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Table Of Contents

Construction Inspection System

Every part of your construction project needs to be checked regularly to ensure safety. Inspections ensure that all work in a project goes as planned and meets all of the requirements, standards, and regulations. People, materials, and equipment all need to work in harmony to run a construction site, so construction inspections are done for many different reasons during every phase of construction and at the end of the project.

The contractors usually do construction inspections as part of their job. They give the client or someone else who isn't working on the project a chance to look at the work and check how it's going.

Activities Done In Construction Inspections

There are various reasons why inspections are regularly done. But first, let's look at the activities that are done in most construction inspections:

  • Inspection and recording of all work done by the contractor
  • Reporting of the daily on-site check
  • If they meet standards and specifications, detailed inspections will be done to ensure they are good
  • Scrutinising drawings and specifications and talking about deviations and non-conformities in them
  • Keeping inspection checklists and records complete, accurate, and organised
  • Ensuring participation in project meetings
  • Keeping an eye on the contractor's schedule
  • Checks on paints and coating
  • Field tests and material sampling of soils, concrete, and asphalt
  • Review and completion of the change orders
  • Materials that are delivered and used in the construction of a building are tracked and documented
  • Semi-final and final inspections when a building is completed
  • Punch lists and keeping an eye on when things are done

Reasons For Construction Inspections

Progress Inspection

Most inspections are done during the construction phase, but not all of them. There are a lot of things that need to be done before you can start reporting on how things are going on a project. These things are called "general contract administration."

Contract review and contract signing, pre-contract meetings with clients, and client onboarding may all include a progress inspection. It could be the project manager, a member of the contractors' current team, or a completely different consultant who checks out the construction site.

People who do site inspections may need to work with a team of people who work for other parts of the project. Also, design consultants play a role in periodic checks. People who specialise in certain parts of a project may need to check environmental policy, waste management on site, accessibility, and other things.

As a result, site inspectors usually keep daily construction logs or a site diary, lead progress meetings, and write and send regular reports. This way, the contract manager or project manager can independently assess the construction work and its progress from the inspectors.

Quality Inspection

The people who do quality control (QC) inspections ensure that the construction work meets the set rules. To make sure that construction work is done right, there are technical specifications that outline what checks must be done. These checks are not just for the products and materials but also for how the construction work is done.

Inspections are a way to ensure that a finished construction project is done right. The goal is to make sure the product or work meets all of the client's needs before it is shown to them so that any requirements that are not met are fixed early on. It's essential to ensure that the project you're working on meets all of the client's needs, whether you're putting in internal or external controls.

Inspector Standards

Inspectors use ISO 9000, a set of international standards that deals with how well a company's quality management system works. This includes technical guides, reports, and specifications about how well a company's system works. Construction standards look at the scope of a project, how much money it costs, and how long it will take to finish it.

For example, in the EU, Directive 89/196/EEC, also known as the CPD (the Construction Products Directive), is the primary standard for construction works, processes, and systems, and it is used the most. Specific inspections could be made to ensure that the directive's rules are being followed.

Materials, work units, processes, and services designed and planned by the construction company may be checked as part of quality inspections in constructing a new project. For preventative strategies, an inspection plan is also in line with the construction projects' quality plan that needs to be checked for quality.

Also, inspections may be done around documentation, work instructions, action plans, and so on, which are used to plan, execute, and control construction projects. Some of these quality control inspections may also be replaced by certifications from outside groups.

Health and Safety Inspection

Construction inspections are also necessary to ensure that health and safety regulations and standards are being followed. These audits can be carried out by the contractor, the regulatory body, or a third party on an internal or external basis.

An extensive list of health and safety inspections is required for construction sites, and a construction inspector should carry out each one to the letter of the law. The following are some of the considerations in a health and safety inspection:

  • Personal fall protection systems and fall prevention
  • Working at a certain height
  • Scaffolds and mobile platforms (work platforms)
  • Availability of stepladders and ladders
  • Head protection and personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Equipment such as machinery and vehicles
  • Storage
  • Electrified infrastructure
  • Asbestos exposure
  • Facilities such as restrooms and hand-washing stations
  • Conditions on the site and the order in which things are done
  • Obstructions
  • The prevention and control of respiratory diseases
  • Stability of the structure
  • Security measures to prevent unauthorised site access

There should be a well-rounded plan for how often inspections will take place, accurate reports, and specific recommendations for improvement.

Building Control Inspection

A local building control authority or an approved third-party inspector typically conducts building control inspections. The following stages of a project usually necessitate building control inspections:

  • Commencement
  • Excavation
  • Foundations
  • The installation of new drainage systems
  • Installation of new drains (before covering up)
  • Building the main structure
  • Insulation installation
  • Construction of a roof
  • Building completion

Other Inspections

Additionally, other types of construction site inspections exist, such as:

  • Inspections to verify compliance with planning permissions, conditions, and other requirements
  • Inspections by the appropriate agencies for the release of funding
  • Verifications of coverage
  • Road and sewer construction types are inspected regularly by highway authorities
  • Inspections of the environment include noise, water, smoke, and so on, as well as installations such as kitchens and drains
  • Inspection of fire escapes, protection systems, dangers, and the storage of specific materials to prevent a fire
  • Inspections at the manufacturing facility
  • Inspection of excavations by archaeologists

How To Conduct A Construction Site Inspection

The scope, budget, and timeline of a construction project are all critical quality indicators. These are the three most important things to remember when preparing for a site inspection.

The scope of the project

To ensure that the construction project's defined scope leads the inspection process at all times, the client's needs are the primary focus of the scope. There should be thorough notes of communication between the client and the construction staff in every construction inspection checklist and every construction report.

The client must approve any changes or installations made. The most important thing on any checklist for a construction project is keeping in close contact with the client. The best way to verify that the project's scope is being followed through is with regular construction inspections.

Budget

The inspector must reference the project budget in all construction inspection checklists involving money. As a contractor or project manager, completing a project on time and on a budget is critical to the quality of the work.

It is vital to ensure that suppliers are coordinated, materials are purchased, labour activities and payouts are monitored, and so on with regular inspections. As contractors move from one stage to the next and all the way to completion, it is important to make good use of construction inspections to ensure that every expenditure is within the set budget.

Schedule

If the construction project runs behind schedule, it will have a negative impact on the client's budget and needs, which could lead to costly litigation if the client becomes dissatisfied. Daily, weekly, and monthly construction inspections can help keep tabs on the project's progress.

No matter how small, any delay should be communicated to all relevant stakeholders. Construction delays can be expensive, so the planned project schedule should be strictly adhered to from the outset of all work on the project.

Errors and changes during construction

Errors and changes caused by construction workers are unavoidable. The importance of a construction inspection is based on a well-functioning inspection system that can identify errors and make necessary adjustments.

A construction project's success and on-time delivery will be improved if a sound inspection system is in place that is based on the connectivity of the project teams.

Software for inspection

The use of construction site inspection software can improve the efficiency of construction site inspections. Documentation, tracking, and collaboration are all made easier with the use of digital construction site safety forms.

An inspection app for construction sites allows teams to create a company-wide inspection library that they can then manage and keep up-to-date. A standardisation process can also be used to identify and correct any problems in current processes and improve the overall quality and safety programme.

Importance Of Construction Inspection

Every construction project comes with a degree of risk. In order to deal with human error and unforeseen project changes, construction site inspections help to mitigate some of that risk. Thus, it is important to work with professional construction inspectors to ensure quality inspections are done.

The successful completion of a construction project and the identification of areas for improvement will be aided by using a refined checklist for construction site inspections so that teams can keep their heads above water and avoid unnecessary risks. As such, if you require any type of construction inspection, you can contact a reputable new construction inspector in your locality to get you started.

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