Engineers are the backbone of nearly every industry. The progress they make in their individual fields enhance, secure and improve the quality of our lives.

Since we rely on engineers to keep this world going, it's hard to understand why an engineer might be ignored.

The day before the space shuttle Challenger blew up in 1986, a couple engineers expressed their concerns about the launch. They knew the temperature was going to be too low for the "O" rings to work effectively. The business manager acknowledged the engineers' concern and said he would delay the launch.

When the engineers showed up to work the next day, they were shocked to find the shuttle was still scheduled to take off. They expressed their concerns to the business manager, but he said there was too much pressure from the government and the company who made the shuttle to push back the launch.

The rest is history.

The problem is that it seems no one learned from this lesson.

Too many times money and power influence people's decisions, not the engineer. Even today, after engineers warn about the long term effects of easing power plant emission regulations, the government has given the go ahead. The consequences may not be as immediate as that in the Challenger or Columbia shuttle explosions, but it will have negative long-term effects on the citizens of this country and the environment. All in the name of trying to turn around the economy.

There has always been a natural conflict between engineers and industry. Business people tend to see engineers as a roadblock, slowing down business. Manufacturing may think an engineer is too detail-oriented and are out to make their job more difficult. Sales people can't understand why an engineer can't always easily create what they are selling to customers. And the list goes on.

Engineers aren't perfect either. Some seem to not give up on the pursuit of perfection. Others have been known to be too slow and have a hard time moving projects forward.

A healthy conflict is good, though, and can be quite productive if used in the appropriate manner. It's when conflict turns disrespectful and the warning ignored that breeds problems.

Industries have to find the happy balance that must exist in a professional relationship. It means that people have to respect engineers' knowledge and engineers have to make reasonable progress.

The only problem is this is not a new concern. For years people have stressed that relationships with engineers have to be strong, and yet little progress has been made.

What devastating event has to happen before we adhere to the engineer's warning? By that time no one may be around to answer the question. n, they offer a lot.