Liability of designing dorm lofted beds 8

[cedarbluffranch]

I've been approached by a local university to create loft bed plans that they can provide to new students. I won't be making the beds themselves, just the plans.

What liability will I incur by doing this? How long will the liability last? How can I limit the liability?

 

[MintJulep]

All of it. Forever. You can't.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Don't do it???

Or get some fancy lawyer to rig up some sort of release...which probably won't hold water....

However - as long as the beds exist - you will probably shoulder some responsibilty...even if some crazy kid takes one apart and it falls on him!!

 

[EddyC]

I believe that states have something called a "statue of repose", which limits engineering liability in some way. But I'm not sure of the exact details, so perhaps you could contact the state board about this?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Just the hassle of lawasuit - guilty or not is just not worth it. You will spend a ton of money just to prove your innocence.!!!!

 

[TheTick]

Incorporate. Design. Collect. Disincorporate.

 

[civilperson]

Design them correctly and do not worry. (use a factor of five for impact loading during orgies).

 

[rbulsara]

Is is just a plan showin location or a design of the bed? Why would a mech engineer design a bed?

It is a furniture. Let an architect specify it. If it is a built in place structure, involve a structrual engineer.

 

[IRstuff]

Plans? Really? Are students nowadays that pathetic?

I recall going to the local Home Depot, or whatever it was, and buying 6 2x4s and bolts, borrowing the tools, and having at it. Worked for me.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[IRstuff]

Whoa, it's been THAT long... I think it was 6, but might have been 7 or 8, depending on how far off the floor the bottom of the bed frame was.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[cedarbluffranch]

The plan would be the design of a bed.

Why would a mechanical engineer not design it? You have fasteners, stringers, spars, and associated hardware. Sure, non-engineers could design it as well. But it seems like a fair project for me to take on.

(Some universities actually require a PE stamp on the plans in order to show that it's not a homemade job. But that's not the case at my school.)

I actually design an awesome one when I was home one summer...basically this would be rehash of the one I designed years ago.

I honestly can't think of any significant liability that I'd be taking on. It's not like you'll get permenantly injured, maimed, or killed by your bed. If you break a leg or something, well, that's what health insurance is for.

 

[crossframe]

Is there a manual for that safety factor of five?

 

[rbulsara]

cedar:
If it seems fine to you, no point asking the question. Go right ahead! That however does not protect you from any liability. Even not stamping a drawing does not absolve you from liability. Ask your insurance carrier, if you have a professional liability insurance.

It is one thing to build something for yourself and its altogether different matter to design for others amd that too for commercial/institutional use.

There is a reason, the university is asking someone professional to "design" it.

 

[MintJulep]

The best you can do is adequately insure yourself.

 

[casseopeia]

Tell 'em to go to IKEA. Can't beat the price.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[IRstuff]

The point is to elevate BOTH beds to get more floorspace. The one I had was an A-frame, with the beds on the outside of the A. This put both beds in the air, and freed up enough floorspace for our 2 desks and chairs under the beds, allowing us to have a couch and still have open floorspace.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I honestly can't think of any significant liability that I'd be taking on. It's not like you'll get permenantly injured, maimed, or killed by your bed. If you break a leg or something, well, that's what health insurance is for.

This alone tells me you're not ready to take on the project. You don't think there's a chance for harm other than a broken leg? You think a broken leg, caused by your bed's design, is strictly the domain of the student's medical insurance? You are quite misguided.

What if the top bunk, holding student A at a hefty 300 pounds, decides to squeeze his equally hefty girlfriend into bed for a late-night squeeze? Bed collapses, killing student B below. The fact that the "dumb" student exceeded the clearly labeled max weight of 500 pounds is irrelevant... you're going to get sued.

What if a slat breaks, causing a student to fall and break his neck? Think the parents will shrug it off and say "go to the infirmary"? No, they'll likely drag you into court for making a substandard design. It doesn't matter that he was sharing the bed with 2 kegs of beer and he slipped on the ice.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[JLSeagull]

Refer to existing codes and standards.

http://www.eagle.org/

American Bureau of Shipping

…

GUIDE FOR
CREW HABITABILITY ON
OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS
…

Accommodations Criteria – Berthing
Aisles
47 Aisle widths in sleeping areas are:
at least 610 mm (24 in), between a single berth and the nearest obstruction T
at least 915 mm (36 in), between facing berths S,R
at least 1065 mm (42 in), when joining two or more aisles. T
Berths
48 + The lower berth in a tier is at least 300 mm (12 in) above the deck. ILO 92
49 + The upper berth is placed approximately midway between the bottom of the lower berth and the lower side of the deck head beams.
ILO 92
50 Head clearance above each berth is at least 810 mm (32 in). AN
51 Berth inside dimensions are at least 2020 mm (80 in) by 965 mm (38 in). AB
52 + The framework and lee-board of a berth is of approved material, hard, smooth and not likely to corrode or to harbor vermin.
ILO 92
53 + Berths constructed from tubular frames are completely sealed and without perforations which would give access to vermin.

…

 

[diarmud]

BEFORE a manufacturer of furniture starts to sell it, their lawyers look at at, compare it to the current furniture standards (do you know of any? you should or you shouildn't even think of doing this!), cogitate on it and make adjustments and then maybe approve it for design and testing.

This is furniture. The University should have a protocol for deciding on furniture, running it past several offices, etc, to include their attorneys. Why could they not just find a qualified manufacturer to provide them with a design or a product? Believe me, there are very few original ideas, it's been done before!

Will they pay for your legal bills in a lawsuit?

This is dangerous for you to do. Multiply it by the number of beds, numbers of semesters, etc.

There is something wrong with the University if this is how they want to do it (go to a known NONEXPERT in furniture) and ask you to do it.

Your liability and theirs is tremendous.

Don't do it.


Let us know what you decide.

Good luck,
Dermott

 

[cedarbluffranch]

So I did some searching last night.

Montana State University provides plans to students. A former student by the name of Kent Molin drew this design for them and it's freely available on the Internet.

http://www.montana.edu/reslife/loftPlans.php

So if this university had someone draw plans for them why is it different for me to do it for my customer?

The university will not be building the lofts. They'll simply provide them for students to build.

I have a hard time believing that creating AutoCAD sketches for a loft is beyond my skill as an engineer. You can't get much easier than that.