How long to you keep project archives?? 1

[rbergholz]

We're in the process of cleaning up our old project files and the question came up, "how long to we store these?". We already store many hundreds of boxes offsite. I'm wondering what is the legal requirement for storing project engineering records. I'm looking into the professional registration law. Has anyone done this and point me to the written statutes?

thanks!!

 

[RDK]

Professional liability issues can be quite long lived.

Here in Canada the law is not clear. It has been interpreted as being 7 and 30 years from completion of work or from discovery for the fault.

That an engineering fault may not be discovered for a long time can make the engineering document retention time also very long.

I’d get legal advice on the applicable law in your jurisdiction.

Why not scan the stuff and place it on a couple DVD’s and get rid of the paper copies?



Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[xgrigorix]

I would also recommend that you consult your company lawyer, but also your company insurance agent. Seems like the sort of question that they are getting paid to answer.