Page 121 - Civil Engineering Project Management, Fourth Edition

Civil Engineering Project Management
106
has employed the inspector before. Some firms of consulting engineers keep
good inspectors in continuous work, passing them from one job to another. If
the RE hears of one such ‘coming free’ and can gain his services, he is lucky.
9.11 Gifts and hospitality
At Christmas – and other festive occasions – cheerful visitors may appear at
the door of the RE’s office, wishing him and his staff the season’s greetings
and perhaps extending some gifts. Politely but firmly, without giving offence,
the good wishes may be accepted but not the gifts. No doubt the gift is inno-
cently intended: the contractor or an ‘approved’ sub-contractor or supplier
may be well pleased at the treatment he has received and wants to express his
gratitude. But the engineer and all his staff occupy a position of trust in which
all parties involved in a contract – the employer, the contractor, his suppliers
and sub-contractors – expect to get fair treatment. To accept a gift from any of
them, or any kind of pecuniary favour, might put in doubt the claim of the
engineer and his staff to be impartial. It could be disastrous for the RE (and for
the contractor) if, having to give evidence on some unhappy dispute arising
under the contract, the RE has to admit under questioning he accepted gifts
from a contractor.
The question of accepting hospitality is a different matter. It is uncivil to
refuse all invitations of this kind; courtesy demands that on the right occasion
hospitality should be accepted, and returned. The RE’s common sense should
tell him when it is right, such as when a triumph on a job is to be celebrated;
when personnel depart from the job; or when troubles on the site need to be
discussed in an ‘off-the-job’ atmosphere. As long as the giving and receiving
of hospitality is conducted reasonably, these actions do much to promote
friendly co-operation on the site for the benefit of the job.