Ensuring Quality

Quality control is the responsibility of each member in the chain of command. Each person in the construction chain of command must be familiar with personnel responsibilities to ensure a quality project. You must remember that plans and specifications are the construction standards and may vary from project to project. A project which costs a life or serious injury is not a quality project. Safety and good housekeeping are very important elements in obtaining a finished product of acceptable quality. ENSURING QUALITY The crew leader must plan quality into any project and develop a QC plan for each project. This plan ensures that the quality of the construction meets the standards in the plans and specifications. The development and implementation of a QC plan can be broken down into steps covered in the material that Establish Quality Measures The first step in ensuring quality is to establish the means of measuring QC progress. The crew leader must review the plans and specifications and identify the required quality criteria. For instance, the quality criteria for reinforcing steel would be the size, the place- ment, the anchoring, and the distance lapped. Quality measures must be specific (for example, the specifica- tions may require that rebar be at least 1 1/2 inches from inside of the forms and the rebar must be lapped 24 inches at splices). QC measures are to be listed in “plain language” on the CAS sheet. These measures are then transferred to the QC plan. The crew leader, the QC rep, and the inspector (ROICC) should agree in advance on how the various tests are to be performed and exactly what the requirements are. For example, when laying block and the requirement is within 1/4-inch plumb within 10 feet, will this be measured with a string line, a level, or some other method? Figures 6-1 and 6-2 are follows. samples of project QC plans. Figure 64.—Project QC plan cover sheet. 6-2