Public Engineers: Accountability Without Liability

The laws and rules that govern the responsibilities of engineers continue to undergo change, but engineers are still held responsible for their work. A review is made of the grounds on which these responsibilities are based. Special attention is given to the particular vulnerability of engineers in the private sector. The defenses and protections against suits for professional liability are reviewed. A proposal to eliminate the liability of public engineers but still hold them accountable, and still satisfy the interests of society, is examined.