×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Liability

Liability

Liability

(OP)
I have some questions about liability for engineers.

Under what circumstances is a PE personally liable in the US?  I have heard several different viewpoints expressed by several different individuals in other threads.  I have heard the contention that you are only liable for designs/plans with your stamp on them.  I have also heard that PE’s are liable for even casual advice given to family, friends, etc..  There are even some who think that we could be held liable for information/advice we post on this website.  What is the answer?

Also, what typically happens to those that are found criminally liable?  Do they lose their jobs?  Get fined?  Go to jail?  All of the above?  I’m an ME in an industry where there  are few, if any, PE’s, so I have never heard of anyone  getting fined or going to jail when found liable.  Of course, people are frequently demoted or fired for making critical mistakes.  You also hear about lawsuits against companies, but rarely, if ever, against specific engineers.

One last question, if you choose to become a PE in an industry exempt position, do you open yourself up to personal liability?

Thanks,

Haf

RE: Liability

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~ajenney/webpage.htm

This site is about the Hyatt Regency collapse in Kansas City.  Jack Gilliam lost his license but I don't believe he was ever charged criminally.

RE: Liability

haf:

There is a forum at www.nspe.org.  On that forum is a professional liability thread.  That site is well traveled by PE's who have more knowledge than me and will post an answer if they have on.  NSPE also has lawyers that answer questions there.  Its not a fast paced site like this, but it is rather good.

BobPE

RE: Liability

In the UK the track engineers at the company responsible for railway maintenance are up for trial over a recent rail accident. I think they are facing prison terms for manslaughter if convicted.

Given the weak state of registration in the UK I doubt that their membership or otherwise of an engineering institution will make much difference to their fate.



Cheers

Greg Locock

RE: Liability

Greg,

Were the track engineers following documented procedures for track maintenance or had they "skipped" a few steps for the sake of budget/schedule?

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources