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UK Third Party Liability

UK Third Party Liability

UK Third Party Liability

(OP)
This is mainly aimed at UK based engineers.  I'll start with a little background.

I have a friend who helps out with his local village hall.  The hall plays a central role in the community and is very important.  They operate under charity status and their only source of income is fundraising.  So money is generally quite tight.  They have come close to closure in the past.

One of the main fundraising activities is the christmas panto, which they have been running for more than 20 years.  Recently the local authority has required them to apply for a permit to run plays.  To this end an inspector visited the hall and drew up a list of actions they must meet.

One thing the inspector noted was that the stage curtains and lighting is suspended from the roof structure.  The local authority require an engineers report to demonstrate this is safe, and if not, design of any remedial actions.

This is where I come in.  My friend has asked me to look at it and prepare something for the local authority.    

Now, I am not a sole practioner so do not have professional indemnity or third party liability insurance.  Because of this I do not think I can legally provide any assistance.  Especially considering this is a public use building.  

Does anyone have any experience of something similar?   

RE: UK Third Party Liability

Are you a member of IStructE or ICE? If so then they should be able to give you some advice.

 

RE: UK Third Party Liability

(OP)
I'm a member of the ICE.  They have their own version of eng-tips called 'Ask Brunel'.  I could try that as well.

RE: UK Third Party Liability

i would be careful even from proferring advice. If it could be construed that you offered advice from a professional standpoint you could fall under the law regarding civil negligence.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedley_Byrne_v._Heller for a summary.

Effectively if you offer advice which (because of their knowledge of your professional capacity) someone relies upon and they subsequently suffer loss or damages then they could sue you for negligence.

Note the word "could"!

Regards, HM

No more things should be presumed to exist than are absolutely necessary - William of Occam

RE: UK Third Party Liability

Or practicing without a license.  Screwed both ways.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

RE: UK Third Party Liability

Just defer - don't do it...

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