1. Checks

It is sometimes difficult to say to what extent certain rules concern the safety of people or property. So-called "fitness-for-purpose" rules can sometimes be interpreted as part of safety, if we consider that safety must remain at an acceptable level until the end of the foreseeable service life of a piece of equipment or installation, whose proper use or execution can have a positive influence on the maintenance of safety. The same applies to the rules of the trade, which include written prescriptions and non-codified practices; while safety is not compromised by the lack of aesthetics or the regularity of a pipe's laying, it is tricky to establish the exact boundary, and the acceptance of works can sometimes give rise to divergent interpretations.

Verification of compliance with specifications, which is legally part of the acceptance process, is not dealt with...