Posted by Ed Caldeira on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 @ 04:07 PM
An Inspection Test Plan (ITP) is a commonly required document that you'll need to submit with your construction quality control plan. Whether you're working on a private sector or government contract, clients today all want to see your inspection test plan. They want to know exactly what inspections and tests you'll be forming to control quality on their project.
In addition to telling your client what inspections and tests you'll do to control quality, your ITP is also a checklist for you to log the results of your inspections and tests during the project.
So what should you include on your inspection and test plan anyway?
The following 7 tips will help you to create your inspection and test plans:
1) Before you can start, you'll need an inspection test plan form. Click on this link, and you can download one free from our website: Inspection Test Plan Form Templates.
2) Complete the form by, first, adding your task inspections. List a task inspection for each Definable Feature of Work (DFOW), also known as a construction task or a phase of work.
3) Now, add your milestone inspections. These are inspections at the completion of each major piece of work. For example, this could be at the completion of a foundation or each floor in a high-rise.
4) Next, look at your project specification, and add the required inspections and tests from it.
- DO include tests that you hire an independent testing agency to perform.
- DO include inspection hold points.
- DO NOT include inspections conducted by your client, as that is their own quality control, not yours.
5) Finally look in the Division 01 General Requirements section of your specification for any special inspections to add to your inspection test plan. These could be such things as field assessments and final closeout inspections.
Click the image on the left to see the first page of a completed Inspection Test Plan.
Once you have a good template and know what to include, putting together an inspection test plan becomes very straightforward.
Posted by Ed Caldeira on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 @ 07:55 AM
A project quality plan is a written plan that details how you will manage quality on a specific construction project.
This is different from a quality manual, which explains your quality policies and procedures in general, but not with information specific to each project.
Clients may ask for project quality plans in different ways. One way may be that your contract says you need to submit a quality control plan. Another way may be that your client comes out and asks for a project quality plan.
In most cases, everyone wants the same thing: your quality manual, standard operating procedures, and the project plan.
Below is a list of questions your project plan should answer. Underneath each question, I’ve listed the form(s) you can include in your plan on which to give your answers (i.e. the information your client wants).
Project Quality Plan
Who’s on the project quality management team?
- A Project Organization Chart
What makes them qualified to be there?
- Appointment Letters defining the responsibility and authority for each team member’s position
- Personnel Qualification Form verifying the capabilities of each team member and who approved them
- Resume for each team member
What training will you provide to make sure your people have the necessary skills and knowledge for this project? Will you train your customer on operations and maintenance? This should include quality system, quality procedures, and the technical training.
- Training Plan indicating the training and who has received it
Who are the points of contact for the project?
How will you make sure all quality-related information gets to the people that need it?
- Project Quality Communications Plan
What documents, reports, and records will you submit, by when, and to whom?
- Project Submittals Schedule and Log
Project-Specific Standards
What regulatory codes and industry standards apply to this project?
- Project Regulatory Codes and Industry Standards Form
Project-Specific Inspections and Tests
What inspections and tests will you conduct for this project? How will you record each inspection and test?
- Inspection and Test Plan Form
- Quality Controlled Construction Task Form
What measuring devices need calibration and how often?
- Measuring Devices Calibration Form
Project Purchasing
What credential and resources do your key subcontractors need such as licenses, insurance, production capacity? Also, how do their quality programs meet your requirements?
- Subcontractor and Supplier Qualification Form
Who are your qualified suppliers and what materials will they supply?
Download 2 Free Project Quality Plan forms:
1. Project Quality Plan Form (to use as a checklist for your quality plan submittal)
2. Quality Manager Appointment Form (to appoint your quality manager and assign quality responsibilities and authority)
About the Author - Ed Caldeira is founder of Caldeira Quality, specializing in custom quality control plans, First Time Quality construction quality assurance program implementations and FTQ360 performance management software. He can be reached at www.FirstTimeQuality.com.
Posted by Ed Caldeira on Sun, Feb 07, 2010 @ 10:20 AM
No sense reinventing the wheel... Using a template is a good starting point to develop your quality control plan.
But... it's not good practice to buy a template and just stick your name on it.
Your quality control plan should describe your quality methods, policies, and practices.
Here are some tips for customizing a template to your specific company QA/QC program.
1. Find a quality control plan template that has all the components you need including:
- Quality Manual
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Submittal Forms
2. Change general information into company-specific information.
Most quality manual templates use vague generalities to describe quality methods and policies. Below is an example of typical template wording that's vague, without specific detail.
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All employees have the responsibility and authority for implementation of established QA/QC activities ... to:
- Initiate action to prevent the occurrence of work or service non-conformity;
- Identify and record any quality problems;
- Initiate, recommend, or provide solutions through designated channels;
- Verify the implementation of solutions;
- Control further processing, delivery, or installation of non-conforming work until the deficiency or unsatisfactory condition has been corrected.
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Did you notice the general term "all employees"? I’d be very surprised if “all employees” in your company have the same quality responsibilities and authority.
So, change your template to include specific information about all key positions responsible for making sure that jobs are done right -- quality.
The example below shows clearly defined information for one such key position, the superintendent.
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Caldeira Construction superintendents verify that work performed by subcontractors and Caldeira Construction work crews conforms to Caldeira Construction quality standards.
Caldeira Construction superintendents have specific responsibilities for:
- Ensuring that construction meets government regulatory and code requirements, customer requirements, contract requirements, contract technical specifications, contract drawings, approved contract submittals, and company quality standards and specifications
- Ensuring that subcontractors begin work in accordance with Excel Construction start-work policies
- Ensuring that subcontractors receive a notice to work only when conditions will not adversely affect quality results
- Conducting inspections, tests, and recording findings
- Accurately assessing subcontractor quality and on-time performance
- Ensuring that quality standards are achieved before approving subcontractor or work crew completion of work
Caldeira Construction superintendents have the authority to:
- Stop work when continuing work may adversely affect quality or cover up a defect
- Prevent the use of materials that may adversely affect quality
- Direct the removal or replacement of any non-conforming work or material
- Suspend work and/or supply of materials as deemed necessary to assure quality results
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3. Add details
Take the time to include details. Here is another typical template example of vague wording without specific detail.
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The Project Manager shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that any work that does not conform to specified requirements is prevented from inadvertent release to the client. |
What procedures? After reading this example, will your client and company personnel know your nonconformance policy?
Here is an example that provides the needed detail.
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When Caldeira Construction superintendents or inspectors identify nonconformances, they quickly mark the nonconformances with Caldeira Construction nonconformance tags to prevent inadvertent cover-ups. |
In Conclusion
Evaluate several different quality control plan templates and choose the one that has the most detail. After all, the less you have to “reinvent the wheel” the better.
Thoroughly read over the document, and tailor it to include your company's quality methods and policies.
Change vague, generalities to company-specific information, and add details.
Need a quality plan?
We offer comprehensive quality plan templates tailored to meet your company and project requirements. No need to reinvent the wheel!
About the Author - Ed Caldeira is founder of Caldeira Quality, specializing in First Time Quality construction quality programs and FTQ360 performance management software. He can be reached at www.FirstTimeQuality.com.