Conflict in ConstructionEvery construction project has conflict. There’s conflict within construction teams, conflict between supervisors, conflict within the contractor’s management team, conflict with suppliers and subcontractors and conflict between the client’s team and the contractor’s team. A construction project is a melting pot of egos, personalities and cultures. It’s a stressed environment with everyone trying to do the best for themselves and their company, while getting the job completed as quickly as possible, often in difficult circumstances. Sometimes you can’t avoid conflict, you have to stand up to the client when they’re being unfair to your company and demanding things which aren’t in the contract document. You have to take a stand when people in your crew aren’t obeying company or project rules. You have to be tough on suppliers and subcontractors who aren’t delivering. But, this must be done without yelling and swearing (regrettably I was often guilty of this). It’s important to explain why you’re unhappy and what’s unacceptable. Successful construction demands good communication #conflictresolution Contain your frustrations Of course, there will always be some that make you really angry. People make mistakes. Supervisors will put their area of work ahead of other work on the project. They will see their work as coming first and not look at the greater project. They may block access to other parts of the project, maybe use materials needed elsewhere, unfairly hog equipment, like cranes, so that other work areas are kept waiting. It’s good to be so passionate about your work that you care when others are impeding you. But, don’t fly into a rage. Understand that others are also passionate about getting their work done, and often their actions aren't deliberate - they're just focussed on their work, without considering the consequence of their actions on the rest of the project. Everyone on a construction project is also stressed. Often they aren’t even aware of the impact their actions are having on other work. Explain logically what the problem is, and more importantly how the problem should be resolved. Sure you can show your displeasure and explain that the issue should be avoided in the future. Everyone needs to understand that completing the project is a team effort and the project isn’t complete until all sections are complete. Unquestionably, there will always be some incompetent people in construction, there will be some arse holes on the project, some managers and client’s representatives will be irritating with poor knowledge and little experience, construction is like that, there are many who shouldn’t hold the position that they have, but learn to work around them. If need be help them, tripping them up is seldom going to benefit you other than the short term satisfaction it may provide. There will be subcontractors and suppliers that let you down. Why did they let the project down? Was there something you could have done better to prevent the issue? How can the situation be rectified? How can it be prevented from recurring? Shouting and cursing is not going to help! Sure you are passionate and it is only right to show your displeasure, but it's more important that the problem is fixed quickly. Obviously, never be so assured in your knowledge and self-esteem that you’re not prepared to listen to the other person. None of us are so perfect that we can’t learn something new, or a new method of doing things. Sometimes even young and inexperienced managers may see things differently and come up with an innovative solution you hadn’t considered before. There will be times when others will be unhappy with you – rightly or wrongly. They may yell and swear at you. Of course you won’t like that, but that’s not reason to yell and cuss back. Rather stay calm. If you did something wrong admit it and apologise – that will soon diffuse the situation and it most cases the other person will forget that anything happened and move on. Arguing something where you’re wrong will invariably escalate the situation making it worse. Certainly if the other person is wrong then tell them why they’re wrong. Be prepared to argue your case in a clear logical manner without becoming emotional or personal about it – even if the other person is throwing personal insults. Sometimes arguments are over stupid small things. Consider if it’s really worth your time and effort to argue some silly point or misdemeanour. Some arguments are best walked away from. Sometimes though problems can’t be rationally resolved, the other person is never going to understand your point of view. In these cases it may be necessary to involve a third party to settle the dispute. #disputeresolution Conflict within construction teamsOn occasion, there may be some in your crew fighting and arguing. This is disruptive and can jeopardise safety and productivity. It’s important to have a harmonious team and to step-in and resolve the dispute. Listen to each person’s arguments and then logically explain who is right and who is wrong. Sometimes both might be wrong. Unfortunately, from time to time we get trouble makers in our team, or maybe just somebody that’s obnoxious and gets people’s backs up. If the person is unable to change their behaviour they may have to be moved elsewhere, possibly have their employment terminated. There will also sometimes be clashes of personality, someone does not see eye to eye with another. It’s important to understand why there’s a problem. If it’s because of racial, ethnic or any form of discrimination it’s important to stamp it out immediately, and the person being discriminatory should be warned to discontinue the behaviour or disciplinary action will be taken. If it’s simply a clash of personalities and neither party is prepared to back down then one of the workers may have to be transferred to another crew. But always try and talk through the problem with the two people. Talk to others in the crew to check that there isn’t another underlying cause that you’ve missed, a matter that could perhaps arise later in another form. Discrimination in construction – is it holding your company back? Sure, sometimes it might seem like you’re a policeman, a psychologist, a judge, jury, and even sometimes like a parent, but unfortunately a construction manager or supervisor is all of these and more. Conflict resolutionConflict resolution and prevention is an important aspect of a construction manager's duty, and potential conflict situations should be quickly dealt with in a fair and impartial manner, otherwise even trivial matters can quickly escalate in to major issues, or fester unresolved in the background impacting morale and productivity. You cannot always avoid conflict in construction. You cannot walk away from many issues. Rather it's the way that you resolve issues. Getting people to work together for the best project outcomes. Successful construction projects are built by harmonious teams working together for the best project outcomes. Solving problems together. #constructionmanagement #constructionprojectmanagement #construction Other useful articles What qualities does a good construction project manager require? using the strengths of your employees to build a successful company 12 Proven Time Management Tips For Construction Project Managers
© 2021 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author. Do you want to learn how to manage construction projects successfullyPaul Netscher has written several easy to read books for owners, contractors, construction managers, construction supervisors and foremen. They cover all aspects of construction management and are filled with tips and insights.
Visit to read more. The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon.
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Cranes are a valuable items of equipment on many construction projects. They are used to lift heavy material and equipment. Offloading items from delivery trucks, then placing them in position, sometimes up on towering buildings. Cranes allow for prefabricated and modular sections to be positioned in place - often speeding up construction. Many projects would not be possible without using cranes, or would certainly require lots more effort and time to complete. Unfortunately there are many accidents each year involving cranes. Most of these could be avoided if those using the cranes took better care. Below are a few pertinent and important points to consider when employing cranes on your construction project. #craneaccidents There is other lifting equipment such as forklifts, telehandlers, etc, which are also commonly used to lift and transport material around construction projects. These can also prove deadly when they over topple, or when loads are not properly secured. Crane accidentsCrane accidents result in:
Safety tips for cranesThe incorrect use of cranes and lifting equipment is often the cause of serious accidents. Lifting equipment must always have the outriggers fully deployed and the outriggers must be on firm ground and not near the edges of excavations. The outriggers should be on sturdy boards or beams to distribute the load. Cranes should never lift loads that are heavier, or at a greater reach, than their rated capacity. Always know the weight of heavy loads and ensure these are within the capabilities of the crane. The crane operator should not be overruled or forced to lift a load that they’re uncomfortable of lifting (if in doubt check with an expert). Cranes should never be used in gusty or windy conditions, nor should they be deployed when there’s lightning. Loads should never be lifted over people. Many a time loads have broken free and come crashing down to the ground. Anyone below could be fatally injured if this happens. (Read crane company charged over crane collapse) #constructionsafety Always take extreme care when cranes are working in close proximity to structures or other cranes. (Read: Buildings evacuated as crane smashes into office tower) Cranes should never work near overhead live electrical cables. Coming in contact, or indeed even within a couple of metres, of live high voltage cables could result in a fatal accident, damage to the crane and a power outage. (Read fatal accident when crane touches powerlines) Items being lifted by the crane must always be properly secured. Loads should be balanced so they can’t topple over. Large loads and loads being manoeuvred in tight spaces should have tag lines attached so they can be safely guided into position by workers, who should never stand directly under the load. Workers holding tag lines must take care that swinging loads don’t pull them off buildings or into excavations. (Read: 6 workers injured when crane drops reinforcing bars and Death under load of scaffold) Failure of a sling will result in the load being dropped, where it could cause serious damage to equipment and structures below and fatally injure people. (Read Pressure washer plunges 29 floors) In addition the loss of a heavy load has often resulted in the crane boom swinging back so rapidly that it’s caused the boom to break and even the crane to topple over. Slings must always be properly secured to the crane hook and to the load in such a manner that they can’t accidently come loose. Crane hooks should be checked for cracks and deformation. Hooks have opened while lifting heavy loads, resulting in the load falling to the ground. Hooks should have working safety catches which prevent the lifting slings from accidently falling off. Slings (chains, straps and cables) are of different load ratings. Always ensure that slings are rated for the weight being lifted. Slings must be checked regularly for wear, damage and deformities. Damaged slings must be clearly marked as nonconforming and removed from the project site so they aren’t accidently used. Multi-leg slings must be fixed in such a way that the legs are as close to vertical as possible, and not at an angle greater than 30 degrees from the vertical – the more horizontal the leg the greater the stress created in the sling, which could mean that the stress exceeds what the sling can carry, causing it to break. Slings must always be stored where they won’t be damaged by other equipment and where they won’t become muddy and dirty. Working with cranesCranes are an indispensable part of many construction projects. Cranes are expensive to hire so they should be effectively utilized to minimize time and cost. Regrettably, there are many crane accidents each year, which cause, injury, loss of life, and damage to structures and other equipment. With proper care cranes are valuable tools which can be safely used. #constructionmanagement #constructionprojectmanagement #constructionequipment Other useful articles Become Great at Hiring Equipment for Your Construction Project The Alarming Truth about Using Old Construction Equipment Construction Equipment Productivity ![]() This article is an extract from the book 'The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman'. © 2021 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author. Do you want to learn how to manage construction projects successfullyPaul Netscher has written several easy to read books for owners, contractors, construction managers, construction supervisors and foremen. They cover all aspects of construction management and are filled with tips and insights.
Visit to read more. The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon. Not all subcontractors' prices are equalIn our previous articles we discussed Selecting subcontractors for your construction project and What to include in Subcontractor pricing documentation So now you've received prices from a number of subcontractors. Which subcontractor do you choose? The one with the cheapest price? Are you sure this will result in the cheapest cost for your construction project? Checking subcontractor quotationsIt's important to carefully check and compare the prices and quotations you receive from the different subcontractors. It's important to check the following:
Adjudicating subcontractor prices fairlyThe adjudication of prices must be seen to be done in a fair manner. A full record of the adjudication process should be kept, in case there are queries later. Remember to add in your extra costs when evaluating the Subcontractor’s price against other prices so you’re comparing apples with apples. Hopefully the last few articles have been useful and you will pick the right subcontractor for your project, using an appropriate contract document. Other useful articles Subcontractor construction contract documents Don't save construction costs by doing this What’s expected of your subcontractors? Do they know? Do you want to learn how to manage construction projects successfully![]() Paul Netscher has written several easy to read books for owners, contractors, construction managers, construction supervisors and foremen. They cover all aspects of construction management and are filled with tips and insights. One reader said: "I felt impelled to message you as I purchased your book, and wanted to thank you for the content, it has been very helpful." Visit to read more. The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon. |
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The opinions expressed in the attached articles are those of the writer. It should be noted that projects are varied and different laws and restrictions apply which depend on the location of the contractor and the project. It's important that the reader uses the supplied information taking cognisance of their particular circumstances. The writer assumes no responsibility or liability for any loss of any kind arising from the reader using the information or advice contained herein. "I have what I consider some of the best books on construction management."
Books are available from: Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk takealot.com kalahari.com Amazon.in Amazon.de Amazon.fr Amazon.it Amazon.com.au Powell's Fishpond uread bokus Amazon.ca Amazon.es Other retail stores Available in paperback or on Kindle "28 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS AND BUILDING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES"
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