Disasters waiting to happen: 5 major infrastructure projects in need of repair
From aging dams and deteriorating tunnels to deficient bridges and lead-filled drinking water lines, the U.S. has plenty of work to do when it comes to the quality of its infrastructure. Read more ➔

Fixing construction's racism problem will take an industrywide effort
​To eradicate bigotry on jobsites, the first step is to acknowledge it exists, industry leaders say. Zero-tolerance policies, bystander intervention and a 'racism rating' are some of their other ideas. Read more

​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.
Visit to read more.
The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon.

Often construction projects are completed late and many contractors blame poor weather. Sure, inclement weather does delay projects, but can contractors mitigate the impact of the poor weather, or even avoid the worst impacts? Are contractors completely blameless when it comes to weather events? Now, I’m not talking about severe weather events like hurricanes, floods and tornedoes, which no amount of preparation can protect construction projects from, rather I’m talking about the normal seasonal weather. Should contractors have allowed for the normal rains, heat and cold that could impact their project before it’s completed?

Contractors are an eternally optimistic bunch and never seem to allow for any weather-related impacts on their construction projects. But, is it reasonable to expect to work on a twelve-month long project and think you won’t encounter rain, winds, summer, and winter, at some stage in the course of your project?

Contractors often put the blame on clients for their unreasonable project schedules and say it’s impossible to allow additional time for delays caused by rain – rain which is average and will almost certainly occur! Well that’s professional suicide if you knowingly accept a project construction schedule which doesn’t allow for the normal expected weather conditions which can be expected at that time and in that location.

But some contractors make their life even harder by not taking even basic precautions to avoid weather delays. Is it possible to avoid, or mitigate, the impacts of some of the poor weather?

There are several measures contractors can take to mitigate delays caused by poor weather. Some of these should be implemented when pricing the project, others when preparing the construction schedule, and of course many measures need to be implemented and maintained during construction. These include some, or all, of the following:

• When pricing the project understand the expected weather conditions at the project location. More importantly understand the project contract documents – know what they say about the risks of inclement weather, and particularly unseasonal and severe weather conditions. Allow for the costs and delays of the normal weather patterns in your price. Discuss some of the issues relating to the weather with your client. For instance, it’s often folly to start a project at the height of the wet season in the tropics. Hopefully informed clients will understand this.
• When preparing the construction schedule where possible.
  • Plan to close-up buildings ahead of the rain season or cold weather.
  • Schedule activities that can be impacted by rain, such as earthworks, to occur outside of the rainy season.
  • Schedule activities such as roofing and lifting large loads to happen outside the windy season.
  • Understand the expected weather conditions and allow additional time in the schedule for possible delays caused by inclement weather.

• Consider alternative construction methodologies. This might even mean redesigning structures. You may be able to manufacture parts of the structure in modules, or precast some sections, reducing the work to be done in poor weather. Consider different foundation solutions to minimise excavations in the rainy season.
• Modify construction working times. To avoid the summer heat, you could start working earlier in the day to make the best use of cooler temperatures, then stop earlier in the hot afternoons. Often strong winds occur in the afternoons, or windy days calm down in the late afternoon, so it may be possible to schedule lifting operations to times of the day when there’s less chance of winds impacting operations – even if that means lifting materials takes place after normal working hours. Maximise good weather opportunities, which might mean working additional shifts on weekends ahead of when poor weather is expected (these usually cost more but progress on the project may justify these extra costs).
• Put protection measures in place. A simple earth berm around excavations can protect excavations from flooding. Modest open-cut storm drains will channel rainwater away from work areas. Avoid low lying areas on the work site which can become flooded – especially ensure that material storage places are adequately drained and can be accessed even in wet weather. Have plastic sheeting, or tarpaulins, available to cover recently completed work that can be damaged by rain. Put measures in place to protect new concrete from extreme temperatures and wind. These actions often don’t cost much but they will save valuable time after a rainstorm or other weather event.
• Reschedule tasks in anticipation of bad weather. This could include delaying major concrete pours or postponing heavy lifts. In some areas regular afternoon thunderstorms occur so you want to ensure that major tasks are completed ahead of these storms, perhaps starting earlier or working in smaller sections may help.
• Prepare your project before severe weather strikes. Ensure your project team has sufficient warning that a storm or rain is on the way. Loose materials must be secured, protective covers rigged to protect unfinished work from possible damage, checks done to ensure storm-water drains are clear, and partly completed structures must be properly braced to withstand the wind.
• Ensure teams can work safely in inclement weather. No-one wants to work in the rain, freezing temperatures or searing heat. However, we often have to, so it’s important that your team has the required protective gear, which could include adequate rain suits, waterproof footwear, warm clothing, warm rest shelters, adequate water, safe working conditions, etc. Saving on some of these items may mean the project loses time because employees aren’t adequately equipped to work in the prevailing conditions.
• Temporary roads and working platforms must be constructed so that rainwater drains away and equipment and vehicles can operate without becoming bogged or dangerously skidding. We all try to save money on our project roads, then, invariably lose production when we cannot access our work areas after rain.
• Have adequate water pumps on the project site and have a system in place to dispose of the stormwater. Work areas must be cleared of water quickly so that construction can continue. Inadequate preparation and saving a few thousand dollars could cost the project a day or more of lost production. If you know it’s going to rain at some time during the project be prepared for when it does.

We can almost guarantee that most construction projects will be impacted by inclement weather. In many cases this shouldn’t be an excuse for delays.
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We can prevent, or at least mitigate, many of the delays by understanding the weather patterns in the area and allowing for these expected weather disruptions in our construction schedule. Proper planning can also mean that weather dependent activities are scheduled for times when better weather is expected. We should also implement mitigating measures to reduce the damage and return the project to full production as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, these days more projects are being interrupted by extreme weather events which couldn’t have been foreseen, and no amount of preparation could have avoided. Contractors shouldn’t be expected to shoulder the responsibility and risks of these extreme weather events, or weather that couldn’t have been reasonably expected on the project. Therefore, contractors should be cautious in accepting project contracts where they could be liable for delays caused by weather events beyond the norm. If the weather risks are too high learn to walk away from the project and don’t price the project.

Although it may appear that weather impacts on construction projects are in the hands of the Gods, contractors still have some control over the damages they suffer and they are sometimes not entirely blameless for delays caused by poor weather.

How has poor weather impacted your project?

​It’s important for construction companies to build good relationships with their customers. Unfortunately many construction projects end in an adversarial position. It becomes ‘them and us’. Contractors view the client as out to get them, and customers often view contractors as a bunch of crooks. Yet, I’ve had many long successful relationships with some clients. They weren’t always happy with us, and nor were we always happy with them. We had our disagreements and arguments, but in most cases the construction project was finished well, issues were sorted amicably, and seldom did one party feel aggrieved. In fact in many cases we constructed further projects for the same customer – sometimes, even becoming their contractor of choice. 

Having a good relationship with customers often means the customer favours the contractor for their next project, sometimes even directly negotiating new projects with them, or even awarding projects to the contractor when their price isn’t the lowest. The customer is prepared to pay a premium to work with a contractor that they know they can trust and rely on to deliver their construction project on time and with good quality.
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Having a good relationship with a client often means the contractor can obtain the inside track on forthcoming construction projects, enabling them to be one step ahead of competitors. Knowing what the customer is really looking for has enabled us to strategically position our price presentation, ensuring that we answered the customers concerns, that we could demonstrate that we understood what was important to the customer, and we could portray our company as the best for the project.

Construction projects are built with a team effort. A team that’s striving for one common goal to complete the project successfully. Projects are built on trust, with the client and the contractor helping each other and not out to trip each other up.
Having a good relationship means the contractor understand the customer’s needs and focusses on delivering a project that fulfils these needs. It enables the contractor to put the right people on the project.

Having a good relationship means that the contractor and the customer can talk through problems, present their concerns, and develop solutions. Issues can be resolved without resorting to lawyers because there’s already empathy and respect for the other party. A good relationship means that there’s open and honest dialogue. Good relationships reduce conflict. Good relations help resolve problems.

Building good relationships depends on individuals, yet it’s also a team effort. A good relationship between a client and contractor can quickly be destroyed by one individual – perhaps the contractor’s project manager who has an argument with the client, possibly is rude, or lodges spurious claims.

Good relationships are built on trust and honesty. They survive on delivering quality projects on time.

Good relationships are built by talking, by working through problems, and most importantly by being sensitive to customers and their needs. Of course good relationships are a two-way street, and both the customer and the contractor have to build the relationship.

Egos and personal gain destroy relationships.
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Even the best working relationships have to be worked on, so contractors should stay in contact with their past customers. Today many have a frenetic and busy life and past good relationships can be forgotten at the end of the project. It’s important to keep contact with customers, give a call, or even pop in for a coffee.

Regrettably, sometimes having a good relationship with a client harms the contractor. For instance, sometimes contractors are reluctant to submit variation claims for fear of ruining a good relationship. But, contractors are entitled to submit legitimate variation claims for delays or additional costs caused by the client and for events which the contractor couldn’t have reasonably foreseen, events which are claimable in terms of the project contract. Indeed, clients should never hold legitimate variation claims against their contractor, no matter how strong the relationship is between the client and contractor. Even the largest claim shouldn’t destroy a good relationship, providing the claim is legitimate and the contractor has done all in their power to mitigate the events. In fact, a true test of the relationship is how the client treats their contractor. Deplorably many relationships which contractors view as being strong are in fact one-sided and almost entirely dependent on the contractor’s subservience to the client’s whims. A one-sided relationship is an unhealthy relationship.

In the same manner contractors need to be cautious of being seduced into doing favours, possibly doing extra work, even not complaining when payments are late, because they’re fearful of damaging the relationship they have with their customer. It’s vital to always keep to the rules of the contract, no matter how sound the working relationship is.

It’s important to talk issues through with the customer, but contractors cannot rely on verbal agreements alone, no matter how strong the relationship or the trust between the parties. Even strong relationships can be shattered when one member of the party has their back against the wall, and verbal agreements are expediently and quickly forgotten.

On occasion contractors become used to working only with certain clients. Clients they have a good working relationship with. This could lead to a dependence on these clients and their projects, which may be the undoing of the contractor should the relationship suddenly end, or perhaps the client’s run of projects comes to a halt. Contractors should never be complacent, dependent on only a few strong relationships to bring them a continuous supply of work.
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Of course under no circumstance should the relationship lead to dishonesty. No customer or contractor should be favoured in a dishonest way simply because the parties have developed a good working relationship. 

As contractors we should be sensitive to our customer’s needs. We have to put energy and effort into building sound relationships, taking the time to talk to our customers. Indeed we must have empathy with our customers and understand the problems that they must deal with. However, this empathy doesn’t have to come with doling out freebies, rather it’s about helping the customer and talking through problems and issues. We must know our customer’s expectations and ensure that we can meet their expectations.

Successful projects are built on good relationships between all parties on the project. Successful contractors build solid and sound relationships with their customers – relationships that are strong enough to weather the rigours that construction projects face, relationships that aren’t destroyed when the parties play according to the project’s contract rules, relationships that aren’t easily broken by errors that are quickly fixed.
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How have you built good relationships with your customers? Have these relationships paid dividends, or have they sometimes cost you?

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website.
For construction and field service companies who want to get rid of paper time sheets, ClockShark is the GPS time tracking app that's both powerful and easy to use.

​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.
Visit to read more.
The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon.
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

We all know the risks of asbestos and the debilitating lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibres. Indeed the media is filled with news reports and lawyers are engaged in multibillion dollar compensation claims for victims. Unfortunately there’s another lung disease that hasn’t grabbed the headlines yet. A disease that’s impacting hundreds and even thousands of construction workers. A silent disease that can have equally devastating results on construction workers as mesothelioma and asbestosis. A disease that robs people of breath, often finally causing death. Could it be as big as asbestos? We hope not, but if workers don’t take precautions it could.

​More and more workers in the construction industry are being struck down by silicosis. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust. Silica dust is created when masons cut materials like concrete, masonry, sandstone and granite. The disease isn’t curable and results in permanent scarring of the lungs. Silicosis is a debilitating disease making even minor physical activity near impossible, and severe cases lead to death. For more read this report.

In the US, according to a 2015 report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, some 2 million workers are exposed to silica dust, with the highest risks being in mining, quarrying, stonemasons, tunnelling and construction, with many of these workers facing high exposure.

​A relatively new source of silica dust is the use of engineered stone kitchen bench tops and bathroom vanity slabs. According to this report engineered stone consists of 90% silica. These tops have to be cut to size and holes are cut and drilled to accommodate the installation of sinks, cooktops and plumbing fittings. Workers who aren’t aware of the risks often cut stone with no regard for the dust generated and they often work without proper breathing protection.

In Australia, where cases of silicosis have increased by 50%, new laws are being introduced to reduce the amount of dust exposure, but these probably don’t go far enough since many workers are exposed to silica dust over prolonged periods of time.

Workers need to be aware of the risks of breathing silica dust. Dust should be eliminated by employing cutting and polishing tools which suck the dust up as it’s created. Where possible wet cutting should be done. Workers must wear proper breathing masks. Masks used must be appropriate for the work and most paper masks won’t protect the wearer. Caution must be taken to ensure that people in the vicinity aren’t exposed to the dust. Put an end to clouds of dust on construction projects.
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Our health and the health of our workers is important. Don’t take the chance with your life or the lives of others. Contractors who don’t implement the correct safety precautions could be exposed to multimillion dollar lawsuits from those exposed to silicosis on the worksite. Don’t let silica dust become the next asbestos. Let’s learn from the past and implement solutions to ensure the safety of our workers.

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website.
For construction and field service companies who want to get rid of paper time sheets, ClockShark is the GPS time tracking app that's both powerful and easy to use.

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.
Visit to read more.
The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon.
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.