Dieser Beitrag schließt an den Vortrag des Verfassers im Rahmen der Regionalgruppentagung des Verbands Deutscher Betoningenieure e.V. (VDB) im September 2024 im Dyckerhoff Info Zentrum Wiesbaden an. Seit Herbst 2023 liegt die neue DIN-Reihe der 1045 im Weißdruck vor. Die Einführung2 als technische Baubestimmung ist für das erste Quartal 2025 geplant. Während die inhaltlichen Kommunikationsvorgaben der DIN aus technischer Sicht überwiegend als sinnvoll und größtenteils ohnehin gelebte Praxis angesehen werden, gilt es aus juristischer Sicht auf rechtliche Risiken und Ungewissheiten aufmerksam zu machen. Hierzu soll der vorliegende Beitrag dienen.
DIN 1045-1000:2023-08 – from a lawyer‘s perspective
DIN 1045-1000 is a welcome and sensible set of standards, the content requirements of which have already been implemented to some extent in the past as part of more complex projects, albeit not with the same uniformity and consistent structuring. DIN 1045-1000 thus offers a standardized framework for communication, documentation and probably also for coordination. From a legal point of view, however, there are massive uncertainties, starting with the question of whether and to what extent project participants must cooperate at all in accordance with DIN 1045-1000. These uncertainties increase in the context of liability issues, both in the case of compliance and noncompliance with DIN 1045-1000. In the context of these liability issues, the role of concrete suppliers is likely to have come to the fore for the first time. It remains to be seen whether and to what extent case law will make concrete suppliers liable as project participants with corresponding project knowledge. It is possible that courts will treat concrete suppliers as the seller of an everyday item despite their involvement in BBQ discussions. However, the latter is unlikely. After all, it should be possible, albeit with some hard work, to eliminate the vast majority of legal uncertainties and liability risks. This can be achieved by drafting a serious and transparent contract that first makes the significance of DIN 1045-1000 in legal terms clear to the parties involved. The nature of this contract design should not be geared towards a complete shift of liability to the economically weakest party. Not all risks must be eliminated at all costs. The remaining risks should be dealt with in a project-oriented, cooperative manner and primarily at a technical level. After all, a construction project is ultimately characterized by its technical success. Without this, economic success is hardly conceivable.