believe to be the best design by all criteria, at a cost that is within the limits originally set. However, some months later the state undergoes a budget crisis. Your supervisor, also a qualified engineer, makes design changes to achieve cost reductions that he believes will not compromise the safety of the bridge. You are not so sure, though you cannot conclusively demonstrate a safety hazard. You request that a new safety analysis be done. Your supervisor denies your request on the grounds of time and limited budget. What do you do?

a. Go along with the decision. You have expressed your concerns, and they have been considered.

b. Appeal the decision to a higher management level.

c. Quit your job.

d. Write your state representative.

e. Call a newspaper reporter and express your safety concerns.

Use the Engineering Ethics Matrix.