AWS Code Applicability

Shawn,

Check with a structural engineer in your county and/or the building comissioner. Your ass could get the leech attorney's on you for just being a good guy. Liability for personal injury rings out. Give your lawyer a buzz too, Sucks you have to go that route but this is the USA where you sue to get what you won't work hard for. I looked through the AWS book and I don't see anything but as a business owner of a "high risk" enterprise this sort of sounds like you need to protect yourself.

Rob

Fraser Competition Engines Chicago, IL.

The following is not exactly AWS, ISO or CWB. Just code to live by keep out of trouble. If you are going to be building or modifing sports equipment for use by the public you need to keep in mind the word "neglegent". If anything you do, knowingly or otherwise results in or contributes to the endangerment of another you are responsible. If you are a contractor you require liability insurance. Keep asking yourself, is the anything I can do to make this safer. If the answer is no you cannot be found neglegent in court or before God. If you can't make it safe, don't make it. JD

Temporary structures are not going to be covered by any AWS welding code. Fire code may apply if this is to be a public facility.

Thanks Ernie, I thought there might be an exception for temporary structures.

Shawn

These containters are very strong. Consider that they are stacked vertically in a hold of a ship. The corners take all the compression loads from the containers above. You are dealing with empty containers. Even if they are old strength will not be an issue until someone cuts holes in the sides and everywhere else. If you have a drawing presented to you and it details what the customer wants the welding is your only concern. The AWS is a welding code and doesn't specify the exact nature of a building. That comes under local regional codes. The design engineer determines the applicable code for structure, welds , plumbing, electrical etc. The way litigation issues are one must be cautious unless of course you don't have any assets to lose. Contractors in Canada have been known to create a numbered company just for the job then fold afterwards. Randy

I get the idea here, but what exactly is meant by a "numbered company" ??

Just Curious is all.....

Thanks Jeff

The person in charge sets up a company soley for the purpose of bidding on certain projects. I am not sure how it works below the border but here there are so many registered/incorporated companies that they simply have a number rather than a name.... About eight digits!!!! One often sees the numbered company on the side of trucks. If I build a housing development as soon as all the houses have been finished and sold I close out the company .... two years later the foundations on some houses start to shift. The compnay concerned is closed and I am on to other enterprises. I have worked in fab shops were the name on the front of the building is not the outfit that pays my paycheck. A local guy ran a contracting business and his creditors wre suprised to discover he had no assets. His common-law wife owned everything and they could not touch her. I am sure you get the idea. Randy

Ahhh, Interesting for sure. Of course the same kind of monkey business goes on down here, but I can't say I've ever seen a Company named with a number. I kind of assumed that's what you meant, Just had to ask though.

Thanks

Jeff

AWS welding codes are applicable when incorporated by reference in your contract with your customer, or into applicable law. Only then do they impose a legal requirement on you. Otherwise, they just represent accepted good practice. This is just like the National Electrical Code. They are model codes, put together by experts in the industry, and made available for incorporation into legal codes or contracts. As such they don't have any effect by themselves.

But does the code include any guidelines as to its applicability? For example, would the code exclude welding on mobile structures (ie..carnival rides) or temporary structures (my example). Is it explicit as to its applicability or is this totally as you pointed out, by contract or law?

Shawn

AWS codes typically give a general description of what they are, and are not, intended for. For instance, the AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code-Steel says it "contains the requirements for fabricating and erecting welded steel structures." It also says it is not intended to be used for steels with a minimum specified yield strength greater than

100 ksi, steels less than 1/8" thick, pressure vessels or pressure piping, or base metals other than carbon or low-alloy steel. AWS produces many codes. One or more of them may be applicable to what you are doing. But I don't know offhand which, if any, are.

Thank you