Responsible Managing Employee for Fire Protection

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goodal

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I haven had much luck posting very specific questions like this before but ill give it another shot.

I am a licensed engineer in TN and several other states. My firm in a consulting only firm and we provide fire protection design intent drawings on a daily basis. I have been contacted by a contractor, that I do not know, to fill a position in a new division they are trying to start. They have apparently been in the business for several years doing fire protection related work, but no installation. They are trying to get a contractors license to do small repair work. TN requires them to have a registered architect, engineer or someone with a NICET certification on staff. I have read all I can find about this position, which is not much, but would like some other opinions. This would not replace my current job. It is not required I be in their office frequently, but I’m not entirely sure of what my responsibilities would be. TN says my name and number would be on service and red tags. Does this mean I have to inspect any work they do? I do not want to jeopardize my license or my relationships with local contractors. I also, obviously, want this to be worth my time ($$$). Any opinions?

 
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I am an RME. I have a NICET Level 3 in water based layout. You should be fine with your PE in any state.

What does this mean? It means you are the RME and that you verify everything that goes out or is inspected is code compliant (in accords with NFPA13,14,20,22,24,25 etc.) and meets local building standards. You should check with TN and verify their requirements. I would start with fire protection contractor licensing requirements. Here in OK I must be employed full time (defined as at least the average for everyone employed here), have the ability to hire and fire and there are a few other demands.

I should think to hold this position you would likely need to be employed full time for this outfit but check with TN regs to be sure. Basically the state wants someone qualified to ensure everything with regards to the fire suppression system is correct i.e. fire sprinkler spacing, hydraulic calculations, system area limitations and all those other details.

 
Does the job you are going to perform with the contractor is something that your current employer do? If it does and you are going to work by yourself with the other contractor and is something that your current employer can get $ out of it...there can be a conflict of interest. If your current employer does not do the same service then you shall be ok...make sure you have some kind of liability insurence for the work performed for the contractor.

 
I met with the contractor yesterday and we discussed this in some detail. I feel much better about doing this and we are going to make the next steps to gets this division off the ground. I have several questions that only people in the industry can answer, so here goes:

1) At this time we do not intend to bid any jobs. The idea is to take the client base he already has and perform riser inspections and small repair jobs. This requires an RME license in TN. I have told him that if he ever does want to bid jobs (and I’m sure he will once the staff is in place), that he will not be able to bid on anything I design as a PE. Is there another way that a conflict of interest could develop?

2) I cannot under any circumstances jeopardize my PE license. This is how I make my living and my current firm relies on me to be able to seal drawings. Assuming I abide by #1 above, is there a way being contractor A’s RME and firms B’s PE will be considered improper or could somehow lead to discipline or the loss of my license? I know I may be way off, but I’m trying to cover all bases. It appears this can be done, but I’m looking for input.

3) The contractor will have insurance for this division, obviously. I have errors and ommisions insurance through my current firm. My current firms insurance will not come into play since I’m not designing anything and we think that since I will be an employee of the new business that anything I do will be covered by that insurance. Is there anything else I need to add or does my current E & O need to know about the new venture?

4) He has offered me part ownership of the new company. Right now this division doesn’t exist, so I own part of nothing. Would this be a standard way of being compensated or is there a way it would be considered improper? What should I ask for?

5) Honestly, if we stick to the game plan described in #1 above, I don’t see that there will be much, if anything, for me to do. We will hire a competent person to do the inspections and minor repairs and I will have to sign off on them. Am I missing something that would require me to put hours and hours into this?

6) This is kind of a separate thing, but what additional training or certifications should I get to increase my competence in this area? I am a PE and produce design intent drawings for fire protection weekly, but we all know that is far different than working for a contractor and actually having to install what’s on the paper. As stated above, we aren’t needing to produce shop drawings now, but I feel I need to increase my knowledge in this field as much as possible.

 
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