Adalius
Mechanical
- Feb 13, 2009
- 57
I was viewing a job today with one of our estimators. We are installing large metal hanging brackets to a block wall. In the middle of the wall span is a large column that supports the roof, a 2nd floor deck, and on the side we're working on there's also a large stool welded to support that section of an overhead crane rail for a 20 ton overhead.
They asked me if they can weld the hanger to the column. From a capacity standpoint I'm not entirely worried since rough math in my head works out, but from a liability standpoint I told him I wasn't positive but I thought pretty strongly that a structural engineer would need to sign off on that since it's welding to a large structural entity that is supporting a lot of load already. Our company doesn't have a formal policy that addresses it but we've always operated under the mindset of being extra cautious and never put our neck out for more liability than we need to...
Long story short, he overstepped his bounds and said he's an engineer and he'll sign off on it (even though he's not a structural engineer, he's a HVAC design engineer). I was pretty pissed that he didn't even give me time to look into it and just did it. I had a talk with my manager and he felt the same way in that a P.E. should have reviewed it.
So the question I have is, does anybody know if there's a specific code (OSHA, UBC, or some other federal or state [Wisconsin]) that specifically states that it should have been signed off because it's being welded onto a structural support? Or am I making presumptions that I shouldn't be...
They asked me if they can weld the hanger to the column. From a capacity standpoint I'm not entirely worried since rough math in my head works out, but from a liability standpoint I told him I wasn't positive but I thought pretty strongly that a structural engineer would need to sign off on that since it's welding to a large structural entity that is supporting a lot of load already. Our company doesn't have a formal policy that addresses it but we've always operated under the mindset of being extra cautious and never put our neck out for more liability than we need to...
Long story short, he overstepped his bounds and said he's an engineer and he'll sign off on it (even though he's not a structural engineer, he's a HVAC design engineer). I was pretty pissed that he didn't even give me time to look into it and just did it. I had a talk with my manager and he felt the same way in that a P.E. should have reviewed it.
So the question I have is, does anybody know if there's a specific code (OSHA, UBC, or some other federal or state [Wisconsin]) that specifically states that it should have been signed off because it's being welded onto a structural support? Or am I making presumptions that I shouldn't be...