Topic
Engineering
Who’s liable for what in this $2.2-million fuel oil spill
November 18, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAnother chapter in the sad story of a $2.2-million residential heating fuel oil spill, into a fresh-water lake, has been closed. The Supreme Court of Canada announced this past Thursday it will not hear an appeal from Thompson Fuels of…
How change of backyard elevation spawns liability risk
November 12, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA London, Ont. homeowner is in legal trouble because the water that was supposed to flow east from his neighbour’s backyard, across his property, started going the wrong way 12 years ago. In Dankiewicz v. Sullivan, released Nov. 4, Justice…
Why this commercial food spoilage claim from ice storm was denied
November 4, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client has coverage for business interruption and spoiled perishable food inventory, does that still kick in if the loss was caused by damage to power transmission lines off the client’s property? For a Toronto bakery, the answer is…
Final pieces of storm toppled crane removed off top of Halifax building
October 28, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESSHALIFAX – The final pieces of a crane that collapsed onto a building in Halifax last month, during post-tropical storm Dorian, have been removed. A government release says the pieces that were lying on the top storey of the Olympus…
What surprised forensic engineers about massive Toronto propane explosions
October 24, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAfter the deadly Sunrise Propane explosions caused a massive evacuation in north Toronto, the central focus of regulators came as a surprise to some engineers who investigate such disasters. Pumping propane from one truck to another was identified as a…
If cannabis dies, how expensive could the claim get?
October 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf a hydroponics system fails and it’s tomatoes or peppers that are spoiled, that’s one thing. But what happens if it’s a legal cannabis facility? “The impact of cannabis on the [property and casualty] industry remains to be seen. We…
Why this homeowner lost legal battle with neighbour over basement water problem
October 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA Toronto homeowner who experienced basement water infiltration has lost his bid to sue the neighbours uphill from him for more than $83,000. In 2014, Chester Dawes bought his home, between the Humber River and High Park, in what used…
Trial by Fire
October 6, 2019 Glenn Gibson, Joe Toscano & David E. BridgesWhat to think about when selecting the right expert for fire and explosion cases
RSA Canada CEO outlines the biggest game-changers in engineering insurance
October 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSensors that gather data and feed it into computer systems could change the way engineering risks are assessed and underwritten by insurers, suggests Martin Thompson, president and CEO of RSA Canada. “We are going data crazy,” Thompson said Thursday while…
SPECS acquired by New York consulting firm
September 17, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSpecialized Property Evaluation Control Services, better known as SPECS, has been acquired by J.S. Held LLC, an American consulting firm, the companies announced Tuesday. SPECS, based in Langley, B.C., does property damage assessments, restoration consulting, construction project administration, risk management,…
How an engineer failed to spot a major basement water problem
September 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThree months after Edward Kent and Teresa Tomsky bought their Edmonton home, they noticed a musty smell in their basement. It turns out a foundation crack, which they were led to believe was minor, was actually quite serious. The foundation…
Simple ways to keep a roof on during a tornado
August 13, 2019 by Jason ContantThe Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and home building company Doug Tarry Homes Ltd. have joined forces for a pilot project on increasing the resilience of homes to high wind and tornado events. High winds contributed in part to…