Functional safety and ethical concerns

This paper discusses ethics from a variety of perspectives. The author points out that, in all cases, ethics is the responsibility of individuals. This is an important concept; it implies that it may be impossible to accuse an organization of being unethical, even if it operates in an irresponsible, improper, or illegal manner. Ignoring product safety standards and/or product conformance to specifications can have serious consequences. Unfortunately, many people who make decisions are unaware that they are dealing with ethical issues and that the wrong decision may result in substantial losses, injuries, product liability suits, or even prison terms. The case studies focus on ethical issues and decisions regarding safety, product and process changes, nonconforming components, and workplace injuries. Injuries and losses can be avoided if everyone in an organization pays careful attention to details, complies with safety policies, conforms to product specifications, recognizes.