Frequently asked questions

Library - FAQs

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• Adjudication

  How do I find an adjudicator?

  Please see the IMechE adjudication webpages for further information. Additional information is also available from the following websites:

  • Construction Umbrella's Bodies Users' Guide to Adjudication [PDF 468 kb]
  • Scheme for Construction Contracts
  • www.adjudication.co.uk

• Apprenticeships

  Where can I find out about apprenticeship schemes?

  IMechE doesn’t offer apprenticeships. For information about engineering apprenticeships please see the apprenticeships section of the IMechE Library Engineering Technician Information Guide.

• Arbitration

  How do I find an arbitrator?

  Please see the IMechE arbitration webpages for further information. Additional information is also available from the following websites:

  • Arbitration Act 1996
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

• ATEX

  Where can I download guidance about the ATEX directive?

  You can download guidance from the following websites:

  • HSE: ATEX and Explosive Atmospheres
  • BIS: Equipment used in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres 
  • European Union guidance page
  • Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/192)

• Business

  How can I find out about setting up my own business?

  Please see the IMechE Library Consultancy Guide for further information about setting up your own business.

• Careers advice

  Where can I get careers advice?

  The Support Network (formerly the Benevolent Fund of the IMechE) can provide members and their dependents with help - contact them by email or by calling +44 (0) 20 7304 6816.

  You can also use the IMechE Careers Library Guide.

• CDM Regulations 2007

  How can I get hold of a copy of the 2007 Construction Design and Management Regulations?

  The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 2007 No.320 can be accessed online at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/20070320.htm

  Guidance and advice regarding the regulations can be found at:

  • Health and Safety Executive: CDM Regulations
  • Construction Skills: CDM Regulations

• Code of Conduct

  Where can I access the IMechE’s Code of Conduct?

  This is available to download from  the IMechE ethics web page.

• Companies

  Where can I find a list of engineering companies?

  Please see the company information section of the IMechE Library Careers Guide.

• Consultancy

  What guidance is available on becoming a consultant?

  Please see the IMechE Library Consultancy Guide for further information.

• Contracts

  What are the main forms for engineering contracts?

  Model Forms of Contract

  For more information please visit the library's Model Forms webpage.

  The other main forms of engineering contract are:

  • ACE Consultancy Agreements
  • FIDIC: Contracts and Agreements
  • IChemE
  • JCT
  • NEC

• Cost Indices

  Where can I find out about the standard rates to charge for mechanical engineering services or products?

  BEAMA Statistics

  National Schedule of Rates produced by NRS Management. This is a priced publication which is not available from the library but may be available to members via interlibrary loan. The library does hold a reference copy of Spon's Mechanical and Electrical Services Price Book.

• Courses

  Where can I find out about engineering short course providers?

  Please see the training course information section of the IMechE Careers Library Guide.

• Employment

  I am in dispute with my employer. Where can I find out about my employment rights?

  The IMechE offers members a free legal helpline through PURPLE LEGAL ®, the Institution’s appointed partner for legal services.

  The following websites may also be of interest:

  • ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)
  • Citizens Advice Bureau: Advice
  • BIS: Employment Matters

• Energy

  Where can I find statistics about energy use and emissions?

  The following websites provide energy statistics:

  • BP: Statistical Review of World Energy 2010
  • DECC statistics
  • International Energy Agency
  • National Statistics: Environment 
  • UK Petroleum Industry Association

• Engineering Statistics

  Where can I find statistical information about the number of engineers in the UK, and the number of engineering students and graduates in the UK?

  Statistics are available from the following websites:

  Engineering UK 2009/10 Report
  Published by EngineeringUK. Contains engineering statistics related to education, graduate recruitment, salary levels, and the number of professional engineers in the UK

  National Statistics
  Data relating to employees, self-employed, full-time and part-time workers by occupation group and by sex - search for Labour Force Survey and ASHE 4 digit

  Higher Education Statistics Authority

  UCAS: Statistics

  What do graduates do?

• Expert Witnesses

  How do I find an expert witness?

  You can search for expert witnesses using the IMechE Consultants' Directory. The following websites may also be of interest:

   

  • Expert Witness Institute
  • Legal Hub: Expert Witness Directory
  • Academy of Experts
    EuroExpert - The Organisation for European Expert Associations
  • Legal Resources in the UK and Ireland maintained by Delia Venables
  • Society of Expert Witnesses

• Images

  Where can I obtain engineering images?

  The IMechE Information and Library Service can supply images from their vast historical collection. Selected images can be viewed in the library's online Picture Gallery.

  +44 (0)20 7973 1274.

   

  If you are seeking modern images you may find the following image sites of interest:

  • Flight International Image Collection
  • IStockphoto - royalty-free images and photos
  • Rail Photo Library
  • Science and Society Picture Library
  • Foto Search Stock Photography

• Inspection

  How can I find someone to test or inspect my equipment?

  UKAS - United Kingdom Accreditation Service for testing bodies
  maintain a directory on their website.
  
  The UK's National Measurement Institutes (NMI) provide up to 2 hours consultancy free of charge - for more information visit the National Measurement Office (NMO) website, call the Engineering measurement helpline: 01355 593870 or email nmshelp@tuvnel.com
  
  Test House Directory - a guide to test houses and test equipment manufacturers and distributors published by the Society of Environmental Engineers

• Invention

  Where can I get advice about protecting and developing my invention?

  The following organisations can provide advice:

  • Business Link: Help for Inventors and Innovators
  • British Library Business & IP Centre
  • Trevor Baylis Brands formerly the British Academy of Inventors – gives support to inventors
  • National Federation of Enterprise Agencies

  Organisations that can help with funding:

  • Business Link: business equity section
    British Private Equity and Venture Capitalists Association

  Useful websites:

  • UK Intellectual Property Office
  • Dragons Den
  • British Library: Patents

• Legal Advice

  Where can I get free legal advice?

  The IMechE offers members a free legal helpline through PURPLE LEGAL ®, the Institution’s appointed partner for legal services.

• Legislation

  How can I get hold of a copy of a UK Directive?

  All UK Statutory Instruments from 1987 are available to download from
  http://www.opsi.gov.uk/stat.htm.

  The UK Statute Law Database (SLD) is the official revised edition of the primary legislation of the UK made available online.

  How can I get hold of a copy of an EU Directive?

  EU Directives can be downloaded from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm

• Manufacturing Statistics

  Where can I find up-to-date manufacturing statistics for the UK?

  The following websites provide manufacturing statistics for the UK:

  • National Statistics - search for Turnover and Orders in Production and Services Industries replaced Engineering Turnover and Orders Digest (ETOD) from Jan 2010)
  • National Statistics - PRODucts of the European COMmunity data for the UK- search for PRODCOM
  • Eurostat: PRODucts of the European COMmunity (PRODCOM) - data for the EU
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers Manufacturing Survey
  • Engineering Outlook - a quarterly manufacturing/engineering survey produced by the EEF (Engineering Employers Federation). Copies are held by the library.

• Materials

  How can I find out about the mechanical properties of a particular material?

  The Knovel, Efunda and Books24x7 databases contain material properties data. They are available to members in the IMechE Virtual Library which can be accessed by logging in to the Members' Area and selecting the Virtual Library menu option.

  The library subscribes to the ILI Metals Infobase and the World Metal Index advisory service, and can search for properties data on behalf of members. To request this service please email library@imeche.org or call +44 (0)20 7973 1274.

  The following links may also be of interest:

  • MatWeb
    Free web based materials database
  • AluSELECT
    Aluminium datasheets
  • British Stainless Steel Association
  • Nickel Institute

• Presidential Addresses

  Where can I obtain copies of IMechE Presidential Addresses?

  Copies of all Presidential Addresses published since 1996 are available to download from President's Choice.

• Pressure Vessels

  How can I find out about the pressure vessel regulations?

  Please see the following weblinks for further information.

• Salary

  How can I benchmark my salary?

  Please see the salary information section of the IMechE Library Careers Guide for information about engineering surveys freely available on the web and additional data available to members from the library.

• Voluntary Work

  Which charities organise overseas voluntary work for engineers?

  Please see the work placements and volunteering section of the IMechE Library Careers Guide.