Good Engineering Needs Good Managers

In my recent article ‘Problems of working without a contract’ (16 August ,1994) I outlined some of the ways in which an engineer might get paid even where he has no contract with whoever has instructed him. I considered two situations: -Where a client asks for a preliminary appraisal ‘to be provided within 7 days’ and the engineer says he may or may not be able to comply with this timetable (although in fact does), no fees are discussed and the client then refuses to pay. Generally the engineer can recover a reasonable sum for work done (on a quantum meruit valued on an objective basis). - Where an engineer is invited to tender, and does so, but for some reason the client fails to consider his tender, although he considers others. Traditionally the engineer here has no remedy, but it was noted that recent case law suggests otherwise, particularly where the client is a public body and has failed to consider the tender at all (as opposed to considering it inadequately). Ian R. Yule

CIC work I represent the Institution on the Health and Safety Steering Committee of the Construction Industry Council. The Committee, which is chaired by Professor Donald Bishop also includes representatives from ICE, RIBA, ACE, CIOB, RICS, Architects and Surveyors Institute, the Landscape Institute and HSE. Its attention has been focused on two major issues. M.J. Stokes

This feature describes the background to the new course in interdisciplinary design for the built environment (IDBE), launched in 1994 at the University of Cambridge with initial support from the Ove Arup Foundation. The aims of the course are set out and the style of the course that has developed through its first few months is described. Robin Spence, Paul Kirby and Giles Oliver