A COMPLETE MANUAL FOR
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (Part -II)
QA / QC Difference
A QC Engineer is the one who finds defects in a product
whereas
A QA Engineer is the one who finds preventive actions to
eliminate the defects in the product.
QC
QA
Product Oriented
Process oriented
Reactive
Pro-active
Line Function
Staff Function
Find the defects
Prevent the defects
e.g.
QC
QA
Walkthrough
Quality Audit
Testing
Defining Process
Inspection
Selection of tools
Checkpoint Review Trainings
WHY QUALITY ASSURANCE?
The need for a sustainable built structure calls for quality
control throughout the entire process of its construction. QA pays attention to
the following aspects:
1. Quality control in pre-planning
2. Quality control in site organization, construction
process and supervision
3. Quality control in health and safety of personnel
PLANNING AND SITE ORGANIZATION
Careful forethought and planning are required for sound site
organization. Consideration must be given to the efficient use of available
space at the site during building operations in order to ensure that all
building activities move smoothly with minimal interference or delay. The
proper choice of suppliers and subcontractors plays an important part in
achieving desired quality and efficiency.
THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND SUPERVISION
Reliable standards must be maintained throughout the whole
construction process in order to ensure that the built work is durable, is
functionally sound and aesthetically satisfying.
Simple time-tested methods that have proved effective in
ensuring quality can be employed to make sure that problems do not develop
later, which can be expensive and difficult to rectify.
Close supervision of craftsmen and workers employed by the
main contractor on the site is essential to make certain that all the elements
that make up the building conform to acceptable standards of quality. The work
of sub contractors too requires planning and supervision to ensure quality is
maintained in all aspects of construction, including services.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and safety are factors that must be pursued with as
much vigour as other management objectives. Ensuring the well-being and safety
of all workers or visitors at construction sites will improve performance;
minimize accidents and illness which in turn will reduce disruption of work as
well as consequent expenses.
The following checklist is prepared so that building
contractors and supervisors can make sure that essential steps are taken to
ensure maintenance of quality control throughout the building process.
Note: In checking out the Yes/No response to each question,
it is important that if the answer is No, follow-up corrective action is
needed.
PRE-PLANNING
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT
Have you?
. Carefully studied the architectural and structural
drawings
Yes __ No __
. Carefully studied the terms of the contract, the
Specifications and Bill of Quantities BOQ* (* i.e. list of materials with
corresponding quantities required for work items)
Yes __ No __
. Noted any discrepancies or items that are not clear
to you in the architectural and structural drawings, Specifications and BOQ
Yes __ No __
. Requested the clarifications on items unclear to you in
drawings and other documentation from the architect and engineer and client
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that information provided in the drawings
and other documentation is adequate, also that the terms of the contract are
acceptable for proceeding with preparatory work for construction at the proposed
site
Yes __ No __
. Prepared a Bar Chart that lists the sequence of
building activities with corresponding time periods for completing each
activity, taking into account holidays, inclement weather and other factors
that are likely to cause delays
Yes __ No __
DETERMINE REQUIREMENTS – PLANT/EQUIPMENT,
MATERIALS, AND PERSONNEL
To determine plant/equipment and materials requirements:
Have you?
. Studied the plans and specifications in relation to the
phases of construction shown in the Bar Chart
Yes __ No __
. Double checked the accuracy of the Bill of Quantities
Yes __ No __
. Listed the materials required at each successive stage of
construction (See specimen materials schedule – annexed)
Yes __ No __
To determine personnel requirements:
Have you?
. Drawn up a schedule of personnel required for carrying out
the project to completion (See specimen schedule of personnel – annexed)
Yes __ No __
DETERMINE TIME FRAME FOR COMPLETING PROJECT
Have you?
. Checked the Bar Chart ‘s time periods for completing each
activity in sequence, taking into account holidays, inclement weather and other
common factors that cause delays and determined the feasibility of completing
work on schedule
Yes __ No __
CHOOSING SUPPLIERS AND PURCHASING MATERIALS
Quality and conformity to the specifications should be the
primary consideration and not the cheapest price when choosing suppliers and
materials.
Whenever and whatever the contractor aims to purchase, he
should aim to buy:
the right quality - at the right time - the
right quantity - from the right source - at the right price
Have you?
. Made sure that an experienced and knowledgeable purchasing
officer has personally visited the premises of the suppliers and has
established the reliability of each supplier and the quantity of the materials
that are to be purchased from them
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that the supplier has reliable means of
transporting materials to the site at the required time/s
Yes __ No __
. Compared the rates given by at least two other reliable
suppliers to determine whether the prices agreed upon are compatible and not
excessive
CHOOSING SUBCONTRACTORS
Look for real value and not the cheapest cost when choosing
subcontractors, the same as is needed with choosing suppliers. Also, it is
important that certain installations, such as electrical and plumbing, require
personnel who are qualified and experienced in their respective fields of
activity if quality in installation is to be assured.
In choosing suitable subcontractors
Have you?
. Investigated their financial standing and satisfied
yourself that their financial status is satisfactory
Yes __ No __
. Checked on whether the subcontractors and their staff of
tradesmen are sufficiently experienced and skilled to carry out their
respective tasks
Yes __ No __
. Checked on whom they worked for before and whether such
persons can be approached for reference
Yes __ No __
. Found out who in their labour force are permanently
employed and who are casually recruited
Yes __ No __
. Found out if the contractor or tradesmen have their own
tools and specialist equipment
Yes __ No __
. Found out if the contractor or tradesmen have their own
transport that is dependable
Yes __ No __
. Established whether the contractor is reasonably free from
other current commitments in order to give adequate attention to the proposed
work
Yes __ No __
. Established if the contractor is able to complete the work
assigned on time
Yes __ No __
. Established clearly the terms and conditions of payment,
including the contractor’s commitment to correct substandard work (due to non
conformity to given specifications/ drawings and prevailing standards) at his
own cost
Yes __ No __
OVERSIGHT OF SUBCONTRACTORS
In order to ensure that each subcontractor clearly
understands his rights and responsibilities in carrying out the work assigned
Have you?
. Given a clear description of the work to be done,
including the work of making good the work of previous trades* (*construction
work items done by others earlier)
Yes __ No __
. Arranged for access to the site for supplies,
materials and equipment
Yes __ No __
. Provided the specifications for work to be done, and
clarified any queries for which the subcontractor may require clarification
Yes __ No __
. Arranged for working area/s for subcontractor and
storage of his tools and equipment
Yes __ No __
. Clearly established whether, and in what
circumstances, the subcontractor may use plant or equipment belonging to the
main contractor
Yes __ No __
. Agreed on the attendances (services) to be provided
by the Main contractor to enable the subcontractor to carry out his work and
informed the subcontractor accordingly
Yes __ No __
. Established the time limits for commencing and completing
the elements in the subcontract work, based on the general programme, and
commitment to complete work on schedule, as well as the penalty to be imposed
due to delay in completion
Yes __ No __
. Arranged for supervisors by the client or client’s
representative
Yes __ No __
.Made sure that worker safety and welfare arrangements are
satisfactory
Yes __ No __
. Obtained agreement on the subcontractor’s liability
for damages to third parties and insurance cover
Yes __ No __
OVERSIGHT OF DIRECT LABOUR* (*Labour employed
directly by the main contractor)
Have you?
. Given a clear description of the work to be done,
including the work of making good the work of previous trades*(*construction
work items done by others earlier) that have been affected by the work of the
workmen
Yes __ No __
. Made clear the terms and conditions of engagement
Yes __ No __
. Established time/s to start work items and time
limits for completion of work
Yes __ No __
SITE SUPERVISION
Have you?
. Chosen and appointed an experienced and competent
supervisor to oversee the work done by personnel who are to carry out all types
of building activity on the site
Yes __ No __
. Have you briefed the chosen supervisor thoroughly on
all aspects of his/her responsibilities?
Yes __ No __
. Explained clearly the time frames set for each item
and phase of work
Yes __ No __
. Have you clearly explained the terms of engagement
and obtained the supervisor’s agreement to the stated terms
Yes __ No __
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE WORK SITE
The physical well being and safety of workers on site as
well as safety of visitors to the site should be of primary concern to the
contractor and implementation of a project. An accident prevention programme
should be established to minimize the number of accidents that can happen on a
building site. All workers should be briefed on safety standards and measures
to be taken to handle accidents. ‘Good housekeeping’ on a construction site is
very important if accidents are to be avoided. Good housekeeping on a
construction site includes the following:
1. Keeping the site tidy
2. Quickly clearing away debris that can be hazardous to
persons moving around the site
3. Removing nails from used timbers
4. Making sure that nails, broken glass and other harmful
objects are not left lying around
5. Making sure that each worker is personally responsible to
clean-up as well as make good whenever needed after an item of work is
completed.
6. Making sure that live power lines with unprotected joints
and exposed wires are not allowed to be used or left exposed in a way that may
cause harm to persons
7. Making sure that materials are stacked in a manner that
would not cause harm to persons
8. Making sure that any live flames are not left untended if
they are used at all for a purpose Practical Action
9.Making sure that pits or excavations are clearly
identified and protected so as not to cause injury to people by using marking
tape, danger signs or red flags as appropriate
10. Making sure that plastic or polythene sheets are not
used as temporary floor covering in locations especially where ladders are used
because such coverings are too slippery and dangerous
11. Making sure edges of covering material on the floor are
well tucked in so as not to cause persons to trip
12. Making sure that floor surfaces on which water has
spilled are quickly mopped and made sufficiently dry to prevent injury due to
persons slipping.
13. Making sure that animals and children are kept out of
working areas and all materials and tools and paint are kept out of their reach
14. Making sure that workers at the building site tie back
long hair or tuck their hair into a hat or helmet
15. Making sure when painting to keep the room well
ventilated and not allow eating or smoking while painting or using equipment
16. Making sure that the right tools and equipment are used
for the job at hand; never just improvising with whatever is on hand that is
not suited to the work
17. Making sure that all workers who may have paint splashed
on their skin, use only proprietary cleaners to remove it, never solvents or
other chemicals
18. Making sure that rubbish is disposed of carefully, never
throwing chemicals down drains, but follow pack instructions
19. Making sure those flammable items – gloss paint,
undercoat, primer and white spirit – are stored well away from any source of
ignition
20. Making sure that suitable measures are taken to ensure
that the base of any ladder in use does not slip
21. Making sure that raised working platforms are stable and
of adequate size and can hold the weight of persons and materials on them.
Other protective and preventive measures are:
. Make sure that protective gear and equipment are used –
such as gloves, eye shields for welders, safety helmets, safety belts, face
masks etc.
. Make sure that a well equipped first aid kit is made
available on site and readily accessible to all persons on the site. Needed
items for cuts, bruises, burns and other injuries that require first aid
treatment should always be stocked in the kit and quickly replenished when
used.
. Ensure that a stretcher is always on hand at the site and
properly used when it is not advisable to lift and carry injured people without
a stretcher. When the injured person is suspected to have severe fractures or
broken bones stretchers have to be used.
. Ensure that all workers and persons who visit the site are
not permitted to walk barefoot, because of the danger of being injured and the
wound caused by the injury being infected.
Accidents
Accidents can and do happen and on such occasions it is
important that these be handled properly and promptly because the first hour is
critical. Special procedures should be outlined and explained to all who work
on site. When accidents do happen, the following action should be taken:
1. Use items in the first aid kit that is on site as
appropriate to the injury
2. Arrange for immediate transport of the injured person/s
for needed medical attention
3. Site supervisor should fill out an accident report for
each injured person – the form should provide for inclusion of the name of the
injured person, the nature of the injury, the cause of the injury/accident, and
what was done when the accident occurred.
4. The contractor must take follow-up action on the report,
which includes arranging for the patient to be visited and next of kin informed
speedily, and conducting an investigation into the accident that may warrant
disciplinary action as well taking steps to prevent recurrence of the accident
on site. It is important that the addresses of all workers on site are readily
available as well as the name/s of next of kin and their addresses and
telephone numbers.
Have you?
. Taken all the protective/preventive measures outlined in
the Good Housekeeping list above
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that workers on site have the necessary
protective gear to ensure their health and safety
Yes __ No __
. Arranged to brief all workers on the site regarding
the importance of safety and the need for good housekeeping on the site
Yes __ No __
. Clearly explained to all workers on the site the
procedures that must be followed when accidents do happen
Yes __ No __
MANUAL HANDLING AND LIFTING OF MATERIAL AND
EQUIPMENT
Despite the availability of numerous mechanical aids for
handling and lifting materials and equipment at construction sites, many
operations call for manual handling and lifting. Records indicate that at least
one third of all industrial accidents occur when workmen are lifting, lowering,
pushing or pulling while handling material or equipment. A large number of
these accidents are due to workmen using wrong methods or attempting to lift or
carry weights beyond their physical capacity. They result in strained back
muscles, or slipped or ruptured spinal discs, hernia and other painful
injuries. Most of these injuries can be avoided by the Practical Action.
SITE ORGANIZATION
PREPARATION OF THE SITE
Have you?
. Cleared the surface of grass and other vegetable matter as
well as roofs of all, felled and fallen trees, plants etc. that come within the
area of the proposed building/s.
Yes __ No __
. Removed topsoil at the site and stockpiled (in a
suitable place) the removed topsoil for later reuse in the garden surrounding
the proposed building
Yes __ No __
. Ensured that the area for the proposed building is
properly drained of surface water so as to prevent the collection of water
within or very near the proposed building area during and after construction is
completed
Yes __ No __
LOCATING OF SERVICES ON SITE
Have you located on site – the following?
. Area for storage of cement, aggregate, sand, timber,
steel, bricks, stones
Yes __ No __
. Concrete mixer and concrete mixing platform
Yes __ No __
. Lock-up store for equipment and tools with necessary
racks, bins etc.
Yes __ No __
. Temporary toilet/s for workers (if no off site toilet is
available)
Yes __ No __
. A place where a First Aid kit can be accessible to all
workers on site
Yes __ No __
. A site office with racks for documents and basic furniture
Yes __ No __
SETTING OUT THE BUILDING
Have You?
Checked squareness of square or rectangular buildings
by using the 3, 4, 5 method.
. Checked the site levels in relation to the access road
measurement of 4 feet (or 4 equal units of measure) levels and fixed the
finished ground level at an elevation starting from the end of the axis 1 wall.
The point of above the crown of the access road and at a height that
coincidence indicates the line of the perpendicular will prevent entry of
surface water from the road into the adjacent wall.
Yes __ No __
. Pegged out the frontage of the building in relation to the
building line
Yes __ No __
EXCAVATION FOR FOUNDATIONS
Have you?
. Made sure that excavated soil is not stacked too close to
excavations, to prevent sides of trenches from collapsing and excavated
soil reentering the trench.
Yes __ No __
. Used support work if necessary (in sandy or unstable soil)
where side walls of trenches show evidence of collapsing readily
Yes __ No __
CONCRETE WORK AND MASONRY WORK
CONCRETE & REINFORCED CONCRETE WORK
. Made sure that the reinforcement steel bars are properly
hooked at the ends to facilitate anchoring
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that reinforcements in intersecting columns and
beams are carried straight through junctions
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that when laying reinforcement steel in
slabs – the main steel bars are laid under the distribution steel bars
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that sizes and spacing of all
reinforcement steel and stirrups are placed strictly in conformity with the
structural drawings
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that the structural engineer has checked and
approved the steel reinforcements laid for each of the following stages before
concrete is poured:
Column footings and columns
Yes __ No __
RCC foundations to walls
Yes __ No __
Plinth beams
Yes __ No __
Ring beams and other beams in superstructure
Yes __ No __
Floor slabs
Yes __ No __
Flat roof slabs
Yes __ No __
Other RCC work not listed above
Yes __ No __
MASONRY WORK
. Made sure that the masons, working stone and brick work,
have followed the guidelines listed in the above-named
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that plasterers and tile layers have
properly followed the guidelines listed in the above-named
Quality Assurance Checklists
Yes __ No __
.Made sure that intersecting masonry walls bond truly with
each other by proper placement of cross walls
Yes __ No __
. Made sure that openings for doors and windows have
adequate allowance of masonry space on either side of the door/window for its
framing (especially the head frame) to be securely fixed
Yes __ No __
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