The Mining Engineer, Moral Luck, and Professional Accountability

This paper argues that engineers do bear responsibility when mining accidents occur, though depending on the circumstances surrounding any particular accident, ascriptions of moral 'responsibility' do not always mean that the engineer is morally 'blameworthy'. The authors conclude that professional accountability and moral responsibility require that the mining engineer take practical steps to ensure that high safety standards are upheld, and that, when accidents occur, steps are taken to identify the causes so that similar tragedies can be avoided in the future.