Advice for a tech with no organization to work with

I'm a tech recently transplanted from a large, organized, well-attended group on Ontario (yeah SEATS!) now in a smaller town with no such thing. Really nothing, so far as I can gather. I have managed to track down one other SJA tech in the same boat, and a few other techs certified by a body in BC called the Justice Institute, with their certification valid in BC only. There is clearly a need for more education and access to techs here, but I'm not sure where to best focus my efforts.

When and if I do get something going, whether it's on my own or with the above mentioned people, where does that leave me as far as liability goes? Practically speaking I can't imagine never touching a seat but just instructing a parent how to do it -- sometimes I need to climb in there and do it and figure some things out and then I can teach the parent how. But that puts my hands on the seat. What if I then undo it and have the parent have the last hands on the seat? Does that clear me? What about the wording on a waiver, and are there any generic forms out there I could reproduce? And while we're on that...any great handouts someone's willing to share?

Thank you, as always.

The situation in BC is dismal at best at the moment unfortunately. If you can take a picture of your tech certificate and send it to me either through email (snowbird25ca at car-seat dot org) or upload it and private message me the link; then apply for tech access through your control panel, you will be able to get access to the tech forum. I think you would find it a useful resource to answer your questions.

So far as liability, that's a tough question. Private insurance is difficult if not impossible to get, and all a waiver does is limit your liability - it can't stop somebody from suing you if they wanted to.

However - that being said, I personally fall back on the history of the public seat check program when it was run here. In 16 years, they only ever had a request for forms once and it was unrelated to a child injury. A tech doesn't have deep pockets the same way an insurance company or a car seat manufacturer does, and those tend to be the targets in the event a child is seriously injured.

I get parents involved in the process, but some of the clients I deal with privately truly just want someone to install their seats and don't want to get hands-on. For those caregivers, I install the seat - I would rather the child travel safely than unsafely, and if that means doing the install, then that's what I do. I do still have the parent check the carseat for movement at the end though even when they just want it installed without re-doing it, so I guess they are the last person to touch the seat most of the time.

I do have a generic form I can email if you'd like - just email me at the car-seat.org email up above and I'll send it to you.