Just curious

[hikeandgolf]

A few friends and i are out to dinner tonight, and an odd topic came up. What's the biggest fine that youve heard of a state board handing down to an individual or a company?

 

[geotechguy1]

https://www.egbc.ca/News/News-Releases/Mount-Polley-Investigation-Concludes-Three-Enginee

100k and career over.

 

[JedClampett]

I'm pretty sure that State Boards have limits that are quite small, like $500 or $1000. The example given above was in Canada, and they might treat it differently. The real punishment is suspending your license and putting a stink on your reputation. Beyond that, if you're negligent, you can be sued and the limits there are only as far as a lawyer can dream.
The state boards are considered quasi-judicial, and the legislatures don't want to give them too much power.

 

[RVAmeche]

Lawsuits aside I think the only repercussion the lead engineer for the FIU bridge disaster faced from Florida's board was not being able to renew his license in that state.

 

[geotechguy1]

The Mount Polley example is the exception rather than the rule; most punishments are mandatory training, name and shame, temporary loss of license. Slap on the wrist essentially. Even the name and shame has gone away - most disciplinary cases are now published with the names removed / obfusucated.

 

[SkipVought]

No where in the same ballpark with...
$455,000,000.

Skip,

_{Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance!}