Paste your essay in here…Quality Management:
The tasks carried out in a project ensuring that the construction is performed according to the standards and specifications on time within the given budget is known as Quality Management. The quality control and quality assurance must coordinate and compliment one another for an effective Quality Management.
Quality Control:
Quality Control is the specific implementation of Quality Assurance task and related activities. Effective Quality Control reduces the possibility of changes and mistakes. A contractor is the one who controls the quality of the work and assures that the completed project meets all the requirements. The primary function of Quality Control is the successful execution of a realistic plan to ensure that the required standards of quality construction will meet. By reviewing, inspecting and conducting tests it will be assured that the quality control is working effectively.
The Quality Control includes:
• Produce the quality specified in the plans and specifications, and for design-build contracts in the Request for Proposal, as well as the contractor's accepted proposal.
• Develop and maintain an effective QC system.
• Perform all control activities and tests.
• Prepare acceptable documentation of QC activities.
Quality Assurance:
Quality Assurance is a program which involves an act of providing quality in work to meet the project requirements. It involves establishing project related policies, procedures, standards, training, guidelines, and system necessary to produce quality. Quality Assurance's primary functions are to obtain a completed project with all the contract requirements.
Quality Assurance program includes:
• Examine the quality control methods being used to determine if the contractor is properly controlling design activities in design-build contracts.
• Examine the quality control methods being used to determine if the contractor is properly controlling construction activities.
• Review QC documentation to assure adequacy.
Total Quality Management:
Total Quality Management (TQM) has been defined as a comprehensive systematic, integrated, consistent, organization-wide effort dedicated to customer satisfaction through continuous improvement.
TQM system:
• Focuses on meeting client’s requirements, by providing quality work at a reasonable budget.
• Focuses on continuous improvement.
• Recognizes roles of everyone in the organization.
• Views organization as an internal system with a common aim.
• Focuses on the way of accomplishing the tasks.
1. The process of bringing quality to project:
• Divide the project into different parts and provide measuring tools.
• Give suggestions for the areas to be improved.
• Build solutions for the suggestions.
• Carry out and observe the solutions at work.
2. Building blocks that constitute quality:
• Satisfying client’s expectations.
• Get rid-off reworks and disputes.
• Measure the quality of its costs.
3. Deming’s essential points:
• Ensure that the project is consistent.
• Constantly devise and implement improvements.
• Adopt new philosophy.
• Practice modern training and supervise methods.
• Institute a vigorous program of the program of education and self-improvement.
Quality plan:
Quality Plan must be prepared for a project to ensure that the project meets all the required standards of quality. The contractor manages and controls all subcontractor's and supplier's activities to ensure that the project meets all the requirements. The QA Plan is a document used as a management tool. The Quality Plan makes sure that all the members of the team follow the same plan and achieve better coordination of the activities. The quality work is based on the strong Quality Plan.
Quality Manager is the author of the Quality Plan who assures that all the quality requirements are included which are mentioned in the contract.
Quality Plan is required for a project to:
• Maintain and increase costumer’s satisfaction.
• Reduce defects.
• Maintain the quality work consistent.
• Obtain efficiency and do it right the first time.
Quality Control Team:
A continuous system of planning future quality activities is known as Quality Control. The criteria of control team are to ensure that the contractor is prepared to start a phase of work, to remove deficiencies, and to follow through in achieving the work in accordance with the contract. The contractor is responsible for the quality control of a project.
The Quality Manager’s responsibilities according to the standards and specifications:
• Quality is controlled by the plan specifications.
• Maintaining and developing an effective Quality Control System.
• Make sure every quality aspect is achieved.
• Trace the outline of responsibilities.
• Provide effective guidance for the project.
• Provide documentation of materials, installations, and tests.
Testing:
Testing is a very important part of Quality Management. A test plan should be prepared for a project. A test plan includes the tests required, recommended by the standards and specifications, the person conducting each test. The contractor must mention the required tests that should be conducted and specify who has to perform the test and where to perform it either in a laboratory or at the field.
There are two types of testing. They are:
1. Quality Control Testing.
2. Quality Assurance Testing.
Quality Control Testing:
The contractor performs control testing to check whether construction procedures and materials are producing the desired contractual product.
Quality Assurance Testing:
The government performs assurance testing to verify that the contractor's control testing is adequate.
The following test is included in the project:
• Soil and concrete testing.
• Reinforcing Steel placement.
• Welding test.
• Bolt torque.
• Aggregate and asphalt test.
Inspection:
The process by which ongoing and completed project is examined is known as Inspection. The objective of the inspection is to ensure that the project was completed in accordance with the contract specifications and standards. Quality Manager has to conduct an inspection of work after completion of the project and has to develop a list of items which do not confirm the contract requirements. A second inspection must be conducted by the Quality Manager to check whether the corrections are made which are mentioned in the list.
The QC Manager as to assure that all deficiencies noted during the first inspection are corrected before the second inspection. The client is invited to the final inspection. Any deficiencies noted at these inspections by a client, whether design or construction related, will be examined by the government and the contractor notified if corrective action is required under the terms of the contract. All significant deficiencies must be corrected prior to turnover.
The inspection procedure must include:
• Warranty information.
• Operation and Maintenance Manuals.
• Give an impartial review of installation and product requirements.
• The main task of the inspector is to protect the environment, health, and safety of the public.
Process for Warranty Period:
Warranty is a written guarantee assuring to repair or replace a product if necessary within a specific given time.
Warranty for a Product:
There are two types of warranties for a product. They are:
1. Express Warranty:
In Express Warranty it is sharply stated in writing about the conditions of the warranty and the period of product.
2. Implied Warranty:
In Implied Warranty the company provides a base level of protection for the costumers, which automatically covers most costumer goods valued over a certain amount.
Warranty for Construction:
Every construction contract includes warranties. Some of the warranties are written in the contract intentionally and the others are implied by the government.
There are three types of warranties in construction. They are:
1. Express Warranty:
In this warranty the owner is provided with an opportunity to give written notice to the contractor mentioning that particular work does not conform to the contract documents as per the contract. The contractor must correct the mentioned work within one year of the date of substantial completion. If the contractor fails to do so, then the owner may send as many notices as required to cover all the works that fails to meet the requirements of the contract.
2. General Warranty:
In this warranty the contractor provides the owner with three basic warranties regarding the materials and work provided for the project.
• Warrant for Quality of Materials:
In this warrant the contractor assures the owner that the materials and equipment used in the project are new and are of good quality, unless the owner and architect have allowed the contactor to reuse certain materials or equipment.
• Warrant for work’s conformance to the contract documents:
In this warrant the contractor specially warrants that the work conforms with the requirements of the contract documents. Both project drawings and the specifications are included in the contract documents.
• Warrant for the work is free of defects:
In this warrant the contractor assures that the work will be free of defects except for the works which are built-in in the contract document. This warrant is a violation of contract and warranty actions when a defective work appears after the one-year warranty has expired.
3. Implied Warranty:
Implied Warranties are the warrants that are stated by the government. They may vary from state to state. These warrants are additional to the Express warrants set forth in the contract. There are is an important implied warrant that is discussed below.
• Implied Warranty of information provided to the Contractor:
In this warrant the owner provides the information, plans, and specifications to the contractor which are sufficient to build the project. So, if the contractor constructs the project according to the plans and specifications provided by the owner, then he cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.