Professional Membership Rules and Code of Conduct
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Statement of Ethical Principles The Engineering Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering lists four fundamental principles to guide engineers and technicians in achieving the high ideals of professional life: • Accuracy and rigour • Honesty and integrity • Respect for life, law and the public good • Responsible leadership: listening and informing These express the beliefs and values of the profession and are amplified in the Statement of Ethical Principles; www.engc.org.uk/professional-ethics
Rules of Professional Conduct
1 Members of The Welding Institute are expected abide by the ethical principles as outlined opposite. 2 When discharging his/her professional duties, a member: i Should act with due skill, care and diligence and with proper regard for professional standards. ii Should satisfy himself/herself as to their scope, obtaining in advance any necessary clarification or confirmation and shall not accept professional obligations which he/ she believes he/she has not sufficient competence or authority to perform and shall assess manage and communicate all relevant risks. iii Shall accept responsibility for all work carried out by him/her, or under his/her supervision or direction, and shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that persons working under his/her authority are competent to carry out the tasks assigned to them and that they accept responsibility for work done under any authority delegated to them. iv Shall assess relevant liability, and, if appropriate, hold professional indemnity insurance. v Shall, when asked for professional advice, give an opinion that is objective and reliable, to the best of his/her ability. vi Shall, if his/her professional advice is not accepted, take all reasonable steps to ensure that the person who overrules or disregards his/her advice is made aware of the possible consequences and, wherever possible, records the same.
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3 Except when legally authorised in the national or public interest, when discharging his/her professional duties, a member: i Shall prevent avoidable danger to health or safety ii Shall act in accordance with the principles of sustainability, and prevent avoidable adverse impact on the environment and society. 4 In his/her work, a member shall respect all relevant laws and statutory regulations and shall act with proper regard for professional standards. 5 In respect of his/her professional relationships with employers, colleagues or clients, a member: i Shall treat all persons fairly and with respect ii Shall not maliciously or recklessly injure or attempt to injure, whether directly or indirectly, the professional reputation of another and shall treat all persons fairly and with respect. iii Shall disclose to his/her client or employer any benefits or interests that he/she may have in any matter in which he/she is engaged on their behalf. iv Shall neither communicate to any person, nor publish any information or matter, not previously known by him/her or available in the public domain, which has been communicated to him/her in confidence by a client or employer without the express authority of that client or employer. v Shall not claim authorisations, qualifications or registrations for which he/she is not entitled.
vi Shall declare any changes to his/ her professional status that might affect the perception of employers or other interested parties as to his/her competence to undertake work for which he/she will be responsible. vii Shall notify the institute of any violation of this Code of Conduct by another member. viii Shall encourage others to advance their learning and competence
9 A member shall reject bribery and all forms of corrupt behaviour, and make positive efforts to ensure others do likewise.
6 A member shall ensure that he/she keeps up-to-date in the technology in which he/she practises to maintain his/her competence. To this end, members are encouraged to adopt a formal approach to Professional Development.
11 A member shall be guilty of improper conduct if he/she is convicted by a competent tribunal of a criminal or civil offence which, in the opinion of the Council, renders him/her unfit to be a member. A member shall notify the Institute if convicted of any such offence.
10 A member working overseas shall observe these rules as far as they are applicable, but where there are recognised standards of professional conduct in the country in which he/she is employed, he/she may adhere to them.
7 A member shall not solicit work in a misleading or unfair way as an independent adviser or consultant, either directly or by an agent, nor shall he/she improperly pay any person, by commission or otherwise, for the introduction of such work.
If, in the opinion of Council, a member is precluded from performing his/her professional duties in a manner consistent with the standards of his/her profession, as a result of being adjudicated bankrupt or making a composition with his/her creditors, he/she may be deemed guilty of improper conduct. A member shall notify the Institute if such circumstances occur.
8 A member shall not be the medium of payments made on his/her employer’s behalf unless so requested by his/her employer, nor shall he/she, in connection with work on which he/she is employed, place contracts or orders except with the authority of and on behalf of his/her employer.
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Disciplinary Regulations
1 For the purposes of these regulations, improper conduct shall mean: The making of any false representation in applying for election, or breaches of the Rules of Professional Conduct, or gross negligence, technical incompetence or recklessness in a professional respect, or any conduct injurious to the Institute. 2 The Council shall appoint a committee to investigate allegations of improper conduct on the part of any member or members. Such committee shall be known as the Investigating Panel. 3 The Investigating Panel shall normally be activated only when required. 4 The Council shall appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Investigating Panel, and shall appoint a member of the Institute staff to act as Secretary to the Investigating Panel. 5 The Investigating Panel shall consist of six Fellows of the Institute, including the Chairman and Vice Chairman, all of whom shall be present or past members of the Council. Three members of the Investigating Panel, including at least one present member of the Council shall constitute a quorum. 6 (a) If any allegations of improper conduct on the part of a member shall be received from any source, the same shall in the first instance be referred to the Chairman of the Panel to establish whether the case is justified and then shall be considered by the members of the Panel.
(b) The Panel may also consider the circumstances of any case where, without allegation made, they have reason to believe that a member may have been guilty of improper conduct.
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7 If such consideration does not appear to the Investigating Panel to disclose any prima facie case of improper conduct, the Investigating Panel may dismiss the case without hearing the person making the allegation and need not inform the member concerned. 8 In all other cases the Investigating Panel shall send written notice to the accused member of the nature and particulars of the allegation or information and invite him/her to put forward his/her observations in writing to the Investigation Panel. 9 (a) After receiving the accused member’s observations, the Panel: i. May, if satisfied that the allegation is unfounded or that the information does not disclose a prima facie case or that the alleged improper conduct is trivial, dismiss the case. ii. May, if it considers that the alleged improper conduct is of a minor nature, refer the allegation or information to the Institute’s Chairman to be dealt with in accordance with Regulation 8(b). iii. In all other cases shall refer the allegation or information to a special meeting of the Council. (b) Where an allegation or information has been referred to the Institute’s Chairman in accordance with Regulation 8(a) and the Institute Chairman is willing to act in accordance with this Regulation, the Panel shall notify the accused member that the matter has been so referred. If within 14 days after such notification the member shall notify the Panel in writing that he admits that he has been guilty of the improper conduct alleged, then the Institute’s Chairman shall admonish or reprimand the accused member in the presence of the Chairman of the Panel and the Institute Secretary and the allegation or information shall not thereafter be
13 (a) If the Council finds the accused member guilty of improper conduct, it shall make an order for expulsion, suspension, reprimand or admonition as the case may be, which shall be communicated to the accused member by the Secretary of the 10 As soon as an allegation has been referred to the Institute. The order shall further state whether Council, the Secretary shall: there are any special reasons why the particulars (a) Give notice to the member concerned that the of the order should not be notified to members allegation of information has been so referred. and to such other persons or institutions as the (b) Inform the member of the date of the special Council may from time to time decide. meeting of the Council at which the allegation will (b) If the order shall be that the accused member be dealt with. shall be expelled, such member shall have the (c) Inform the member that he/she may be heard right to appeal to a Committee consisting of three and/or represented at the special Council meeting. Past Chairmen of the Institute nominated by the Chairmen for the time being of the Institute. 11 On the hearing of any allegation the Investigating Notice in writing of such appeal shall be given Panel shall place before the Council such to the Secretary within 21 days (or such longer information as is available to it in relation to the time as the Council may decide) after Notice allegation by documents or by the testimony of of the Order has been given to the member witnesses and shall nominate one of its members concerned. The Appeal Committee shall review to conduct the case against the accused. The the information presented to the Council and shall Council may, at its discretion, employ solicitors or invite the member concerned either to appear counsel for that purpose. The accused member before the Appeal Committee or to submit his shall be given a full and fair opportunity of being written observations and the Appeal Committee heard and of calling witnesses and crossshall announce its decision which shall be final examining any other witness and testifying before and conclusive. the Council. He/she shall be allowed to conduct (c) If the Council finds the member not guilty his/her own case or, if he prefer, to be represented the Secretary shall inform the accused member. by solicitors or Counsel, or by another member of In any such case the Council may, and at the his/her own choice, or by any other person. request of the accused member, request the Secretary to publish to members’ notice of the 12 The Council may, in any case, where it appears fact that the complaint has been dismissed. just or expedient to do so, extend the time for (d) If a member is expelled in accordance with the doing anything and may adjourn a hearing from Disciplinary Regulations 1-13 and that member is time to time. registered with the Engineering Council, then the member shall have a right of written appeal to the Engineering Council who will invoke its own appellate jurisdiction requirements and notify the member accordingly. referred to the Council. In all other cases, or if the Institute’s Chairman is not willing to act in accordance with this regulation, the allegation or information shall be referred to the Council.
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Vision and Mission Statement
OUR VISION is to be the world class engineering institution for welding. Joining and allied technologies OUR MISSION is to deliver globally recognised and valued qualifications and person membership services in joining and allied technologies to an expanding membership base. OUR AIMS: • To promote professionalism and the advancement of knowledge in welding, joining and allied technologies. • To ensure that the importance of welding, joining and allied technologies is widely understood in the engineering and lay communities; and that welding and joining professionals, who are recognised by the Institute are held in high esteem by those communities. • To confer professional status on those who demonstrate appropriated education, training competence and commitment to professional development; and contribute to safety and unity amongst those employed in welding, joining and allied technologies. • To achieve recognition from relevant UK, European and international organisations, in order to enable engineers and technicians to register their professional status • To promote the activities of branches enabling members to gain benefit from local networking and technology exchange. • To require professional and personal members to abide by a Code of Conduct • To actively promote the transfer and exchange of technical information on welding, joining and allied technologies, through a range of events and media • To exploit the latest developments in information and communications technology to further the aims of the Institute. • To attract students, trainees, apprentices, graduates and experienced professionals in welding, joining and allied technologies into membership and to take part in both the national and local branch activities of the Institute • To emphasise the importance of education and training in welding, joining and allied technologies, for both initial and continuing professional development; and to endorse education and training programmes that meet the standards set by the Institute
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Tel: +44 (0)1223 899000 E-mail: theweldinginstitute@twi.co.uk Web: www.theweldinginstitute.com
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The Welding Institute Granta Park Great Abington Cambridge UK CB21 6AL