The St. Louis Gateway Chapter Talk Utilities And Policies
The St. Louis Gateway Chapter meeting on September 17 "drove into" the subject of liability, illustrated by two differing scenarios. Perhaps "drove into" is the wrong phrase, however!
The meeting took place at the offices of pharmaceutical company Actavis, St. Louis, MO, and approximately 25 attendees took in the important information.
The first part of meeting featured a presentation by Karen Baudendistel of the law firm Armstrong Teasdale LLP, focused on Utility Litigation & Negligent Entrustment, specifically on a utility pole crash and who bears responsibility for setting things right. Baudendistel, who has been a speaker at several chapter meetings as well as a presenter of a well-received session at the 2012 I&E, detailed how responsibility is determined when it comes to fixed objects (as opposed to other drivers).
In specific to utility poles, where damage to phone and power lines could do severe damage to individuals well beyond the immediate crash site, someone will have to pay for repairs and restitution. Was a crash instigated by unavoidable obstacles in the road, or slippery weather conditions, or was it indeed driver negligence? The answer could cost someone a lot of money.
Lisa Geringer, CAFM, Actavis, followed with a discussion of company policies as pertains to negligent entrustment, how a policy should delineate who can and cannot drive, and specifies penalties to individuals who put a risky driver behind the wheel, and more. Liability suits involving negligent entrustment can be complicated and costly, and often can be dealt with proactively by being clear about who can do what prior to sending people out in company vehicles.
The St. Louis Gateway Chapter thanks the following for continued sponsorship support: Ameren Missouri, ARI, CEI, Chrysler, Fleet Response, Ford, GM, LeasePlan, Manheim, Midwest Biodiesel Products, LLC, Missouri Auto Auctions, and Toyota (Gold Sponsorship); and Pep Boys and Wheels, Inc. (Silver Sponsorship).
Special thanks to Lisa Geringer, CAFM for material in this article.
