If the owner issues instructions that are unsafe and those instructions are not modified, who bears responsibility for those instructions?

• A. The contractor.
• B. The owner.
• C. The architect.
• D. The subcontractors.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the party who directs and controls the work issues the directives that shape how the project is carried out. In AIA A201, the owner, often through the architect acting as the owner’s agent, provides instructions and information that define the work. The contractor is responsible for performing the work safely and in accordance with the contract documents, but they rely on directives issued by the owner. If those directives are unsafe and are not modified, the owner bears the liability because the unsafe instruction originated from them and guided the work. The architect can flag unsafe directions and seek clarification, but the responsibility for unsafe owner-issued instructions remains with the owner.