14.2.

08T WORK STUDY

Work Study, developed in American industry in the 1920s, has been defined in British
Standard 3138 as follows:
‘A generic term for those techniques, particularly method study and work
measurement which are used in the examination of human work in all its
contexts, and which lead systematically to the investigation of all the factors
which affect the efficiency and economy of the situation being reviewed, in order
to effect improvement’.

Planning cannot be done unless one knows how long it will take to do a particular job.
Time is very important to the manufacturer who must keep his promise, to estimate
quantities, and to other industrial and business arrangements. The need for this managerial
tool arose in the middle of 19 th century, when the greater use of machinery and increasing
size of manufacturing units necessitated a more efficient means of controlling production
schedules.

Objectives of Work Study

The reasons why Work Study techniques are utilized in production include the following:
1. To reduce wasteful work, as there will be less fatigue and delays will be cut out.
2. To improve working conditions, methods and layout.
3. To increase production as a result of better use of resources
4. To achieve production cost savings and increase profit margins. This ensures security for
workers as the company will be more successful.
5. To improve productivity of workers and machines thus producing a more efficient
organisation
6. To ensure a steady flow of materials and an equal reward for the same skill and effort.
There will be a happier atmosphere and site relationship with foremen.
7. To establish a standard rate or time for a job by providing information and revealing
inefficiency.
8. Laying down objective training.

Beneficial Results of Work Study

If put to proper use, work study mainly benefits three parties as seen below:
(1) To the firm or organisation – It helps in:
a reduction of cost for higher profits
b more competitive tendering
c better control of management
d proper use of resources
e giving better services to the clients

(2) To the supervisor – Helps him to:

a plan efficiently
b have better control of the operatives
c have easy supervision of work
d do a more rewarding job
e have no disagreements on bonus

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 (3) To the operatives – Helps them to have:
a better working conditions
b steady income – bonus targets
c less fatigue at work
d good site relationship with foremen
e good security as the firm will be successful

History of Work Study

Work Study has a long and respectable history stretching back to the 18 th century. Its
development has been a constant process over the centuries, with man endeavouring to find
and improve ways of doing his daily work. Many of these improvements did not cause great
benefit on their own but have, over time, been collected and used by men with wide vision to
produce results and labour conditions of a very high order.
Certain periods in time have also been responsible for creating, through the imagination
of men, many advancements, e.g. the Industrial Revolution, when technical progress
developed at unheard of speed. Wars have also created situations which have produced ideas
at a far quicker rate than would have been expected normally.

Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915): To achieve greater efficiency, the solutions

he came up with were based directly on his own experience at work, initially as a lathe
operator and gang boss at the Midvale Steel Company in Philadelphia, where, in 11 years, he
rose to shop superintendent. Here he investigated problems of industrial organisation, one of
which being the practice of ‘soldiering’, or taking things easy so that work-rates for the job
would be forced up. This resulted in the problem of doing a fair day’s work for a fair day’s
pay, the problem being what constituted a fair day’s work. Taylor tackled this and produced,
after detailed analysis of jobs, ‘standard times’. Unfortunately, the values used for the new
system of payment were based on the performance of the best workers; this created
discontent amongst the average and slower workers, but his work laid the foundation stone of
work measurement.
In 1889 he moved to the Bethlehem Steel Company, where he consolidated his ideas
and conducted some of his most famous experiments in improving labour productivity.

Henry Lawrence Gantt (1861-1919) was a close colleague of Taylor at the Bethlehem
Steel Company, and developed a payment system that allowed even the slowest worker to
benefit while best workers qualified for a handsome bonus. Better use was made of the
foremen because they were sought after by individuals who needed further instructions or
help with faulty machines. As a result, supervision improved, breakdowns were minimized
and delays avoided by all concerned. Eventually individual workers learned to cope on their
own with routine problems.
Possibly Gantt’s production programmes, for which he is remembered, were his biggest
contribution. These are used in industry today and are known as Gantt Charts and show
planning in graphical form in terms of times and the extent to which tasks had been achieved.

Frank (1869-1924) and Lilian Gilbreth have a close relationship with the building
industry for he was a bricklayer in America in the mid-1880s.
As a result of analyzing, and subsequently redesigning, the working methods of typical

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bricklayers he was able to reduce the number of movements in laying bricks from 18 per
brick to 5 per brick, with the result that these bricklayers, when re-trained, increased their
output from an average of 175 to 350 bricks per hour. The study of task movements, or
‘motion study’ as it was known, was a development of Taylor’s ideas and represented the
Gilbreths’ major contribution to basic management techniques. He also developed a scaffold
that could be continually adjusted so that the materials and wall being built were always at
the most efficient height to reduce unnecessary bending and stretching.

14.2.08T12 METHOD STUDY AND WORK MEASUREMENT

The natural division of work study falls between method study and work measurement.
The former is largely concerned with obtaining higher productivity by improving methods of
production. The latter is largely concerned with the establishment of yardsticks for human
effort and, as such, involves the measurement of the time that is required to carry out a
specific job under specified conditions. Either of these aspects of work study can be applied
to problem solving without the other, though often the best results are obtained by a carefully
planned combination of the two. The usual practice is for a method study of some kind to
precede a work measurement activity.

METHOD STUDY
This is the study and recording of an existing or proposed method of doing work, and
by careful and critical examination of the recording produces an easier and more effective
way of doing it.
Method study, when properly used, should result in:
1. higher productivity through an improved production facility (site) layout
2. a better environment for work
3. reduction of danger and fatigue
4. improved quality of work as a result of improved working procedures and use of
materials and manpower
5. better plant and equipment design and use.

Procedure for Method Study

The basic procedure is to:
i) Select the work, operation or process to be studied: The emphasis is usually that of
greater potential cost reduction – direct or indirect. The importance of improving conditions
under which operatives undertake their work should not be overlooked as an indicator for the
priority of selection. Other factors considered are those concerned with reduction of waste
materials, reducing idle time, relieving fatigue and monotony, smoothing the flow of
materials, eliminating unnecessary movement of all resources by improved layout, improving
the quality of productivity and reducing the working capital required to finance work in
progress.
ii) Record all relevant facts relating to current or proposed methods of work. Much of the
data collected is presented in a flow chart form.
iii) Analyze and examine critically the data obtained especially in relation to purpose,
sequence, place, person and means, even to the extent of questioning the very purpose of an
activity, to eliminate unnecessary activities and delays. ‘Is this activity necessary?’ ‘Is this

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the most economical sequence of events in the process?’ ‘What are the alternative ways of
conducting this operation?’
iv) Develop best method of working, which may be simpler and easier to adopt, taking all
the circumstances into account, thus leading to higher productivity.
v) Install new method into operation making sure everyone knows and accepts their new
role(s). Re-training of personnel may be necessary and care may be required in gaining the
cooperation and assistance of those operatives affected by the changes.
vi) Maintain the new method, making sure system does not slip back into old method.
This involves the monitoring and modifying required to keep the method operational.

WORK MEASUREMENT
Work measurement is defined in BS 3138 (1969)as
The application of techniques designed to establish the time for a qualified worker to
carry out a specific job at a defined level of performance.
Work measurement techniques usually follow or overlap with a method study, and are
employed to
1. improve methods of working by the use of comparative times
2. improve planning and control of production and costs
3. reduce costs of resources by providing established yardsticks
4. develop a sound basis for incentive schemes.

Procedure for Work Measurement

When work measurement is linked into a method study, it is introduced at the ‘develop
best method’ stage.
i. describe the method or job to be measured, logically from beginning to end – if
someone is to measure an operation, he must be clear what the operation is.
ii. break job into its elements based on time taken. These elements typically last no
more than 30 seconds.
iii. measure performance of operator – record observed time for each element
generally using a stopwatch for the purpose.
iv. rate performance (basic time). This stage is most vulnerable to mistakes or errors
on the part of the investigator who is required to ‘rate’ the worker, i.e. to decide how
quickly (or slowly!) the worker is working compared with a standard.
v. determine standard time.

PROCESS CHARTS
Process charts provide diagrammatic means for recording the sequence of activities in
an existing method under study. In this way it is possible to have a visual aid to the overall
conception of the method and a sound basis on which to effect improvements. Process charts
of all types are constructed by using five different symbols linked together to represent the
sequence of individual events or activities in the total operation under study. The total
operation must be clearly defined before the study commences, as must be the points where it
commences and where it finishes. The ASME symbols were derived by a committee of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers from those originally used by Gilbreth, and are
now shown.

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Symbol Meaning
Ο Operation (i.e. doing something e.g. laying a brick, knocking in a nail)
→ Transport (i.e. moving something – plant, labour or material e.g. pushing a barrow,
hoist by crane)
 Storage (permanent) i.e. material kept and protected until wanted for use e.g.
cement in silo, brick stacks)
D Delay or temporary storage (i.e. when next operation cannot take place e.g. hoist
waiting to be loaded, operatives awaiting material, an excavator awaiting a lorry to
load)
□ Inspection (i.e. examining for quality and/or quantity e.g. measuring opening,
checking the weight of ballast at the concrete mixer, checking the vertical height of
courses in brickwork)

□ Combined activity (i.e. two activities performed at the same time or by same
operator e.g. loading aggregate into weigh batcher)

Process charts can be very useful in assisting with the establishment of an economic
layout for workshops and yards where a repetitive process is to be undertaken. For example,
the layout of a concrete pre-casting yard, an area in which steel reinforcement will be stored,
cut and bent or the layout of a stores compound which is often provided for some of the more
valuable building materials. The charts can be drawn at varying levels of detail depending on
the scope of the process to be recorded.

14.2.08T13 TIME AND MOTION STUDY

Time study is a work measurement technique for recording the times and rates of
working for the elements of a specified job carried under specified condition and for
analyzing the data so as to obtain the time necessary for the carrying out of the job at a
defined level of performance.
This can be carried out quite often by the use of an ordinary wristwatch or stopwatch and
is possibly the most useful form of work measurement used in the building industry; it can be
used on both single operatives or gangs, as required. Stages in time study are:
1. Timing
2. Rating
3. Normalizing
4. Allowances

Timing is the actual taking of the time to complete an operation. The degree of accuracy in
timing will depend upon the task being recorded.

Rating: This is the allocating to a worker a relationship to a standard. The Standard Rating
of 100 in BS 3138 is equivalent to the ‘average rate at which qualified workers will naturally
work at a job, provided they know and adhere to the specified method and provided they are
motivated to apply themselves to their work’. An employee adjudged to be at a slower pace,
he may be rated at, say, 80. The skilled, efficient worker can achieve over 100.

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Normalizing: This is the time that in the judgement of the work-study man an element
should be performed. Normalized time is referred to as basic time and is obtained by a simple
formula:
Observed TimeObserved Rating
Basic Time  Standard Rating

Example: If an element took 1.4 min and an employee is given a rating of 90, then
1.4 90
Basic Time   1.26 min , which represents the time it would take if a worker
100
was working at a normal rate.

Standard Time: The time in which an average worker can work continuously under
standard conditions without adversely affecting his health.

Allowances: Can be divided into two groups:

1. Process allowances
2. Rest allowances

PROCESS ALLOWANCE
A process or unavoidable delay allowance is given so that the worker will not lose earnings
due to an enforced delay over which he has no control, e.g. the cleaning of tools or plant.

REST ALLOWANCE
Rest (or relaxation or fatigue) allowance is the time that an operator is allowed for
his personal needs and for fatigue. Varies with every performance and condition of work,
and are added so that a worker can keep physically and psychologically fit to perform an
operation for an allotted time.

Contingency allowance: This is a special allowance applied to various tasks that have to be
carried out by the worker who will not be doing a productive job e.g. a joiner sharpening saw
or chisels, consultation with supervisors, obtaining special materials/tools from stores. These
allowances should not exceed 5% and should only be applied to justifiable cases.
A final allowed time for a task can now be ascertained by the simple calculation shown.

Example: Basic Time: 1.26 min

Relaxation Allowance: 30%
Contingency Allowance: 2%
100  Total % allowance
Standard time  Basic time
100
100  32
 1.26  1.66 say 1.7 standard
minutes 100

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Example
The work of a certain plumber fixing pipes on walls near the floor level was timed and rated
for three complete cycles as shown in table 1. Using the allowances given in table 2,
calculate the standard time. (20 marks)
Solution
Table 1
Description: Fix water pipe to wall near floor level
ELEMENT RATE WATCH READING
IN MINUTES
check time 0.00
1. measure pipe 95 1.25
2. cut pipe 100 2.30
3. thread pipe 105 4.60
4. fix pipe 90 7.10
5. join pipe 95 16.50
light cigarette - 24.10
1. 100 27.00
2. 105 28.25
3. 100 30.40
read drawings - 33.25
4. 95 35.00
5. 95 43.25
1. 105 50.30
2. 100 51.25
3. 100 53.50
4. 95 57.00
5. 100 66.15
75.05
check time 76.00

Table 2
Element personal body effort heat concen-
No. Description needs position ration
1. 3 0 4 0 3
2. 1 2 4 1 1
3. 1 2 4 1 1
4. 2 1 4 0 3
5. 1 1 4 0 3

Solution
ELEMENT RATING WATCH READING OBSERVED TIME BASIC TIME
check time 0.00 - -
1. measure pipe 95 1.25 1.05 1.00
2. cut pipe 100 2.30 2.30 2.30
3. thread pipe 105 4.60 2.50 2.60
4. fix pipe 90 7.10 9.40 8.50
5. join pipe 95 16.50 7.60 7.20

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 light cigarette - 24.10 2.90
1. 100 27.00 1.25 1.25
2. 105 28.25 2.15 2.30
3. 100 30.40 2.85 2.85
read drawings - 33.25 1.75
4. 95 35.00 8.25 7.80
5. 95 43.25 7.05 6.70
1. 105 50.30 0.95 1.00
2. 100 51.25 2.25 2.25
3. 100 53.50 3.50 3.50
4. 95 57.00 9.15 8.70
5. 100 66.15 8.90 8.90
75.05 0.95
check time 76.00

Average Basic times

1 1.00 1.25 1.00 3.25 3 1.08

2 2.30 2.30 2.25 6.85 3 2.28
3 2.60 2.85 3.50 8.95 3 2.98
4 8.50 7.80 8.70 25.00 3 8.33
5 7.20 6.90 8.90 23.00 3 7.60

1 3 0 4 0 3 10 1.08 0.11 1.19

2 1 2 4 1 1 9 2.28 0.21 2.49
3 1 2 4 1 1 9 2.98 0.27 3.25
4 2 1 4 0 3 10 8.33 0.83 9.16
5 1 1 4 0 3 9 7.60 0.70 8.28
24.37
Personal allowance 6% 1.46
Contingency allowance % 2.07
27.90
Say 28 standard minutes to fit 1 pipe

Q. Explain the two methods of timing used in time measurement using a stopwatch.

A. Flyback timing: before the start of the next element the hand is returned to zero. Every
time hand returned to zero at start of each element.
Cumulative timing: watch started and hand runs without being returned to zero. In the
beginning of each element the watch reading is noted. Time for each
element is obtained by subtraction.
Selective timing: Used to time an isolated element. Watch is started at the beginning of the
element till the end.

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Differential timing: an element is observed and timed with an adjacent longer one…

INCENTIVE SCHEMES

‘Introduction to Work Study’ by the International Labour Office states that an incentive
scheme is:
Any system of remuneration in which the amount earned is dependent on the
results obtained, thereby offering the employee in incentive to achieve better
results.

There are two types of incentive: financial and non-financial. The objects of incentives in
the building industry:
1. to increase efficiency by reducing cost of building
2. to increase individual and collective production through more effective use of
labour
3. to provide opportunity for increasing earnings
If these objects are achieved, it follows that in any proper incentive scheme, payments
should be strictly related to production.

Financial Incentives
Profit Sharing: Often used in smaller concerns and as a method of holding labour for a
given period, say 6 to 12 months, with the incentive being a reasonable cash settlement at the
end of this period, related to the success and profits of the company.
Disadvantage: ‘Old soldier’ types will benefit from the efforts of the hard worker and a hard-
working productive supervisor will have to carry supervisors on other sites who are not so
industrious.

Hourly plus rate: Used by many companies to attract labour, especially if in short supply. It
may also be used when the quality of the work in hand is more important than the quantity
produced.
Disadvantage: The employer has no guarantee that the extra rates are producing the required
extra increase in production.

Bonus Schemes: The most common type of financial incentive used in the industry, for it
does relate earnings to effort if correctly applied.
There are various schemes used to obtain the required results and these should be carefully
studied in relation to the type of project on hand. Basic principles should be applied on all
these bonus schemes to ensure that it runs successfully:
a Scheme should be simple to understand so that operatives can assess increased
earning, remembering to keep tasks small.
b Output and quality of work based on the average operative working under average
conditions – work measurement can be applied here.
c The percentage saving achieved on a target to be paid out to the operatives must be
agreed before commencement of scheme. This can rate from an operative receiving
100% of saving to only 50%.
d Targets should be set down in writing. No changes without approval of both parties.

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 e Targets should not be altered unless upwards; it may possibly be better, therefore, to
start low and increase bonus earnings if necessary.
f Payments should be made when due or at regular intervals, e.g. once a week.
g Losses of one week should not be deducted from gains in other weeks.

Once a scheme is in operation, great care must be exercised to ensure that the incentive
scheme does not produce any running down of standards in the following:
- Safety of the operatives as laid down in the Construction Regulations
- The material waste of normal working is not increased
- The required standards of workmanship are still operational – payments should
not be made for poor work
- Plant used in process is used efficiently and for the purpose it was intended
- The training of apprentices should still continue to a satisfactory standard

To help control standards, it is generally agreed that site supervisory staff whose
duties are purely supervisory should not be included in schemes. A simple method of
recording and calculating a bonus scheme suitable for house development is shown as
follows:

SCHEDULE OF BONUS RECORDINGS

Labour Week
Gang A and B ending 21
May 2007

No. of Target Total Man Hours Bonus

units hours target hours save hours 75%
complete each hours worked d saving
d
First floor joist 12 5 60 44 16 12
Boarding Ground floor 8 6 48 36 12 9
Roof Carcass 4 30 120 100 20 15
Total - - 228 180 28 36

It is recommended that the target should be such that the average worker should be able to earn
20% bonus under normal conditions.

Non-financial Incentives
It is not always necessary to give extra payments to motivate people. This can be seen
in all industries where in certain areas the wages are not as high as local competitors, but
labour relations and working conditions are good.
Working Conditions: the general conditions in which a worker has to perform his allotted tasks:
on the building site it can generally be seen by the standard of the site layout and offices,
materials and the general appearance of the job.
Promotion: always an incentive to the ambitious man is a chance of getting to the top, and to
achieve this promotion a man will put extra thought and effort into his daily work.
Security: Possibly one of the best known and sought-after non-financial incentives, especially
when operatives have family commitments, also when unemployment is prevalent. The firm
that offers continuity of work will always attract a steady labour force.
Safety: unfortunately this is not one of the industry’s best selling points and many workers will
work more confidently and willingly if they feel safe getting to and from their place of work
and whilst they are carrying out their productive operations.

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High class Work: will often act as an incentive to men for the honour of working on a
building of, say, national importance.
Other non-financial incentives include:
a Social activities
b Pension schemes
c Extra holidays
d Provision of meals
e Training

Example
(a) State five principles of a good financial incentive scheme. (5 marks)
(b) A gang of masons on a contract was given a target of 90 man-hours to build walls. The
gang consisted of a charge hand paid at 1½ shares, two masons at 1¼ shares each and two
labourers at 1 share each.
The following record shows the time booked to each man including stoppages:

Charge hand 2 days at 10 hrs each day

Mason No.1 2 days at 10 hrs each day
Mason No.2 2 days at 8 hrs each day
Labourer No.1 2 days at 10 hrs each day
Labourer No.2 1 day at 10 hrs (first day only)

Work was held up for four hours on the second day due to bad weather.
If the basic rate of pay was sh20 per hour for an 8-hour day and overtime was paid at 1¼
times, calculate:
(i) Bonus per share
(ii) Bonus earned by each man
(iii) Total earnings for each man in the gang. (15 marks)

Solution
(b) Note: 4 hrs must be deducted from the hours booked against each worker for the
stoppage on the second day due to bad weather.

Chargehand Actual hrs 10 + 6 = 16

Mason No. 1 ” 10 + 6 = 16
Mason No. 2 ” 8+4 = 12
Labourer No.1 ” 10 + 6 = 16
Labourer No.1 ” 10 = 10
Total = 70 hrs

Hours saved = 90 – 70 = 20 hrs

Basic rate of payment is sh20 per hr
Bonus earned by the gang = 20 × 20 = sh400
Total share = 16×1½ +16×1¼ + 12×1¼ + 16 ×1 + 10× 1
= 24 + 20 + 15 + 16 + 10
= 85

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 (i) Bonus per share = 400/85 = 4/705 = 4/71
(ii) Chargehand 4/71 × 24 = 113/00
Mason No.1 4/71 × 20 = 94/20
” No.2 4/71 × 15 = 70/65?
Labourer No.1 4/71 × 16 = 75/25
” No.2 4/71 × 10 = 47/10
400/00
(iii)Basic earning
1
Chargehand 2 8 20  2  2  20 1  300 100  420 / 00
4
1
Mason No.1 2 8 20  2 2 201  320 100  420 / 00
4
Mason No.2 2 8 20   320 / 00
1
Labourer No1 2 8 20  2  2  20 1  320 100  420 / 00
4
Labourer No2 18 20 1 2  20  160   210 / 00
1
1 50
4  1790 / 00
Total

Total earnings
Chargehand 113/00 + 420/00 = 533/00
Mason No.1 94/10 + 420/00 = 514/10
” No.2 70/55 + 320/00 = 490/55
Labourer No.1 75/25 + 420/00 = 395/25
” No.2 47/10 + 210/00 = 257/10
2190/00

14.2.08T MATERIAL HANDLING

Material handling is the preparation, placing and positioning of materials to facilitate

their movement, packaging or storage – from the raw storage through production to ultimate
consumer with the least expenditure of time and effort, so as to produce maximum
productive efficiency at the lowest material handling cost.

Need for efficient material handling

The objectives of material handling include:
1. Reduction in wastage of machine time. Proper material handling system would ensure
regular supply and distribution of raw material and finished product. This will not
create the problem of idling of machine and eliminate problem of wastage of machine
time.
2. Reduction in manufacturing cycle time. Keeping the loading and unloading time of
machine at minimum enables the completion of manufacturing cycle at reasonably
short time.

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 3. Avoid disruption in production schedule. In mass production system, all parts or
materials must come in the assembly line in correct quantity and at precisely the right
time to avoid risk of shut down.
4. Safety and safe working conditions. Correctly designed material handling system
enables utilization of proper material handling device and training workers in safe
material handling practice. It is tangible saving in reduced insurance rates, payment of
compensation and boost to workers’ morale.
5. Enhances productivity and avoids high cost
6. Brings customer satisfaction. Regular market supplies, by avoiding disruption in
production schedule, shortening manufacturing/construction cycle time, timely
deliveries lead to customer satisfaction a key to business success.

Basic rules for material handling

1. Materials should be moved over the shortest distance possible. Short movements
require less time and cost less money than long movements.
2. The aim of material handling system should be to move in forward or in clockwise
direction, do not retrace your path.
3. Terminal time (time taken for picking up the finished product) should be kept as short
as possible.
4. Loads should be carried both ways on material handling trips whenever possible.
5. Partial loads and manual handling should be avoided.
6. Utilise gravity as moving force as far as possible.
7. Utilise containers and unit loads. The unit load means the product to be moved should
be grouped into units of a large and constant size
8. Materials should be already marked to help save time in sorting and avoiding mixing
up.

Revision Questions
1 a) With respect to work study:
i) Define Relaxation Allowances
ii) Outline FIVE constituents of Relaxation Allowances (8½ mks)
b) State any FIVE benefits of Work Study to a Construction Company. (5 mks)
c) If an element took 20 minutes and was given a rating of 80, calculate the basic time. (3 mks)

c) Sketch the SIX symbols used in a flow process chart and explain their meaning. (6 mks)

2 a) Outline the procedure for method study (7 mks)

b) In a work-study exercise, the observed time for a certain task is recorded as 5 minutes. Determine the standard
time for the task using the data given:
Data
Observed rating = 85 (0/100 scale)
Relaxation allowance = 35%
Contingency allowance = 3% (5 mks)

3 a) State FIVE objectives of method study (5 mks)

b) Prepare an outline process chart for transporting concrete mix from a mixer 10 m away from the
building into formwork at the fourth floor (by barrow and hoist).
(5mks)
c) Briefly explain the following terms as used in work study:
i) Observed time

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 ii) Basic time
iii) Standard time
iv) Allowed time (6 mks)
d) Calculate the standard time given the following:
- Basic time 4.55 minutes
- Rest allowance 20%
- Contingency allowance 5% (4 mks)

4 a) Explain the TWO methods of timing used in time measurement using a stopwatch.
(6 mks)
b) In an incentive scheme the target set is Ksh 200 per 1000 bricks laid. A gang of 4 bricklayers and 2
labourers laid 4 000 bricks in a week. Calculate:
i) Total pay earned by the whole gang
ii) The earning of a bricklayer and a labourer if the ratio of earning is 4:3 respectively
(5 mks)
c) Target set for a gang of masons is 100 man-hours to put up a wall. The gang consists of two masons paid
1¼ shares each and two labourers paid 1 share each. Time booked for each man is as follows:
Mason No. 1 2 days at 8 hours
Mason No. 2 2 days at 6 hours
Labourer No. 1 2 days at 8 hours
Labourer No. 2 1 day at 6 hours
If the agreed bonus payment is 10/= per hour saved calculate bonus earned by each man.
(10½ mks)

5 a) Outline the procedure followed in method study. (7 mks)

b) Table 1 shows the time study data for a certain operation. Using the allowances given in Table 2,
determine the standard time for the operation. (8 mks)

Table 1
Elements of the operation Rating Observation time (mins)
1 90 2.00
2 100 1.50
3 85 2.60
4 95 3.20
5 110 1.20
6 105 2.60

Table 2
Element Relaxation Allowance (%)
Contingency Allowance (%)
1 15 3
2 17 0
3 23 4
4 12 2
5 14 0
6 15 2

6 a) State any SIX objectives of work-study. (3mks)

b) Outline the FOUR stages in time study. (8mks)
c) The work of a carpenter to fix a door has been timed and rated as shown in
Table 3.
Table 4 shows the allowances
Calculate the standard time. (9mks)

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 Table 3 – FIXING OF A DOOR
No. ELEMENT OR WR
1 Collects tools and - 8.00
start
2 Measure opening 90 8.02
3 Prepare timber 80 8.12
(lining)
4 Form holes in wall 80 8.32
5 Fix lining 90 8.44
6 Prepare to fix hinges 80 8.50
7 Hang door 85 9.10
8 Fix architraves 90 9.14
9 Fix locks 95 9.34
Table 4
No. TOTAL ALLOWANCE
1 25
2 5
3 10

7 The data in Tables 5 and 6 was collected during the fabrication of piggy banks (money boxes) using pre-
prepared pieces of timber.
Given that the cost of timber used to make one box is sh30, cost of labour is sh180 per day and cost of
other required materials is sh10. Establish the price of ONE box. Make any necessary assumptions.
(20mks)
Table 5
WORK STUDY SHEET
ELEMENT RATING OBSERVED TIME (MIN)
1. Collects timber pieces 80 2.00
2. Walks to work bench 90 0.35
3. Assembles box 120 2.10
Talks to colleague 2.00
4. Sand papers box 100 3.40
5. Applies varnish and 80 2.00
stores
Admires work 1.00
1. Collects timber pieces 110 1.35
2. Walks to work bench 80 0.44
Smokes 3.60
3. Assembles box 75 3.33
4. Sand papers box 80 4.35
5. Applies varnish and 120 1.26
stores

Table 6: Allowances %
PHYSICAL WEATHER
ELEMENT MONOTONY
EFFORT CONDITIONS
1 2 5 2
2 2 5 2
3 5 5 2
4 5 5 2
5 - 5 5

8 a) Briefly explain the following terms as used in work study:

i) observed time

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 ii)basic time
iii) standard time
iv) allowed time (4 mks)

b) The work of an operative pre-casting the concrete saddles for the pipeline is subject of work measurement
study and the preliminary information has been entered on the work-study sheet shown in Table 8. Using
the allowances given in Table 7, calculate the standard time.
(16 mks)
Table 7 ALLOWANCES
Body Muscula Heat Ment
Element Personal MonotonyContingency
Positio r and al
n Positio Humidit Strai
n y n
1 6 2 1 4 1 0 8
2 6 2 2 4 2 0 8
3 6 2 3 4 2 0 8
4 6 2 2 4 1 0 8
5 6 2 1 4 1 0 8

Table 8 WORK STUDY SHEET

ELEMENT R WR
Check time 00.00
Clean mould 80 03.05
Insert reinforcement 75 14.25
Places concrete 70 23.50
Vibrates 75 27.00
Trowels level 75 31.15
Lights cigarette - 33.20
Clean mould 90 37.50
Insert reinforcement 80 48.75
Speaks to man mixing - 56.50
Places concrete 75 61.00
Vibrates 75 64.00
Trowels level 75 69.00
Clean mould 80 71.50
Looks around at others - 81.75
Insert reinforcement 90 93.00
Places concrete 90 97.15
Vibrates 95 102.00
Trowels level 80 105.15
Check time - 107.00
9 a) List SIX aims of work-study. (3 mks)
b) Briefly explain the use of process charts in recording data in method study. (7 mks)
c) In a work-study exercise, the time taken to complete a certain task was observed to be 4.3 minutes.
The work-study man rated the operatives effort as 95 (on a 0/100 scale). Determine the standard time
for the task using the allowances given:
Relaxation allowance = 27%
Contingency allowance = 4% (4 mks)

10. The following is a FLOW PROCESS CHART that shows the information on reinforcement, which is being used
for the construction of reinforced concrete beams. Copy the chart and show the flow as indicated by the various
processes and complete the titles of the FIVE symbols and the summary. (11½mks)

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 FLOW PROCESS CHART
STUDY NO….:……………………….CHARTERED BY…………….……………….DATE………………
SHEET NO……………
OPERATION DESCRIPTION………………………………………………………………………………….
MAN/MATERIALS/PLANT
PRESENT/PROPOSED.

DISTANCE
ITEM No.

TIME
DESCRIPTION REMARKS

M
1 BARS SELECTED FROM STORE O □   D LABOURER
2 TAKEN TO BENDING AREA 15 O □   D LABOURER
3 LENGTH OF BAR CHECKED O □   D STEEL FIXER
4 RING CUT TO LENGTH O □   D STEEL FIXER
5 RINGS CHECKED O □   D STEEL FIXER
6 BARS AND RINGS MOVED TO ASSEMBLY POINT 25 O □   D LABOURER
7 AWAITING ASSEMBLY O □   D
8 MADE UP INTO BEAM ASSEMBLY O □   D STEEL FIXER
9 CARRIED TO LOCATION 20 O □   D LABOURER
10 AWAITING FIXING O □   D
11 FIXING OF BARS IN POSITION O □   D STEEL FIXER
12 WIRED TO MAIN STEEL BARS O □   D STEEL FIXER
13 CHECK FOR PLUMBNESS & LEVEL O □   D STEEL FIXER
14 FINAL CHECK BY FOREMAN BEFORE CONCRETING O □   D FOREMAN
SUMMARY: SYMBOLS
O……………………………………………
……………………………………………
D……………………………………………
□……………………………………………
……………………………………………
TOTALS

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