| Professional land surveyors must follow a strict | | | | be accepted if the expertise and resources of the |
| code of ethics. This ethics code is set by each | | | | surveyor allows them to be completed promptly |
| states State Board of Land Surveying. Many | | | | and professionally. Most of the parties seeking a |
| professional surveying societies also outline their | | | | survey have never contacted a surveyor before, |
| own code of ethics. Although they vary by group, | | | | and therefore may not know what these |
| generally the guidelines outlined are approximately | | | | services are worth. They should not be taken |
| the same. | | | | advantage of. If asked, they should explain how |
| Land surveyor ethics are needed because land | | | | the compensation figure was determined. |
| surveying can include an often surprising mix of | | | | Ethical surveyors will not sign any certificates, |
| art along with the science. It is sometimes difficult | | | | reports, or plans unless they were prepared under |
| to know exactly how to survey a piece of | | | | their personal supervision. If the surveyor hires |
| property. Plus, a land surveyor is often hired by | | | | employees, the surveyor must be professionally |
| only one of the parties involved, while the survey | | | | responsible for their actions. A surveyor should |
| results may affect several different parties For | | | | not seek to undermine the reputation or endanger |
| these reasons, every land surveyor should | | | | the business prospects of any other surveyor, |
| approach their work with fairness towards all | | | | particularly when advertising their services. A land |
| parties involved. Land surveyors must remain | | | | surveyor should not misrepresent their own |
| neutral, making the best assessment possible | | | | qualification, particularly to sign on for a specific |
| given the evidence, without bending the survey to | | | | project that is outside the scope of the land |
| favor one side or the other. | | | | surveyors qualifications. |
| When dealing with clients, surveyors must disclose | | | | Because the field of land surveying is constantly |
| any potential conflicts of interests, such as | | | | changing, many ethics statements include |
| involvement with any parties involved in the | | | | continuing education as one of their components. |
| survey situation, before accepting any surveying | | | | In fact, this is so important within the industry |
| job. Surveyors should also not receive payment | | | | that it is often included in the requirements for |
| from multiple parties for any one project without | | | | state licensing as a professional land surveyor. |
| the knowledge of all parties involved. Even after | | | | Like with all sets of ethical standards, a good |
| the completion of the project, a surveyor must | | | | principle is to treat other surveyors and clients the |
| keep any personal information received from | | | | way you would like to be treated. A surveyor |
| individual clients completely confidential, even from | | | | must also remember that their actions reflect not |
| the other parties involved in the survey. | | | | only upon themselves, but also upon the entire |
| An ethical surveyor should seek compensation | | | | land surveying industry. Most people do not deal |
| that matches the level of technical complexity and | | | | multiple times with land surveyors during the |
| time spent on the project. No surveyor should | | | | course of their lifetime, so the interaction that |
| accept an assignment that is beyond their level of | | | | they do have with one surveyor can shape their |
| professional competence. Assignments should only | | | | opinion of the entire industry. |