CHAPTER XVIH 



THE ENGINEER'S ASSISTANT 



1. Generally ... 



2. Whether the contract gives 

 any powers to an assistant 



3. Responsibility of engineer 

 for acts of assistant 



PAGE 

 196 



196 



197 



4. Entire work of supervision 



not to be delegated ... 197 



5. Checking of materials on 



the site 198 



6. Duties of the engineer's 



assistant ., 198 



1. Generally. The question how far an engineer may 

 delegate his duties under a contract to a subordinate is one 

 which often arises in practice. Where the work in hand is of 

 any magnitude it is impossible for a principal to attend to 

 every point himself. He must either employ an assistant, or 

 else place an undue amount of confidence in the contractor 

 and his workmen. As the engineer owes a duty to the 

 employer to see that the contract is properly performed by 

 the contractor, he must in general take the risk attaching to 

 the employment of an assistant. As we have already seen 

 (Chap. V., 9, supra), an engineer may be held responsible for 

 the negligence of his assistant. There are, however, certain 

 other questions relating to the 1 employment of an assistant 

 which merit attention. 



2. Whether the contract gives any powers to an assistant. 

 As a general rule, an engineering contract makes no reference 

 to the engineer's assistant, nor does it expressly confer upon 

 the engineer any power to delegate his duties to a subordinate. 

 (For an exception see Form IIA., Cl. IA.) It is not uncommon, 

 however, to find a clause in the conditions attached to an 

 engineering contract to the effect that " the engineer shall 

 mean Mr. A. B. or other the engineer for the time being, or 

 from time to time duly authorised and appointed in writing by 

 the employers to superintend the construction and erection of 

 the works" (see, e.g., Form IA., Cl. 1, post). Where such a 

 clause is in force, it is obvious that the contractor need not 



