CONSTRUCTION SITE
SUPERVISION
Prepared by Meseret Habtamu
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. General
2. The importance of
supervision
3. The project environment
4. The skills and role of
inspector
5. Defects in construction
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Dictionary definition of inspection / supervision
A critical examination of somebody or something aimed at
forming a judgment or evaluation Microsoft® Encarta®
2009.
Construction Inspection/supervision: the process of
ensuring targets(cost, time and quality) which has been set at
the planning stage.
Inspection is one of the means of ensuring compliance of
design and specifications.
The primary objective of inspection is to ensure safety of lives
and durability of structure.
Therefore, the inspector has the responsibility of ensuring that
the structure being built confirms to the acceptable standards
and good workmanship and quality materials.
The inspector has professional as well as ethical responsibility
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Most of the buildings and other
infrastructure fails due to lack of proper and
professional supervision causing loss of
lives and property.
Proper inspection becomes a critical aspect
of a work in order to ensure that the works
to be accomplished are done as intended,
confirming to the technical documents
requirement.
The relationship between the inspector and
the contractor should be partnership rather
than advisory and regulatory.
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It is common that inspectors takes side and
may think that anything he/she can do to
slow down, impede or control the work is to
the advantage of the employer.
The inspector is responsible to control
quality of work but if he/she impede the
progress, the employer will incur additional
costs.
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IMPORTANCE OF
SUPERVISION
Supervision is important to ensure that the structures or
works being executed are constructed according to Design,
Specification, code requirements as well as accepted
practice.
Therefore, supervision can be defined as the process of
ensuring compliance with technical requirements,
government regulations and accepted levels of workmanship
If the work is executed with faulty supervision, it may result in
change in the intention of the designer
Unsafe and/ or unacceptable structure
Additional costs to the employer
Un necessary delay
Poor quality of work, …etc
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THE PROJECT
ENVIRONMENT
The influence of various elements in the executing
inspector’s duties or the environment in which the
inspector exercise his/her duties is called Project
environment.
Factor affecting the project environment:
Contractor attitude,
Inspector attitude,
Contractor abilities,
Trade atmosphere,
Field team ability,
Completeness of drawings,
Field conditions, …etc 7
THE SKILLS OF INSPECTION
The inspector is excepted to have the following
skills:
Observation skills
o Global observation skills
o Abstract observational skills
Technical skills or competence: Familiar with current
technology and method of executing construction works
Interpersonal skills: the way information is transmitted
can affect the way it is understood.
Communication skills: Exchange of information
The sender is responsible for making the information
clear, unambiguous, and complete so that the receiver
can receive it correctly
o Written and oral, Listening and speaking
o Internal and external
o Formal and Informal
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o
SKILL OF INSPECTION
Communicating involves substantial body of knowledge that
is not unique to the project context, for example
Choice of media
Writing style (Active vs Passive)
Presentation technique
Meeting management technique:
Negotiating:
Negotiation might be about the following things
Scope, cost or schedule objective
Contract terms and conditions
Resource assignments, etc
Problem solving skills
o Problem definition and decision making.
o Decision making, “ the right decision at the right time”
Analytical skills : Analyzing the situation and weighing
alternatives to arrive at a good decision.
o Looking at the big picture while at the same time separately
understanding critical elements.
THE ROLE OF INSPECTOR
An inspector may work for the Employer, the
Contractor or the Consultant, in any case however,
his responsibilities are the same.
Most of the time the inspector works on the side of
the consultant.
The main role of supervisor in general is to follow
up the execution of a project with the design,
specification and appropriate legal and social
practice.
The inspector must have a keen eye, be observant
and able to see critically.
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THE ROLE OF INSPECTOR
In most cases the inspector assumes role
of advisory, however his/her main duties
are limited to the following
o Inspect
o Guide
o Assist
o Facilitate
o Control quality but not to hinder work.
The controlling aspect of the inspection should
only came in the event that the contractor
fails to execute the works according to
standards and accepted practice.
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The detailed knowledge of the plans and
specifications for the particular work is very
important for execution of his duties.
He/ she should be familiar with any revisions or
amendments done to the original documents and
also the reason for such changes and their
incorporation to the works.
He/she must also be able to follow the progress of
the work, record accurately and follow up the day-
to-day progress.
He/ she must record and advice rectifications of
errors observed during inspection of works.
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The inspector needs to exercise professional
integrity and high ethical standards.
The inspector shall not stop the work unless
otherwise it will leads to death.
He/ she must always understand the problem of the
contactor and find a solution to assist him in
resolving the issues without waiving any of the
specific requirements of the specification.
In summary the inspector must have the following,
o Knowledge
o Integrity
o Ability
o Good judgment
o Good attitude
o practice
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His/her specific duties are summarized below:
Ensuring compliance by the contractor with drawings,
specifications and contractual provision of the project.
Monitoring project progress according to the schedule
Coordinating and monitoring different tests
Inspecting contract drawings and specifications
Rejection of works which is not within the contractual quality
Stopping of works when safety concern override basic
contractual commitment.
Approval or rejection of shop drawings, materials and samples
In
other hand the inspector has no authority to
revoke, alter, enlarge, relax, or release any of the
requirements of the contract provisions.
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NECESSARY EQUIPMENTS
Make sure that you have the following equipments
at hand whenever inspecting a site
Tape mater
Level
Straight edge
Note book, diary
Safety helmet
Suitable site shoes
Appropriate clothing
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DEFECTS IN CONSTRUCTION
Defects in construction may appear due to either of the
following reasons
Inadequate strength or stiffness
Structural instability
Settling of foundations
Distressed structural members as evidenced by cracking, movement
and excessive deflection
Weather and moisture intrusion caused by failure of roofing, exterior
wall, floors and openings
Premature depreciation such as abnormal wear, decay, corrosion
Poor Workmanship
Un-adequate Supervision
Usage of poor quality material
Some of this defects will result in buildings or parts of
buildings that are unsuitable or unusable. Others will result
in excessive operating and maintenance costs, premature
replacement costs, or depreciated or unacceptable
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Defects in structure can occur during the
construction period or during times of use.
The inspector is required to analyze the situation
and arrive at a technically sound explanation as
well as possible practical recommendations.
The inspector is therefore expected to answer the
following key questions for analyzing the defect and
forward the possible recommendations
What is the phenomenon?
How can it be described and explained?
What is the exact cause?
How it can be rectified?
o By removal or replacement?
o By repair?
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o By coating?
o By strengthening?
o By premature replacement?
o By acceptance of defects and monetary adjustments?
o By some equivalent to the originally specified product or
procedure?
o By some creative or innovative procedure?
The
inspector should also understand the costs of
remedial measures.
o Costs of analysis and recommendation.
o Costs of Redesign works
o Costs of inspection and testing
o Costs of labor, material, equipment coordination
o Costs of consequential damages
o Costs due to loss of use of building
o Costs due to damage of personal injuries. 18
IDENTIFYING THE SOURCE OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Who is responsible for the failure
Design problem?
o Was the construction project properly design?
• The architect and the engineers are primarily responsible for the design
problems. Who is responsible for Temporarily structures?
Construction problem?
o Was the project built in accordance with contract requirement? Was it properly
constructed? Does the contractor provide right materials as per the
specifications.
• Who is responsible?
Maintenance or usage problem?
o Was the project and all its systems been properly cared for? Has the project been
abused or damaged by its user? has the project been used improperly?
• Who is responsible?
Unforeseen circumstance [natural disaster, war, …etc]
• Who is responsible?
Faulty supervision
• Who is reponsible?
Accidents are very common in construction sites,19 hence, it is very
… CONTINUED
Commonly accidents occur due to the following
reasons
o In-adequately installment of formworks
o Improper construction of temporary
structures
o Improper nails
o Un-braced underground excavations
o Improper usage of equipments
o Negligence of the workers
o Un usage of safety equipments
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