C C,
True, very true. But Recommendations and the "practicing" welding on a finished product would be grounds for termination under "willful destruction of property". I have never filled out or signed a termination paper on anyone (other than my own). However my verbal "concerns" voiced to the right people have sent a few to the bank and the bar before quitting time....
CC, I see your point and in some cases this is the better way.
As an inspector for the Client, I have always required that a chain of command be established by the Client and I follow that to the letter. If allowed by the Client, as in a few cases, that I inform the contractor or welding foreman then so be it.
I have inspected seimic retrofit bridge projects for Caltrans since 1992 and Caltrans has me report directly to the contractor's on-site welding representative and make NCR's to Caltrans. Repair procedures, preapproved by Caltrans, are already in place. Unless there is disaggreement between myself and the contractor, repairs flow smoothly, otherwise work is halted till a disposition by Caltrans is made.
Tricky situation, in that Caltrans requires an independent third party inspector yet the contractor pays the inspector. I have actually had (on one job) the contractor hold back my pay past the Net 30 because he was pissed at me.
Every job is different but all jobs are spelled out in my contract as to my expectations (pay, terms, length of contract, etc), the Client's requirements of my duties and the Client's requirements of the Contractor.
My contract is iron clad but took 35+ yrs to develop, and that's alot of "scars".... ;P
Again, I see your point and most of the time it makes the job roll smoothly if everyone is involved and the goal being to bring in the project on time and in a safe manner.