CHAPTER XVII 



SUB-CONTRACTORS AND SUB-CONTRACTING 



PAGE 



1. Preliminary 185 



2. Right of contractor to 



employ sub-contractors 186 



3. Whether engineer has 



power to employ sub- 

 contractors ... ... 186 



4. Clauses to prevent or 



regulate sub-contracting 187 



5. Liability of employer to 



sub-contractor 187 



6. Rights of sub-contractor 



against head contractor 188 



7. Remuneration of sub- con- 

 tractor 188 



8. Rights of sub-contractor 

 where head contractor 

 becomes insolvent ... 189 



9. Liability of employer for 



delay of sub-contractor 190 



10. Sub-contractor's liability 



for delay 191 



11. Negligence of sub-con- 

 tractor 192 



12. Accidents to sub-con- 

 tractor's workmen 193 



1. Preliminary. The employment of sub-contractors is 

 almost inevitable when the work in hand is of any magni- 

 tude. The building contractor must look to electric lighting 

 specialists to wire the buildings ; the contractor who under- 

 takes the laying of a line of railway or the construction of 

 waterworks must employ sub-contractors or specialists to 

 deal with certain portions of the work. The sub-contractor 

 being therefore a necessity, it will be the duty of the engineer, 

 in the interests of the employer, to exercise some control over 

 the choice of sub-contractors. His first task will be to take 

 care that there is a sub-contracting clause in the contract; 

 and that clause should be so framed as to provide that no 

 sub-contractor shall be employed without his knowledge and 

 consent. 



He should also take care (a) that the terms of the 

 agreement between the contractor and the sub-contractor 

 shall be made known to him ; (6) that the contractor shall 

 not be allowed to shelter himself behind any act or default 

 of the sub-contractor ; and (c) that materials of the sub-con- 

 tractor brought on to the site shall immediately vest in the 

 employer. 



