If the owners wanted to cancel the opening of the hotel, they were free to do so, but the engineers would be blameless if the structure should fail. What do you think of this response? Do you think such a letter absolves the engineers of responsibility?

You will have to write answers to follow-up questions throughout the book. Answer Discussion Question 4-9 (p. 66) based on the story in the text thru Chapter 4 (Hold Paramount).

Question 4-9: One of the reviewers of this book in the manuscript stage, an engineering ethics instructor, suggested that one solution for Joe and Sarah would be to write a letter to the owners, Timmo, explaining clearly and forthrightly their concerns about the design of the overhang and stating that, in their opinion, the overhang was unsafe. The reviewer suggested that if this letter were written, then Pines (and Joe, Sarah, and Chris) would be “off the hook,” that there would be a paper trail of honest communication, and that the decision to fix or not to fix the overhang would rest with the owners. If the owners wanted to cancel the opening of the hotel, they were free to do so, but the engineers would be blameless if the structure should fail. What do you think of this response? Do you think such a letter absolves the engineers of responsibility?

Be sure to thoroughly answer both parts of the question. Additionally, comment on how the Citi Corp tower case and the Hyatt Regency case bear on your answers.

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