[TowerTalk] Homebrew Towers & Liability

[Wes & Linda]

At 07:17 AM 12/14/00 -0800, Jonathan Kaplan wrote:
[snip]
>
>My $0.02:
>
>I am sure it would be physically safe, but you overlook safety of your bank 
>account.
>In this age of lawyers, we can't possibly think of all the ways to get 
>sued! So unless
>you carry a hefty product liability insurance policy, you'd be better off 
>thinking of the
>extra money paid to Rohn, U.S. Towers, etc, as buying into their policy. 
>And then maybe
>you could ask your welder friend to check the welds when the tower arrives. 
>I think
>you'd sleep better.

I happen to have a Rohn 45, 45' foldover tower in the (2 acre) yard.  I
obtained from the county a "zoning permit" before installing the tower.  A
"building permit" isn't required, and if fact would probably be nearly
impossible to get.  The difference between them is that the zoning permit
process just checks to see whether the tower height is less that the
distance to the property line.  In other words, the county doesn't care
whether it falls down, just that when it does, it stays on your own
property.  A building permit would be required if a 120' tower was going
into a 100' lot.

So in my case the county doesn't give a rat's behind about who built the
tower and there is no inspection actually done after installation.  So that
is not an issue.

Now to your concern.  If my Rohn tower falls down and somehow damages
someone or some thing, do you really think that the fact the Rohn has
insurance is going to do *me* any good?  Rohn's insurance carrier's lawyers
are going to say, "Nope, not our fault.  The guys weren't tight, the base
was too small, the dirt was too soft, and the moon was full when he put up
the tower.  Sorry."

So, I carry a million buck property insurance policy and sleep well.

>
>73
>
>Jonathan KO6XS
>
>P.S. On my second 55 ft US Tower in the backyard.  The first got bent by 
>the wind.


Did US Tower's insurance carrier pay for the second one?

73,

Wes  N7WS


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