Facts:
Engineer A, an experienced professional engineer, is employed by MedTech, a company that manufacturers medical equipment. A key company product is respirators that are used in hospitals. Engineer B, a company colleague of Engineer A, asks Engineer A to evaluate a respirator designed by MedTech for infant use. Following his review, although not an expert on respirators, Engineer A determines that a relief valve intended to protect against overpressure being applied to the infant's lungs may have been incorrectly placed so that under certain circumstances, an infant could potentially experience dangerously high pressure levels-although no incidents have been reported. Correcting the error would involve stopping the manufacturing process for part of a week to correct problem. Engineer A brings the issue and his proposed solution to the attention of the appropriate manager, who is not an engineer, and Engineer A assumes that the matter will be taken care of immediately. However, a month later Engineer A learns from Engineer B that nothing has been done to correct the issue. Hundreds of new respirators are now on the market, and Engineer A is concerned about the increasing likelihood of a tragic event. Engineer A again urges the manager to take immediate action. When the manager indicates that the matter is still being looked into by a design team, Engineer A indicates that if prompt measures are not taken to correct the problem, he will be compelled to report the matter to an appropriate federal regulatory agency.
Question:
Was it ethical for Engineer A to indicate that if prompt measures are not taken to correct the problem, he will be compelled to report the matter to an appropriate federal regulatory agency?