Every manufacturer of building products from bricks, mortar and windows, to siding, paint and shingles, has established specific installation instructions for regions of the country that make their products perform to their highest levels. Testing laboratories, government testing agencies, researchers and engineers have developed component requirements, specifications and exacting parameters of use that are a vital part of the Codes established to make your project sound, safe and functional.
Understanding and assessing these complex requirements and configurations is at the heart of the Visual Consulting, LLC process of forensic construction assessment. A significant number of these relate to workplace safety and health. If the products don't comply and this noncompliance causes injury, the manufacturer can be liable. On the other hand, compliance with all applicable laws and regulations is not, for most products, an absolute defense in a product liability case. Therefore, a jury could come back and say a manufacturer should have exceeded laws and regulations pertaining to safety.
