This is a hazard of any engineer or builder. Potential side-effect of the profession due to the inherent conflict of responsibility. As an engineer, one is resp

This is a hazard of any engineer or builder. Potential side-effect of the profession due to the inherent conflict of responsibility. As an engineer, one is responsible for the immediate result, that is the built code/system, yet the context of use and its effects are often out of control of the engineer. A seemingly innocuous component may be used in the heart of a vile machine. If you know of such use, you have a choice to learn about strength of own values or just write it off on lack of control. I remember of a contemporary theater play, where at some cruel moment an audience volunteer is called upon to assist, just to be a stand-in witness. Reluctantly a few spectators walked into the scene, then passively stood through subject's torture. None dared to walk off or ask them to stop... I left my seat feeling disturbed. Later I found out that the play had an alternative flow based on the action of the witness. It's hard to step into someone else's shoes, too easy to say right thing post-factum. In OP's story, the testing lady took the most sensible action, she verbalised the unspoken. This is akin to historiographers or news reporters, just describe things as they are, no judgement. This gives a chance to eventually placing the responsibility where it's due.