A chemical company hired a geo-technical engineer to determine if a 20-foot dike could be built across a soda ash waste bed. The engineer's report concluded that by following specific measurements and instructions it could be done safely. This consultant then gave specifications and instructions to the chemical company, who in turn put a chemical engineer in charge of the project. It was later decided that only a 10-foot dike would be needed, so the chemical engineer revised the specifications and put a chemist in charge, which, it appears, had little technical knowledge about the project. The company subsequently hired a contractor […]