Supervision for the Construction Agency

As mentioned earlier in section 1.6 the field construction may be organised by the owner himself or a contractor who constitute construction agency. If you have to work as a supervisor for the construction agency, you have a different and more important role to play. Construction agency is responsible for the efficient management of the construction work viz. to ensure that the structure is completed

i) within the stipulated time,
 

ii)within the stipulated cost, and
 

iii) to the predetermined quality standards.

And as a supervisor of the construction agency it is your responsibility that the above objectives are met with on the site by supervising the field activities. To accomplish this you please understand your precise role in the overall organisation.

Before the construction activities are actually commenced in the field, the construction agency for whom you are supervising the work, has

i) preparedlobtained all the necessary drawings for the structure to he built. These drawings may have to be supplemented hy detailed working drawings during the construction.

ii) a bill of quantities listing the items of construction and their, quantities

iii)details of resources-materials, equipment, labour etc., required for the construction.

iv) finalised the sources from which these resources are to be obtained viz.dealerslsuppliers, labour, contractors, sub-contractors etc.,

v) prepared a programme of construction indicating the sequence of items of construction, duration required by them, important milestones and the expected dates by which they are to be achieved, and

vi) appointed engineer to he incharge of the project. He will be designated as the Project ManagertProject EngineertConstruction Manager. There will he Engineers known as Site Engineers, Field Engineers etc. as well as other members to assist the Project Manager. Actual project team will depend on size and nature of the project.

You as the Supervisor will have to perform the task of instructing and guiding the field workers and get the work done from them.

How will you accomplish this task successfully 

i) You must carefully study all the documents - drawings, specifications, contract documents etc. and understand them thoroughly. In case there are any doubts consult the Engineer to whom you report and get the doubts cleared.

ii) Study the programme of construction prepared by the project in-charge. From this programme prepare a detailed working schedule for a suitable duration, say a week. Such a schedule should show the details of actions to be taken by you on every day. Supervisor's schedule for a typical day will show the following:

a) Brick masonry for the superstructure of building No.1 to be continued.

b) Excavation for the foundation of building No. 2 to be started today. Labour gang to he organised, instructions to be given to them, necessary tools to be issued.

c) Excavation work should he completed by tomorrow evening; the field engineer to be requested to inspect the work tomorrow and approve the foundatior~s so that laying the concrete bed for the foundation can be commenced day after tomorrow.

d) To send a requisition to the store to supply cement, to place an order for supply of sand and aggregates so that these materials will be delivered to site by tomorrow evening.

e) To request the project office to supply the working drawings of RCC slab so that they can be studied and the necessary preliminaries such as method statements, requirement of materials and equipment can be worked out; arrangements for their procurement can be planned and concer~led labour contractor can be informed in time to be ready to start the work.

f)To send a note to the accounts department to arrange for the payment of wages to labour at the end of the week.

g) Reports to be submitted to the project office.

The above list of activities is not exhaustive hut is of an indicative nature only. Supervisor should ensure the following facilities on the construction site:

i) Site offices, site stores, workshops, canteen & mess etc. with necessary furniture,ventilation, lighting etc.

ii) Access to the site as well as various units such as site office, stores, workshops etc.

iii) Adequate packing facilities, unloading platforms for incoming materials.

iv) Toilets suitably located - separate toilets for ladies

v) Adequate supply of water for drinking, washing and construction operations.

vi) Arrangements for regular cleaning of office, stores, canteen etc.

vii) Ensure adequate safety precautions on site by :

a) safe stacking of material,

b) safe handling of material,

c) insisting an the use.of protective wears like helmets, gloves, gum-boots,goggles where necessary,

d) providing fencing around the excavated trenches,

e) Ensuring good housekeeping on site,

f) providing first-aid box on site, .

g) employing trained workers and operators,

h) ensuring proper maintenance of equipment, and

i) providing training to workers and creating an awareness of safety amongst workers.

Supervisor should matntain the necessary documents on the work site. The following is the indicative list of some important documents.

i) ,A list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of the persons and agencies concerned with project (viz. owners, higher officers, officers of local authorities,Govt. Suppliers, police department etc.).

ii) A set of approved drawings and specifications.

iii)Contract documents (in case of contract work).

iv)Construction programme (network or bar chart).

v) Files containing important letters.

vi) Work order book.

vii) Progress chart.

viii) Registers for materials, use of equipment, labour employed.

ix) Record of tests carried out on materials, works.
x)A general plan of work showing thereon work completed every day.

xi)Daily diary containing

a) details of works in progress,

b) notesfegarding weather conditions,

c) names of visitors,

d) number of hours worked,

e) details of work carried out by sub-contractors, labour contractors,

f)workers employed on work site,

g) materials arrived; issued to sub-contractors, consumed on works,

h) equipment details such as hours worked, fuel/power used, repairs & maintenance output etc., and

i) any other relevant details.

Entries in daily diaries form the basis of the reports which the supervisor has to submit in the prescribed form to various offices periodically.