Construction Project Audits—The Search for Harmony
July 2008
If you're familiar with construction projects
and are asked to audit a job, it is nice to say everyone wore their safety glasses
and hard hats, but you must also search the project for harmony and pride.
By TJ Lyons
Turner
Casualty and Surety
Have you ever stopped to count the lug nuts on your cars wheels? Of course
not, since the machine was built within a system. If a project is planned correctly,
the staff is competent, cares; inspections are not needed since safety will
occur just like a schedule kept or a quality job.
In the big scheme of things, a standard site inspection is of little value.
Granted, you can feel good because you found others doing wrong (where did we
learn that?), but there is little these audits bring of value to the hard working
site teams. In the perfect world, we would trust the system to work and eliminate
inspections, which are clearly a sign of mistrust.
This article explores areas where a risk manager or owner can test and understand
what he has truly insured or is getting from his or her general contractor.
Some of the points may seem simple (Is the gate closed in the early morning?),
but each is an indicator of things to be considered.
This column is intended to be used as a guide since everyone's situation
is different. Your own senses will guide you. As you walk and talk around the
project site, remember to listen to how things are said, track how many questions
are asked of you, and remember you are a
guest and expect to be treated as one. Keep in mind, you are gathering with
a family, and it is not yours. On a successful project, ownership and just a
bit of pride will be evident from the moment you contact that team. This is
something to feel for, and if all goes well, you will embrace it, for there
is nothing as satisfying as walking a project with people who love what they
do and are passionate about what they have created.
Preparation
For the sake of this mock visit, let’s assume you are from one of big insurance
firms in the United States—Exalted One Insurance, well versed in the science
of safety—and your firm chose to insure the project a few months ago. The site
operations are well underway; a full-time safety coordinator is on site; the
job is completely staffed; and this is the one and only time you plan to stop
by. The site team knows you are coming. The reason for the visit is to follow
up on field reports your "consultants" have been sending and to see if a long-term
relationship with this general contractor is something that will keep you up
at night.
One week before your arrival, call the project manager or the superintendent
on the job and confirm when and what time you will be stopping by. Then suggest,
"My schedule is pretty flexible for the week, is there any meeting or coordination
sessions that I might attend?" Now practice your listening skills. A great contractor
will understand two things: first, you bring expertise to the site; and second,
he or she should welcome you to join their team and the subcontractor community.
The best answer would be to invite you to a preplanning meeting that might be
occurring so you can help with risk management.
Next ask who will be accompanying you on your tour. This is likely one of
the most critical questions to ask for if the project manager (PM) links you
up to their on-site safety person (and remember, he had the opportunity to schedule
the visit), then he or she is not interested in what you think of the project.
One of the key factors you will find in site harmony is pride. Top-down care
of site safety is the foundation for success. As an example, when top operations
staff assist in at least half of incident investigations, incident rates drop
from an average of 7.0 to 1.0.
Take the opportunity to ask if the manager can assemble his or her crew for
10-20 minutes so you can meet them. This is an opportunity to show off what
they do and how important their contribution is to the success of the project.
Each should think theirs is the most important task on the site, and it is.
(Remember the person who put the lug nuts on your car?)
This is also your chance to share anything that might make their jobs easier
and safer. Remember, this "family" is focused on their project. And, in the
insular world of a construction project, the family members have few opportunities
to hear what is going on in the outside world. Never underestimate the chance
you have to help out. The long-term rewards will amaze you.
This careful approach to a site visit might seem like you are setting up
a good contractor to fail, but it is no different than letting your daughter's
date be the first to speak at the front door. There is a world of difference
between, "Hey, is Cindy home…" to "Hello Mr. Yastrzemski, I’m Carl, and I'm
here to see Cindy." For every 10 sites you visit, about half will pleasantly
surprise you.
A decade ago, risk managers were either feared or ignored, and shame on us
for that, but the art of gauging people and how they will act and react is a
primal skill we all have; and we should use that tool more frequently. To explore
true project pride and ownership, or to search out operational indifference,
you must feel for it.
Click for
Figure 1: Project Photo
The Day Before
In preparation for your visit (wear a tie if you usually wear one), take
a moment to do the following.
First, Google the site and see if there has been anything of interest going
on. Make sure to search twice, first for the name of the project (Bush Towers)
and again using the address only. Note the following.
- Have there been incidents?
- Are there articles about site tours for the community or local involvement?
- Is a photo of the project posted so you can get a feel for the footprint
of the building?
- Run the contractor through the
OSHA Establishment Search page to see if there have been any inspections.
Remember a list of inspections with nothing found speaks well for the site
and the firm, but what was not found
is equally or more important.
- Have there been any environmental-related concerns? Search by the street
address, for if this is a Superfund site, you may not want to wear your
best shoes.
- Is there a posted completion date?
All of this will help you get a better feel for the job, the risk of the
area (e.g., it’s built next to a state prison), and will help you sleep the
night before you visit.
Visiting Hours—The Drive-By
Click for
Figure 2: The Early Morning Drive-By
If you are supposed to arrive 7 a.m., get there at 6 a.m., and take a drive
around the block and exterior of the project and look for these indicators:
- If the site is fenced (most are)? Is the fence actually standing?
- Is the fence a lightweight "snow fence" or something appropriate?
- Does the site look like a mess? What does the client see?
- Is there a gate and is it closed?
- Look for schools, churches, bars, clubs, and other areas where folks
will congregate and wander after hours.
- Is there protection (sidewalk shed) to the public walking by, and is
it lit from within?
- If sidewalks are closed, is the sign stating that illuminated?
- Is an after-hour emergency contact number posted on the gate?
- Is there a project signboard listing the parties building it and a drawing
of the actual structure?
- Is the building lit from within?
- Are people at work?
This specific information is critical because each task requires planning,
vigilance, maintenance, and accountability—parts of any system. One of the best
indicators of site operations is to verify that the general contractor is onsite
while his or her subcontractors are at play—early or late.
Summary
Probably the most damage to the profession of the risk management was allowing
the time-honored tradition of the "Seagull Swoop." The project manager gets
a knock on the door, the safety "expert" takes a look around, leaves a soiled
list of what was found wrong, and heads out, leaving a group of disenchanted
and angry people behind. Those who continue that tradition are not long for
the industry. As the new breed of schooled safety professional makes his or
her rounds, they are becoming a welcome addition to the construction world for
they are taught to understand relationships as well as regulations.
If you take the time to explore these softer areas, you will gain a better
understanding of the project culture and the good people working there, before
even stopping in. With the indicators above behind you, now is the time to actually
set foot on the site. But we will leave that for the next column, for like the
boy at your door, it is time to meet the family.
Click for
Figure 3: On the Job
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