Hello shooterfpga;
You don't mention if the CWI is a third party or an employee of the fabricator.
The third party CWI that is representing the "owner" should not be telling the fabricator "how to" or "what to" do. It is a bad habit that has cost many CWIs their jobs and forced them to look for new employment. The "owner's representative", i.e., the third party CWI, is not a consultant to the fabricator. Any suggestions made by the third party CWI can incur serious liability for the owner and the CWI's employer and is usually considered to be "interference" by the fabricator.
As stated by several other knowledgeable respondents, the engineer of record is the individual that needs to make the final call on what is necessary to correct a nonconformance. The third party CWI should be reporting any non-conformances to the engineer. The importance of the report and the information contained in the report can not be over emphasized. It is essential that the engineer has all the pertinent information needed to make an informed decision on what action is required. What may seem to be a serious nonconformance to the CWI may have very little consequence based on end use. The CWI rarely has the education or experience necessary to understand how the service loads and forces are accommodated by the design. The engineer is permitted by many codes to deviate from the code requirements provided there is justification for doing so.
In some cases the design professional that is responsible for the design will simply require the fabricator to hire the services of a consultant to "work a fix" for the problem reported by the CWI. However, the knowledgeable CWI is very careful not to put himself or his client at risk by demanding or specifying the corrective action required to correct a deficiency. Determining corrective action is not typically within the scope of the CWI's training or responsibility. Reporting non-conformances is the primary function of the third party CWI that represents the owner.
Best regards - Al