Firms in clear on subbie plant

Main contractors are under no obligation to safeguard sub-contractor's equipment on their sites, Law Lords ruled at the Appeal Court this week.

The ruling comes after main contractor Hewgate Construction appealed against an earlier County Court ruling in 1993 which held the company liable for vandal damage done to its subcontractor's equipment while on its site.

The damage occured in June 1988 to subcontractor RW Construction's equipment. The County Court ruled that under the terms of the NFBTE-FASS standard form of contract Hewgate had a duty to ensure the site was secure.

But the Appeal Court overturned that ruling this week after Hewgate appealed that they had no such duty.