Post on 01-Nov-2014
Cowboys Practice Roof Collapse
Jonathan Hauxwell Maria Burbano-Salazar Anuvrat Saxena Shahrzad Amin Mathew Kurian Joshua Korah Jesus Valadez Ruchi Shah Nikhil Malik
Distribution of work
Shahrzad, Ruchi and Nikhil: Introduction
Maria, Mathew and Jonathan: Ethical case study.
Jesus, Joshua and Anuvrat: Actions to avoid problem
What it wasn’t
The issue isn’t the one that happened during Superbowl weekend.
Isn’t the one where the ice that collected on Cowboys stadium feel off the roof
This had to do with collapsing of the Cowboys practice facility
What Happened
Roof of the Dallas Cowboys practice facility crashed
12 people were injured including two life threatening injuries
Team Scout had severed spinal cord and was paralyzed
Special Teams coach Joe DeCamillis’ broke his neck
Why the roof fell
Bad weather caused the structure to collapse
Estimated wind speed was estimated to be around 70 miles per hour
The structure itself wasn’t built properly as notated by the company later on
Who built it, and how it happened
The roof was built by Summit Structures LLC
Frame of the roof was overstressed, and Summit knew about it.
The structure was “too slender and long” and “prone to buckling”
Case Study Study of the ethical nature of the performance of Summit Structures
• Act Utilitarianism
• An act is ethical or not if it generates more “good” than “bad”.
• Positives: – Building met deadline
– Cost efficient
• Negatives: – Structure failed
– Two people seriously injured (one paralyzed), several hurt
– Cost of reconstruction • Time
• Money
• Resources
– Expensive legal problems
• Kantianism
– If an act can become a universal rule without contradicting itself then its ethical. And if it treats people as ends in it of themselves.
• Act: Do not dedicate time to fix design defects
• If universal rule: all buildings flaws would have a quick fix
• Purpose of the rule: Fix buildings, in order for them to last long
– Would get the job done quick and efficiently but the buildings would not last.
– Then many buildings would fail and the purpose would not be accomplished
• Software code of ethics
- Violation of principle 3 the product
3.01 - Strive for high quality, acceptable cost and a reasonable schedule, ensuring significant tradeoffs are clear to and accepted by the employer and the client, and are available for consideration by the user and the public.
Summit Structures failed to strive for high quality. Even though the building was up to code it did not compensate for “Texas weather” unexpected high winds and heavy rains.
– Violation of principle 1 Act consistently with public interest.
• Summit Structures violated the following elements”
1.02 Balance competing interests (Utility)
1.03 Approve structure only if it is safe (Utility)
1.04 Disclose actual/potential dangers (Kantianism)
PMI Code of ethics
Honesty: Not deceiving, misleading, stating half truths, or using information out of context.
Summit Structures mislead the Cowboys by making them believe that the design flaws had been fixed .
Responsibility
Summit Structures did not accept full responsibility for the flaws in the design of the building that lead to the collapse of the roof
End of ethical analysis
The act committed by Summit Structures violated: Kantianism
Act Utilitarianism
PMI code of ethics
Software engineering code of ethics (applied to architecture)
Therefore: Summit Structures acted unethically
Preventing Future Incidents
Summit Structures Shared information with Cowboys organization
PMI Code of Ethics – Honesty
Kantianism
Hired licensed engineers
Civil Engineering Certification
PMI Code of Ethics – Honesty
Utilitarianism
Made the adequate repairs
PMI Code of Ethics – Responsibility
Utilitarianism
Tested structure for severe weather conditions
PMI Code if Ethics - Responsibility
Utilitarianism
Preventing Future Incidents
Cowboys
Been more aware of the problems Summit Structure’s buildings have had in the past
Kantianism
Sources
"Several Hurt by Falling Snow at Cowboys Stadium, Site of Super Bowl." USA Today. Gannett, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/02/five-hurt-by-falling-snow-at-cowboys-stadium-site-of-super-bowl/1>.
Press, Associated. "Report: Firm Concealed dangers." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 25 July 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/8199975/report-summit-structures-llc-knew-dallas-cowboys-canopy-fall>.
"AP Exclusive: Firm Knew Cowboys Facility May Fall." Yahoo! Sports. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-cowboys-canopycollapse>.
"Roof Collapse Injures a Coach, 11 Others at Cowboys' Facility - USATODAY.com."Roof Collapse Injures a Coach, 11 Others at Cowboys' Facility - USATODAY.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/cowboys/2009-05-02-roof-collapse_N.htm>.
"12 Injured in Dallas Cowboys Practice Arena Collapse." CNN. N.p., 02 May 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-02/us/cowboys.practice.field.collapse_1_collapse-nfl-photographers?_s=PM%3AUS>.
"Â Cowboys Practice Stadium Roof Collapses, Multiple Injuries." The Inquisitr. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inquisitr.com/23265/cowboys-practice-stadium-roof-collapses-multiple-injuries/
"NIST Study Says Design Errors Caused Collapse of Dallas Cowboys' Fabric-Structure Training Facility." ASFE: The Geoprofessional Business Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.asfe.org/index.cfm?cdid=11231>.
"Personal Injury Attorneys - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and the Bronx."Personal Injury Lawsuits in Dallas Cowboy Roof Collapse; Low Scoreboard OK for This Season. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.newyorkinjuries.com/blog/2009/09/06/personal-injury-lawsuits-in-dallas-cowboy-roof-collapse-low-scoreboard-ok-for-this-season-62879>.
"Firm That Advised on Cowboys Structure Has Filed for Bankruptcy." Wfaa.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/64823727.html>.
Sources