A highly skilled manager oversees operations on a construction site profitably and safely. A construction manager must properly equip the job site and implement a safety program to ensure a safe worksite. In addition, a construction manager must collaborate with many people to stay profitable, keep the project on schedule, and deliver a quality product.
Equipment
Construction sites are one of the most dangerous worksites in the world. A lot of jobs in the construction trades are inherently unsafe. Construction sites are also busy places with many hazards.
Having the right equipment is crucial to operating a safe workplace. One of the most essential pieces of equipment for a safe construction site is a forklift because construction sites receive many types of heavy shipments. Unloading heavy loads can be dangerous.
Workers can safely load and unload heavy materials when adequately equipped with a forklift. However, without a forklift, your crew has to spend valuable time receiving materials.
You can increase the usability of your forklift with durable pallet fork extensions. Choose forklift extensions made from high-quality steel that has been load and strength-tested. Pallet fork extensions, such as lumber forks, make loading and unloading stacks of lumber easy. You can also get specialty forks if you are loading and unloading special types of materials.
Many types of equipment are needed at a construction site, which will vary depending on the type of construction and the project’s scope. Always provide your workers with well-maintained, high-quality equipment.
Safety Program
Every construction site needs a safety program. The most important part of your safety program is developing a safety culture. Workplace culture can be cultivated and managed through training, modeling, and discipline.
You will need a site safety manager to implement a safety program for large construction sites. They are responsible for all safety aspects, including training and ensuring that people use personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly. They may also need to collaborate with subcontractors to ensure compliance at the job site.
A safe job site has safety signs where needed, reminding workers to use caution or wear PPE. Keeping work areas tidy is another crucial aspect of job site safety. An emergency response plan, engineering controls, and safety reporting procedures are other essential features of a well-implemented safety program.
Project Management Software
Construction project management software keeps a construction project on track. Keeping all of your contacts, documents, invoices, work orders, and punch lists in one place makes it easier to manage the workflow of a construction project.
Project management software helps keep your team organized throughout the construction process, from bidding on projects to completing the final punch list. Choose a software package with a plan that fits your company’s needs. For example, some plans have a limited number of users, which doesn’t work for large construction projects.
Project management software can help you collaborate with others and document pertinent messages in one place. Find a software package with real-time messaging features on a mobile, cloud-based app, and you’ll never have to worry about documenting meetings and texts with owners and design teams.
Checklists
When it comes to construction, the number of details and action items a manager has to track is mind-boggling. But it really can’t be done well without a list or two. So to up your game, you can use checklists to ensure you are sufficiently vigilant about your project details.
You can make your own checklists or use some that have already been formulated. Free construction checklists are available to download, and you can use them as is or as inspiration. All types of construction checklists are available, from general safety to equipment and quality checklists, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
Quality Control
Quality construction doesn’t happen by chance. It has to be planned, and a construction manager may need a quality control team to help supervise important work. Therefore, controlling the quality of the work during critical phases in the construction process is essential.
Most often, construction managers aren’t specialists in every type of system. They must rely on quality control engineers to ensure that mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) projects are going according to plan.
Quality assurance through third-party MEP inspectors provides the perfect solution for many construction projects and is becoming a standard in the construction industry. In many cases, third-party inspections are written into contracts.
Quality assurance is more involved than simply inspecting the work when it’s done. Inspections must occur at all stages of the construction process to ensure that the right materials, equipment, and skills are utilized.
Taking Construction Management to the Next Level
Every construction site needs quality equipment and a coordinated safety program. When you use project management software, checklists, and third-party inspectors for quality control, you take your construction management to the next level by ensuring you meet the demands of owners and other interested parties.