Boeing workers say they won’t fly on Dreamliners they're building. What do workers say about your construction project?

Recently Al Jazeera news network did a story where they interviewed Boeing workers constructing the Dreamliner passenger jet. These workers purportedly admitted to drug use and some said they wouldn't fly on the aircraft they had built. Some complained that Boeing was putting schedule ahead of quality.

Read the full story.

Now to get an airplane certified requires the completion of untold checklists and numerous quality documents so this story may be hard to believe.

However, this story got me wondering what workers are saying on construction projects. Would they avoid crossing the bridge they'd constructed, would they buy an apartment in the apartment block they’d just completed, would they work in the office tower they built or would they purchase the house they have just worked on?

Some might argue that poor quality in an airplane is going to be more catastrophic than poor quality construction work on a building. However, there have been catastrophic failures of buildings, structures and bridges because of poor construction quality control. (See these pictures of a bridge constructed in Brazil for the 2014 world cup soccer tournament that collapsed killing one)

Quality is more than just paperwork and checklists. It requires skilled workers who take pride in their work, knowledgeable supervisors who understand the required specifications and quality procedures, and project managers that don’t accept poor quality, and that ensure their personnel are trained and have access to the right materials and equipment.

I've always found one of the best ways to assess quality is to ask the question; ‘Would I accept that quality in my house – would I be willing to pay money for that product?’ I guess that’s the same as asking the question; ‘Would I fly in the aircraft I’m constructing?’ If the answer is ‘no’ then obviously the quality of work in unacceptable.

Talk to the workforce and ask them what they think of the quality of your project.