EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Professional Ethics and the Geosciences
Aaron W. Johnson, MEM-2783
awj@aipg.org
Like many college students, I worked several part-time jobs to pay my way through school. I worked as a lab technician in the chemistry lab on campus, as a bartender at the local pizza joint, I cut and delivered firewood in the winters, and I worked as a field remediation technician during the summers. Of course, I didn’t work all of these jobs at the same time, but at several points during my time in college, I worked more than one job and went to school. It was a challenging and rewarding experience, most of the time.
As undergraduates, we learned about physical processes, and fossils; we studied mineralogy and petrology, and geo- chemistry. At my school, we even learned how to write geologi- cal reports. There were several things we never learned. We didn’t learn what a Phase I or Phase II report was. We didn’t know anything about Leaking Underground Storage Tanks. We learned about how contaminant plumes might move, but we didn’t learn about the methods to address MTBE in groundwater. There was a gap between the conceptual geologi- cal knowledge we were provided and the applied skills that most students would need in the workplace. Most critically, we never learned about professional ethics for geoscientists.
The lack of understanding of professional ethics came into play for me during a heating oil tank removal in the mid- 1990’s. The tanks and associated plumbing had been installed in the 1960’s, and our company was tasked with removal of the tanks and remediation of any associated contamination. The tank removal went well, and we identified a surprisingly small amount of leakage. After the last tank was loaded onto a flatbed, my field supervisor and I went to work removing the piping that had connected the tanks to the oil-fired furnaces inside the building.
The issue arose when we began to remove the plumbing.
The piping was wrapped in insulation, and we worked quickly yet thoroughly to remove both. Everything was wet, and soon my field supervisor and I were covered in a muddy mess of thick red clay. As the day warmed, the clay started to dry. So did the insulation, and by late morning, I noticed that wisps of gray fibers floated around every time we moved the insulation. The age and timing of the application along with the characteristics of the insulation made me wonder if the insulation contained asbestos.
I informed my supervisor that I was concerned that the insulation might contain asbestos. The fibers from the insula- tion were in my clothes, and my hair, and I could feel them on my face. My supervisor responded that he didn’t think the insulation contained asbestos, so we went back to work. The more insulation we removed, the more uncomfortable I became. I finally told my supervisor that I felt unsafe. After some discussion, we went to stabilize some waste oil at a local maintenance yard, and then went back to the office.
At the office, I learned that the company had sent samples of the insulation out for testing but the results of the tests were not back. The project manager sent us out to remove the insu- lation anyway. The project manager’s reasoning was that the insulation would only be a problem when it was dry. I wasn’t sure what to do. I had received no training from the company or at college that would help me address this situation.
When I got home, I put my clothes in a garbage bag, tied
it shut, and put it in the closet. The next Monday, I gave my notice. When asked, I told my supervisor that I just couldn’t work two jobs and go to summer school at the same time. In reality, I felt as if the company was more concerned with covering themselves, than with my safety. I was afraid to tell my supervisor, because I was afraid that would impact any reference I might need for a job in the future.
For years, I kept the bag of clothes. That bag came with me to Virginia, then Missouri, and Minnesota. Finally, after 20 years, I disposed of the bag. Looking back, I probably had a responsibility to report the actions of my field supervisor and project manager to Human Resources. At the time, I was a green student with no experience in the field, no training, and no understanding of professional ethics. I knew no other people in the industry outside of those working for the same company.
Today, AIPG supports more than 40 student chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States. We work diligently to provide students with an understanding of professional ethics, and to help students build a network of professionals they can turn to for advice when they are faced with a new problem, or a unique situation. For the last three years, one day of our annual meeting has been dedicated to student opportunities. Student interest is high, with the number of students participating rising from about 12 in 2016 to 30 in 2018.
Your support of AIPG is fundamental to our efforts to help prepare the next generation of geologists as they enter the workforce. If you’re one of the AIPG members who support student chapters, thank you. If you’re one of the dozens of AIPG members who make presentations to students or student chapters, who serve as mentors to students and early career professionals, or who serves on the AIPG ethics committee, thank you.
I want to thank all of you for your continued support of AIPG. Your membership, your participation in AIPG initia- tives, and the time and energy you expend on behalf of AIPG truly are appreciated.
I wish all of you a pleasant and productive summer. Best Regards,
Aaron
32 TPG •
Jul.Aug.Sep 2019
www.aipg.org
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