Social Responsabilities of Civil Engineers

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To someone, the job of civil engineers may just be designing how to build a building or an infrastructure. To civil engineers, however, their works are far beyond that point. In fact, engineers do not only construct a building. As a civil engineering project has close relationship with the people and environment, engineers should be considerate and responsible to the above sectors. This essay will discuss the social responsibilities of civil engineers.

The foremost purpose of a civil engineering project is probably to serve human, to whom engineers have to responsible. Not only have they to be mindful of the users’ safety of the infrastructure, but they need to minimize the threat and disturbance to neighbors during the construction period of the project.

One of the potential disturbances of construction sites lies on the noise produced during construction. During the building process, noise from piling, concrete mixing and other machines can be as high as 90 dB⑴, which may disturb neighboring residents and induce various health effects such as sleep disturbance. Being in charge of construction process, civil engineers have to reduce the noise nuisance on neighbors, which is bided with the law in Hong Kong. According to the Noise Control Ordinance, construction works using powered mechanical equipment cannot be undergone between 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and during public holidays⑵⑶. This is within the responsibilities of engineers because it is them who design and monitor the schedule of construction.

On the other hand, since construction of infrastructure may occupy some of the public space, it is important for engineers to reduce the disturbance on transports and pedestrians. A majority of construction of transportation infrastruct...

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... of construction projects on both human and the environment. By means of reducing resource use, regulating construction process and deriving new technique of construction, engineers can help in improving our society.

Works Cited

1. Buildings Department. Com. (2013). Codes of Practice, Design Manuals and Guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/index_crlist.html.
2. Hong Kong Government .com.(2013). Building (Administration) Regulation (B(A)R) 37(1) and (2). Retrieved from http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_pdf.nsf/6799165D2FEE3FA94825755E0033E532/4EEE063977E08C98482575EE003ED58A?OpenDocument&bt=0
3. Department of Justice.com. (2013). Building (Administration) Regulations Delivery of notices, plans, etc. Retrieved from http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/E1BF50C09A33D3DC482564840019D2F4/961825A7D20F34E9482579CA002D3BBE?OpenDocument

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