Truss Manufacturing Professional Liability Insurance

[CJJS]

I am a profesional engineer working for a roof truss manufacturing company. My company's insurance company tells me that I am covered for the engineering work I do for sealing roof truss shop drawings. I have hired an attorney to review our insurance policy and he states there is an exclusion in the policy that would prevent me from being covered. My question is this... Can someone who works for a roof truss manufacturing company out there, and who is sealing roof truss shop drawings, tell me what kind of insurance they are carrying? And is there anything that needs to be added to a typical product liability policy to cover an employee, who is an engineer, providing engineering services?

 

[CJJS]

ctcray,
The issue with us isn't turnaround. We get our drawings back in a very timely manner (one day maximum). There are a few benefits to having me seal the drawings. First, obviously is financial (both for me and my company). Second, it allows me to utilize my P.E. license, after all I spent a lot of money and worked hard to get it. Kind of a waste leaving it to collect dust in my desk drawer. Finally, the way things are going, truss engineers may soon be responsible for the entire roof system, not just the components. If this ever happens, it will greatly benefit us to have a P.E. in house sealing the entire truss system.

 

[ctcray]

Honestly, I don't see the financial benefit for your company, especially with the liability associated. Sure, if the local requirements head toward "entire roof system design" you'll be ready to fly while the other manufacturers scramble to find engineers. Just my unsolicited opinion.

I work for a lumber company where we make trusses, fabricate steel, and sell engineered lumber products. I'm also an engineer (and so is the owner), but I'm never itchin' to use my stamp. I let the Alpine engineers stamp the truss drawings. If someone requires an engineer's design, we charge for that service. But like you've said, if we included "engineering" in every quote, we'd never get any business.

Btw, its good to see others that are facing the same dilemmas we do.

 

[CJJS]

Our plate manufacturer charges us for seals. We spend a significant amount of money on seals each year. By sealing in house, that cost now becomes direct profit. Also, as a manufacturing company, our product liability insurace covers me, so, there is no increased cost for liability. I am only covered for products we manufactured however.
We include component engineering in our quotes. Just not "system" engineering. If we ever have to seal the entire roof system, it is likely that we will need to obtain an errors and omissions policy.