Construction quality process, inspection, quality control and quality assurance,cost of quality, ISO standards. Introduction to concept of Total Quality Management. Introduction to concepts of HSE as applicable to Construction. Importanceof safety in construction , Safety measures to be taken during Excavation ,Explosives , drilling and blasting , hot bituminous works , scaffolds / platforms /ladder , form work and equipment operation. Storage of materials. Safety through legislation, safety campaign. Insurances.

1. Module -3
Dr. Vinay Kumar B M

3. Construction Quality

4. What is Quality?
“ Quality is the fulfillment of project responsibilities in the delivery of
products and services in a manner that meets or exceeds the stated
requirements and expectations of the owner, design professional, and
constructor”.
Responsibilities refer to the tasks that a participant is expected to
perform to accomplish the project activities as specified by contractual
agreement and applicable laws and licensing requirements, codes,
prevailing industry standards, and regulatory guidelines.

5. • Requirements are what a team member expects or needs to receive during
and after his or her participation in a project.

6. Why quality in construction is different
• Quality of construction is more difficult to define.
• First of all, the product is usually not a repetitive unit but a unique piece
of work with specific characteristics.
• Secondly, the needs to be satisfied include not only those of the client
but also the expectations of the community into which the completed
building will integrate.

7. Quality in construction is related to
• Satisfying the specification mentioned in the contract
• completing the project on time.
• Fulfilling the owner’s requirement within budget.
• Avoiding disputes claims
• Ensuring the facilities performs its intended purpose.

8. Elements of Quality
The basic element of quality in construction is:
1. Quality characteristics
2. Quality of design
3. Quality of conformance

9. Quality characteristics
• A quality characteristic is related to the parameters with respect to
which quality – control processes are judged.
• Quality characteristic includes strength, colors, texture, dimension,
height etc.
• Example: compressive strength of concrete, usability of concrete
in slump, etc

10. Quality of design
• It refers to the quality with which the design is carried out.
• It primarily related to meeting the requirement of the standard,
functionally efficient system and economical maintenance.

11. Quality of conformance
• It is referred to the degree to which the constructed facility
conformed the design and specification.
• Quality of conformance is affected by:
• Field construction methodology
• Inspection

12. Evolution of Quality in Construction

13. Quality Inspection
• Inspection is a specific examination, testing, and formal evaluation
exercise and overall appraisal of a process, product, or service to
ascertain if it conforms to established requirements.
• It involves measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain
characteristics in regard to an object or an activity.

14. • The results are usually compared to specified requirements and
standards for determining whether the item or activity is in line with the
target.
• Inspections are usually nondestructive

15. Some of the nondestructive methods of inspection are:
• Visual
• Liquid dyed(colored) penetrate.
• Radiography.
• Ultrasonic
• Acoustic emission
• Thermography

16. Inspection accuracy
• Inspection accuracy depends on:
1. Level of human error
2. Accuracy of the instruments
3. Completeness of the inspection planning

17. Human errors in inspection are mainly due to:
• Technique errors.
• Inadvertent(not planned) errors.
• Conscious errors.
• Communication errors.
Most construction projects specify that all the contracted works are
subject to inspection by the owner/consultant/owner’s representative

18. Functions of Inspection department
• Inspection of Sub soil.
• Inspection of Materials.
• Inspection of Equipment.
• Inspection of work at each stage.

19. “ Quality control is the periodic inspection to ensure that the
constructed facilities meet the standard specified in the contract”.
• The control process involves observing actual performances, comparing
it with some standards, and then taking action if observed
performance is significantly different from the standard.
• It’s an overall commitment to produce defect free products.
Quality Control

20. Control involves a universal sequence of steps as follows:
• Choose the control subject, that is, choose what we intend to regulate.
• Establish measurement.
• Establish standard of performance, product goal, and process goals.
• Measure actual performance.
• Compare actual measured performance against standards.
• Take action on the difference.

21. Quality Assurance
“ Quality Assurance (QA) is a program covering activities necessary to
provide quality in the work to meet the project requirements”.
• QA involves establishing project related policies, procedures, standards,
training, guidelines, and system necessary to produce quality.
• The design professional and constructor are responsible for developing an
appropriate program for each project.

22. QA program includes
• Arranging periodical training for its worker.
• A good safety Program.
• A sound procurement system to get best quality material and
suppliers.
• A reward scheme for innovative work and competitive career progress
scheme.

23. Difference between QA and QC

24. Cost of Quality
“ Sum of costs incurred to prevent non conformance from happening and
the costs incurred when non conformance in products and system occurs”
• Cost of conformance is the cost of providing products or services as per
the required standards. This can be termed as good amount spent.

25. • Cost of non-conformance is the failure cost associated with a process not
being operated to the requirements. This can be termed as unnecessary
amount spent.

26. Categories of Quality Costs

27. Prevention Costs
• Prevention costs are associated with design, implementation ,
maintenance, and planning prior to actual operation, in order to avoid
defects from happening.
• Example: Costs includes new product review, quality planning, supplier
surveys, process reviews, quality improvement teams, education and
training and other like costs.

28. Appraisal costs
• Appraisal costs are spent to detect defects to assure conformance to
quality standards.
• Appraisal cost activities sums up to the “cost of checking if things are
correct”.
• The appraisal costs are focused on the discovery of defects rather
than prevention of defects.

29. Example: Costs include first time inspection, checking, testing, process or
service audits, calibration of measuring and test equipment, supplier
surveillance, receipt inspection etc.,.

30. Internal failure costs
• Internal failure costs occurs when results of work fail to reach
designated quality standards , and are detected before transfer to
the customer takes place.
• Example: costs include rework, scrap, re-inspection, re-testing,
corrective action, redesign, material review, material downgrades,
vendor defects, and other like defects.

31. External failure costs
• External failure costs occur when the product or service from a
process fails to reach designated quality standards , and is not
detected until after transfer to the customer.
• Example: costs include processing customer complaints, customer
returns, warranty claims and repair costs, product liability and product
recalls.

32. ISO 9000 Series
• The term ISO describes the series of international standards dealing
with product design, production, delivery, service and testing.
“ ISO 9000 is a set of international standards on quality management and
quality assurance developed to help companies effectively document the
quality system elements to be implemented to maintain an efficient quality
system”.
• The ISO 9000 series comprises two basic types of standard: those
addressing quality assurance and those addressing quality management.

33. The ISO 9000 series is based on eight principles
• Costumer Focus: Understand the customer`s needs, meet the
customer`s requirements, and strive to exceed the customer`s
expectation.
• Leadership: Establish unity of purpose and organizational direction and
provide an environment that promotes employee involvement and
achievement of objectives.

34. • Involvement of People: Take advantage of fully involved employees, using
all their abilities for the benefit of the organization.
• Process Approach: Recognize that things accomplished are the results of
process and that processes along with related activities and resources
must be managed.
• System Approach to Management: The multiple interrelated processes
that contribute to the organization`s effectiveness are system and
should be managed as a system

35. • Continual Improvement: Continual improvement should be a permanent
objective applied to the organization and to its people, process, systems
and products.
• Factual Approach to Decision Making: Decisions must be based on the
analysis of accurate, relevant, and reliable data and information.
• Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationship: Both the organization and
supplier benefiting from one another`s resources and knowledge results
in value for all.

36. Understanding ISO standards
• ISO 9000: This section gives the guidance to select and use the Quality
management and quality assurance standards.
• ISO 9001: This standard section helps in specifying quality assurance in
different production stages. These stages include design, development,
production, installing and the final service.

37. • ISO 9002: This specifically deal with the quality assurance in the
production and installation stage of the task.
• ISO 9003: Quality assurance in the final stage i.e. the final
inspection and testing stage is guided by the standard.
• ISO 9004: Quality management and quality system elements is dealt
by this standard. This form the last part of the ISO 9000 series.

38. Two quality standards for a construction organization.
• Certification to ISO 9001
This certificate is provided for companies who carry out design
activities as the major business operation. These companies carry out the
design, development, production, installation and the final servicing.
• Certification to ISO 9002
These are provided for the companies that does not carry out
design activities. This includes production and installation.

39. 20 requirements must be satisfied:
• Management Responsibility
• Quality System
• Review of Contracts
• Control of Design
• Control of Documents
• Purchasing
• Purchaser Supplied Product
• Identification of Product and the
traceability
• Process Control
• Inspection and the testing
• Inspection, measurement and
equipment testing

40. • Status of Inspection and the
test
• Control of products that are non-
conforming
• Corrective action
• Handling, storing, packaging and
the delivery
• Quality records
• Internal quality system auditing
• Training
• Servicing
• Statistical Techniques

41. Management Responsibility
• A clear idea on the quality policy must be stated by the management.
• Well defined responsibilities and duties must be established on the staff
members who are involved in the quality management.
• The management must also ensure that for the verification of the
performance activities, the resources and the personnel are available when
needed

42. • The quality manager must be given the right and authority by top
management to bring up decision that will affect the quality of the
services that is carried out within the organization.

43. Quality System
• The quality system practiced and to be practiced must be documented
in the organization.
• This help in ensuring that the services are carried out properly and
consistently.

44. The documentation of the quality system includes the following:
• The policy manual
• Manual for general procedure
• Management procedure manual
• Technical Procedure manual
• Other document that specifies details of brief services that have
influence in the quality system

45. Review of Contracts
• This requirement forces the firm to make a project plan.
• This must undergo periodic project reviews which help in having
service that accord with the client’s current contractual,
administrative and the financial requirements.
• This help in the service to be compatible, clearly defined and
documented.

46. Control of Design
The design services and other work taken by the firm includes:
• Services to be provided are identified along with the identification of
initial procurement and the advice for contract.
• The contractual and the financial administrative arrangements of the
project are determined.
• For the performance and verification of services maintenance and the
procedure for operating must be provided.

47. Control of Documents
An approved format of the quality system and the related documents must
be presented. This will enable in:
• Identifying and monitoring the service with respect to status
• The issuing and controlling will be done through approved persons
• Prior to the issue, it will review for appropriateness.
These quality documents can be issues and made available for the staff
members who are involved the quality management system.

48. Purchasing
• In situations, necessary for special work requirements, a firm shall
maintain a register of specialist firm.
• The documents relating to the subcontractors can have the details of
such specialist firms. The document will include:
• The work scope which is to be undertaken
• The performance level standards
• Quality control expected from the specialty subcontractors

49. Purchaser Supplied Product
• Details regarding the information given by the client, agents, and the
consultants must be recorded by the firm.
• This include the instructions, drawings, specification, minutes of
meetings, schedules etc

50. Identification of Product and the traceability
• A standardized system to identify, revise and control the project
documents must be maintained by the firm.
• The project documents must be stored such that easy retrieval and
traceability is possible.

51. Process Control
• The firm must ensure that the activities that conforms to the quality
is done based on the documented work procedures that is implemented
by the firm.
• For special activities, continuous monitoring must be carried out.

52. Inspection and testing
• This is dealt with the documents that are provided by the other
organizations.
• These documents must be verified as per the client supplied
information.
• The work carried out by the firm must be verified at predetermined
stages of the project

53. Inspection, measurement and equipment testing
• The inspection and the testing of the measuring equipment must be
conducted in the sound condition.
• This must be done with utmost accuracy to ensure the quality in the
service.

54. Status of Inspection and the test
• Inspection and the examination of the documents and the service that
are provided must be done at every stage of the project.

55. Control of products that are non-conforming
• Those work that is non-conforming must be identified.
• Those document that do not comply with the requirements have to be
prevented.

56. Corrective action
• Wherever a deficiency is identified there must be certain procedures
that have to be maintained by the firm to correct it.
• There must be a means to review any sort of non conformance
“feedback” system in the construction organization.

57. Handling, storing, packaging and the delivery
• The products that are outgoing must be properly addressed.
• They must show no chances to bring any damage.

58. Quality records
The firm must have the following storage of:
• Project information that will include all the project quality record that
is meant to meet the requirements of the client.
• The records of administration of the quality system

59. Internal quality system auditing
• The review of all the aspects of the quality system of the firm is done
through periodic internal audits.
• This will show that the quality system is effectively used by the firm.

60. Training
• The firm must identify the need for training for the individuals who
are working for quality management system.
• It is recommended that the professional staff must undertake a
minimum training attendance for continuing professional development
that is put forward by the firm.
• The details of the staff qualification, training, and their experience
have to be recorded.

61. Servicing
• All the services provided by the firm to the client must be
documented.

62. Statistical Techniques
• Random sample techniques can be carried out for the quality control
and monitoring of the activities.
• The quality level can be determined early through the sampling
frequency

63. Total Quality Management
• Total Quality Management is a management approach that originated in
the 1950s and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980s.
• Total Quality Management (TQM) seeks to improve the quality of goods
and services delivered through the participation of all levels and
functions of the organization.
• Total Quality Management has proved to be a useful tool in ensuring the
achievement of set standard and successful productivity improvements in
the construction industry.

64. • TQM is a method to refining the competitiveness, effectiveness, and
flexibility of the whole organization.
• TQM is a way of thinking about goals, organizations, processes, and people
to guarantee that the right things are done right.
• To stay competitive, companies have to focus their business policies on
strategic advantages through the improvement of business quality and
performance

65. TQM and construction industry
• The construction industry differs from the manufacturing in such a way
that makes introducing TQM more challenging.
• The construction industry suffers from the problems such as
workmanship defects, time and cost overrun.
• Poor or non-existent quality-control and quality assurance procedures can
allow costly errors to go undetected in the design and contract
documents

66. Principles of TQM
Three basic principles of total quality management are:
1. Customer satisfaction.
2. Employee involvement.
3. Continuous improvements in quality.

67. Customer satisfaction
• TQM’s basic focus is on a customer and his satisfaction.
• Some of the customer perceptions of quality that correlates with
customer’s satisfaction are expected quality, satisfying quality,
delightful quality, indifferent quality and worst quality must aim at to
preventing customer dissatisfaction and also to meet customer’s
expectations.

68. Employee Involvement
• Employee involvement is very important in achieving and sustaining high
levels of quality.
• Employees must be encouraged and involved to participate in quality-
management by using control tools and techniques and identifying the areas
for improvement.
• Training and motivation of employees are essential for achieving and
sustaining high levels of quality.

69. Continuous improvements in quality
• Continuous improvement in quality is a never ending process.
• The manufacturer must specify quality attributes of the product or service
very carefully and try his best to achieve these specifications.
• The management should focus on identifying and eliminating causes of poor
quality.
• Quality should be made the responsibility of everyone in the organisation.

70. safety in construction

72. • Safety is one of the most important aspects of modern construction
management today.
• The maintenance department of every construction company play a large
part in making sure its plant / machines is in good working conditions as well
as ensures the safety of its own personnel by providing safety guidelines
for maintaining and operating machines and equipments

73. Costs Associated with Accidents at Construction Site
Cost associated with the accidents is classified as:
1. Direct Cost
2. Indirect Cost

74. Direct Cost
• The direct cost consists of compensation, medical bills and sometimes
legal payments paid directly by the company or through their insurance
schemes.

75. Indirect costs
• Cost of lost time of injured workers
• Cost of time lost by other workers who stop work due to an accident
• Cost due to the damaged equipment and/or other property
• Cost due to spoilage of materials
• Cost due to delay in progress of work

76. • Cost of payment of wages to the affected employee during the period of
injury.
• Cost of lost production resulting from the slowing down of other
employees activities.
• Cost of time lost by the supervisory staff

78. Safety Measures for Excavation
• Before doing the excavation, a complete knowledge of underground
structures, such as sewers, water pipe lines, gas mains etc. is essential and
suitable precautions should be taken to prevent accident to the workers
engaged inn excavation work.
• Personal safety equipments such as safety shoes, safety helmets etc. should
be worn by all persons entering a trench where hazards from falling stones
or other material exists.

79. • Whenever the workman to excavate in trenches in soft soil or fissured rock
or hard soil exceeding 2m in depth, the trenches should be sufficiently
shored and timbered.
• At place where the public is likely to pass over the location, a fencing or
barricade should be erected to avoid accidents.
• During night adequate should be provided

80. • Excavated material should be kept away from the edge of the trenches in
order to provide a clear berm width of not less than 1/3rd the final depth
of excavation.
• Heavy equipments such as excavating machinery, trucks, dumpers etc.
should be kept away from the excavated sides at a distance not less than
the depth of the trench or atleast 6m for trenches deeper than 6m.

81. Safety measures for drilling and blasting
• Vehicles to be used for transporting the explosives should be good in
condition with tight wooden or non-sparkling metal floor and sides.
• Explosives should be stored in clean, dry, well ventilated and reasonably
cool area.
• Leaves, grass, broken pieces of any kind should not be allowed to
accumulate within 8Km of storage area.

82. • No person should allow to touch the wires and opening the bare leading
wires of electrical blasting caps during dust storms.
• Smoking are strictly prohibited at the places where the explosives are
used.
• The rock blasting operation need to be executed only by licensed
blaster and his strict vigil and control.

83. • The entire area of the blasting needs to be kept isolated, free of men and
animals and proper watch and ward at all entry/exit points of approach
roads shall be strictly adhered too.
• Before blasting all the clear signal is given.
• After blasting operation ,it is necessary to check the entire area of the
exploded explosives and it is safely removed away from the work site.

84. Safety measures for storage of materials
• Adequate fire fighting arrangements should be provided at site
particularly in areas where petroleum products and timbers are stored.
• Explosives must be stored in proper areas and the prescribed safety
measures has to be followed during handling and storing of the
explosives.
• Petroleum products should be separately stored.

85. • Smoking and other fires should be strictly prohibited where these
products are stored.
• Only required quantities of such products should be stored at site.

86. Safety measures for hot bituminous works
• Workers engaged on job involving handling of hot bituminous materials
should use protective wares such as boots, gloves, goggles and helmets.
• When the bitumen plants are working on public road, an adequate
traffic control system must be established.
• Compressors, electrical installation and other equipments such as
elevators and conveyors should be protected from weather, mechanical
damage and dust particles.

87. • During heating and handling of the bitumen in open area, sufficient
stock of clean dry sand or loose earth should kept ready at the site to
cope with resultant fire.
• Bitumen plant should be provided with safe means of access to working
platforms, hand rails, pulley belts and drive mechanism should be
protected by suitable guards.

88. Safety measures for scaffolding, ladders, formwork and
other equipments
• Every scaffold should be firmly supported or suspended and properly
strutted or braced to ensure stability.
• The Form work support should be checked for each individual member.
Many accidents occurs due to negligence of this aspect.

89. • When performing the work above the scaffold platform, a protective
overhead covering should be provided for the workers. The protection should
be more than 3m above the scaffold platform.
• All the scaffolds and working platforms should be fastened to the building or
structure.
• During dismantling of scaffolds, necessary precautions should be taken to
prevent injury of persons due to fall of loose materials, bracings and other
part of scaffolds.

90. • Care should be taken to see that no un-insulated electrical wires exist
within 3m of the working platforms, gangway etc. of the scaffolds.

91. Safety measures for fabrication and erections
• Moving part of all the equipments should be provided with safety
guards.
• All equipments such as gas cutting and welding sets, drills and grinders
etc. should be checked periodically to ensure their safe working.
• Workers engaged in gas cutting and welding operations should wear
suitable gloves, goggles and use proper screens

92. • Power cable of all equipments should be properly insulated and protected from
damage and cuts.
• Cut pieces and scarp should be stored at an appropriate places to avoid accidents.
• Workers engaged in erection works should wear helmets and use safety belts to
avoid accidents.
• All erection equipments such as cranes should be thoroughly checked before its
use.

93. Safety through Legislation
• Factories act -1948
• Mines act-1952
• Indian explosives act- 1984
• Petroleum act – 1934
• Petroleum and minerals pipeline act-
1962
• Indian electricity rules – 1956
• The electricity act- 2013
• Motor vehicle act – 1988
• Contract Labour act- 1970
• Workman compensation act-1923
• Building and other construction welfare
act-1996
• Occupational safety and health act-1970

94. Safety Campaign
• Safety campaign aims to reduce the number of injuries sustained by
workers performing basic construction works.
• Guidelines of national safety outlines that safe working practices should
be prominently displayed at the site and precautions to be taken to avoid
accidents should be discussed in meeting.
• Safety works with visual presentations should be arranged at least once
in a month and all the workers need to be educated to become aware of
safety in engineering works.

95. • Use of protective clothing, safety helmets, face shields, safety
equipments for eyes, ears, hands, feet, legs should be widely advertised
and should be followed.
• Safe working employees should be rewarded to raise the awareness
levels among the workers.

96. Safety Insurance
• Insurance laws are applicable for regular employees.
• In construction industry most of the labours are is of casual nature
and insurance laws are not applicable to them.
• Keeping in mind the intensity of a probable losses in case of
mishaps/unpleasant accidents in construction activities, different
insurance covers are available.

97. Following are some relevant schemes for engineering
project works
1. Contractors all risk insurance (CAR policies)
2. Machinery breakdown insurance
3. Loss of profit insurance following machinery breakdown
4. Contractors plant and machinery insurance

98. Contractors all risk insurance (CAR policies)
• This is a comprehensive insurance cover and provides adequate
protection against loss of damages in respect to contract works, as
well as third party claims towards property damage or severe injuries
to workers/general public
• The following items are covered in a CAR policy under normal
circumstances:

99. • Fire accidents and explosives
• Theft
• Bad workmanship, unintentional negligence, human error
• Natural calamities
The following are not included in CAR policies:
• Loss or damage due to war or war like operations, strike riots.
• Loss or damage due to willful negligence

100. • Loss due to nuclear reactions, radiations, radioactive contaminators.
For labour intensive contracts, normally the contractor is expected to
take group insurance cover/workman compensation policies to protect
health and safety of construction workers

101. Machinery breakdown insurance
• Normally this type of insurance covers installed machineries working in
fixed premises.
• In special cases the insurance cover can be extended to include the
equipments in transit and damages to third parties as well as personal
injuries arising out of breakdown of insured machinery

102. Loss of profit insurance
• This policy covers loss due to breakdown of machinery or loss of profit
due to non operations.
• In some cases, due to malfunctioning of some control parts the
functioning of the entire machinery comes to stand still.
• This policy covers the consequential losses suffered by machine user.

103. Contractors plant and machinery insurance
• Is a special insurance policy cover due to non production of plant and
machinery not attributed to engineering reasons but to other factors
such as riots, strikes, malicious damages, breakdown due to excess
running etc.
• However this policy does not cover electrical/machinery breakdowns,
normal wear and tear, war/nuclear reactions.