Tag Archives: Construction

6 Tips for Preparing Your Construction Project Quality Organization Chart

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A construction project quality plan is not complete without an organization chart. In fact, having an organization chart within your construction quality control plan may determine whether or not your plan is accepted or rejected. The reason is that it is vital for the success of your project that everyone on your project team understands their responsibilities and the roles they play. Your organization chart will define project team positions and their lines of authority.

Following these six tips to successfully prepare your construction project quality organization chart:

  1. Make your organization chart project specific
  2. Consider contract requirements
  3. Include job positions from outside organization
  4. Avoid lines of authority that create conflicts of interest
  5. Include every job position even when multiple positions are held by the same person
  6. Don’t assign the same person to two positions with conflicting interests

Make your organization chart project-specific

You should tailor your organizational chart to each project and only include project personnel positions. For example, only your quality-control personnel should be included on your QC Organization Chart. It’s not useful for your chart to show positions from any other departments if they don’t have quality responsibilities related to your project. For instance, your QC Organization Chart will not include personnel from your human resources department because they don’t have quality-related responsibilities.

One exception is the CEO or President. Even if the president or CEO of your organization doesn’t have day-to-day quality-related responsibilities, he or she is still ultimately responsible for the quality outcome of your construction project. Therefore, you should always include this position at the top of your project quality organization chart.

Consider contract requirements

It’s common for contracts to include requirements for certain positions and restrictions on who these positions report to. For example, some contracts require that your quality manager be the point of contact for the contracting officer when it comes to quality matters. So make sure to include these relationships on your organization chart.

Include job positions from outside organizations

Other than a contracting officer, are there other outside organizations that will be part of your project team? For example, if you use third-party testing labs, include a space for third-party organizations on your chart.

When you include a position from outside your organization, place the box in line with the correct level of authority.

Avoid lines of authority that create conflicts of interest

Avoid giving higher authority to a position or individual when it could create a conflict of interest. For instance, a construction quality manager should never report to a superintendent because both are subject to the same production pressures. Instead, both can have equal, yet connected lines of authority. Use a dotted line to show this type of relationship and keep the positions on the same horizontal level (not one over or under the other).

Include every job position even if held by the same individual

Include every project job position on the chart. Even if one person is holding several positions, keep the organizational structure accurate by showing each role separately. The relationship between each role can then be described. Thus, as is often the case, if the project manager is also to be the purchasing/estimating agent, the same name will go into both slots.

Avoid assigning the same person to two positions with conflicts of interest

On the other hand, the same individual should not hold two positions if there could be a conflict of interest between the positions. Thus, one individual should never act as both the superintendent and the quality manager.

The superintendent is held accountable for the successful completion of the project and should be in charge of all construction personnel. The quality manager will have control over testing and inspection entities. The two positions should remain independent of one and other.

Four Reasons It Pays to Maintain a Clean Construction Site

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When planning any construction project, it is important to plan the set up, completion of the project and cleanup of the site. When looking at cleaning up a construction zone it is important to address the final cleanup as well as the ongoing maintenance and cleanup needs that will be faced daily. There are several benefits of ongoing and effective construction site cleanup which include: added safety onsite, greater productivity, a better reputation in your community and better cost savings per project.

Safety

An active construction yard is full of various dangers inherent to the nature of the work with scaffolds, ladders, electricity and heavy equipment. These factors combined with debris onsite which is not properly put away or disposed of makes an already dangerous location more so. Materials not put away or disposed of collecting around the feet of workers creates an added risk for tripping and when carrying materials from place to place, the view of the ground can be obstructed, making the importance of this practice critical.

Productivity

Just as mother always said, “A place for everything and everything in its place,” such is the guideline on an active construction site. Best case scenario is that workers spend time looking for materials which were not put in their proper place, wasting man hours. Worst case scenario in this situation is that the area becomes unsafe or causes an accident, spill, or casualty to a passerby.

Reputation

Word of mouth is critical in any business and construction is no exception. Cleanup of a site – both during the active phase as well as at completion is one area in which the general public can see a measurable gauge by which to admire or disparage a construction company. With proper construction site cleanup practices, the public gains a favorable opinion of your company and can recommend your services to others.

Cost savings

When employees are safe and productive, the time needed to complete a project is decreased. Having a constant awareness of keeping your construction site cleaned up can lead to more profits for your company.

No matter which of the above are the most important to you, or is the most needed for your company, there are reasons to continuously keep your active construction sites cleaned up and free from debris and unwanted materials. This keeps your construction zone running more smoothly and effectively while protecting your workers, the neighbors to the site and the environment as a whole.

Solar Panel Construction – Is There Enough Solar Energy to Live on Only This Green Power?

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If you are thinking of solar panel construction for your home, like many other people, you might have hesitated whether there is enough solar energy to live only on it. If you are afraid, some time this can run out, just read on to find out some interesting facts about solar power.

When asking “Is There Enough Solar Energy?” you must specify details what you mean exactly. Is there enough solar power in your country/city or in the planet? These are 2 quite different questions.

Solar Panel Construction: What You Should Consider First Of All?

Before you build or install solar cells at your home, try to find out if there is enough sunshine in your location. Otherwise, there is no use to install solar cells on the roof of your house. This would not be too beneficial for you.

Is There Enough Solar Power on The Earth?

This is quite different question and the answer is “YES”. First, remember that solar energy, wind energy and other alternative energy sources are all renewable. Secondly, read below a few interesting facts:

· The sun has been burning more than 4 billion years.

· It supplies enough energy in 1 minute to meet all the planet’s energy needs for full one year.

· In 24 hours, our planet gets more solar energy than the current population would consume within 27 years.

Now do you see the power of sunlight?

Conclusion:

Solar Panel Construction can be successfully done in any country/city where there is enough sun throughout a day.