When most construction quality managers hear the words “corrective action plan,” they think of a big screw up that they’ve got to fix. They also figure it’s going to cost their company money and affect their production schedule.

Well, if you’re one of those construction managers, I’m here to tell you that you’re not seeing all sides of the issue.

Here’s why.

There are lots of reasons for corrective actions and not all of them are due to nonconformances (or your fault, for that matter).

For example, changes in manufacturers’ product availability, unforeseen circumstances, and unexpected third party engineering and architectural design flaws are not nonconformances. Yet, these situations still require corrective actions.

Following good QA/QC procedures when handling these types of corrective actions can increase your profits. After all, you're more likely to get approval for extra compensation when you formally document the need for corrective actions — along with your recommendations — and have your client approve the changes.

Whether you decide to charge extra or not, you will still want to follow a formal multi-step process when corrective measures are needed.

So, just to clarify, a nonconformance only applies when you’re dealing with work you have done that is in noncompliance with project specifications or standards.

Whereas, an error or situation that has not yet created a nonconformance, but requires a change in the way your construction project proceeds will still require you to take corrective actions.

Situational Corrective Actions

Consider the following situations that demand corrective actions and therefore a corrective action plan:

Situation #1 –  Design errors and omissions – Your project's design plan calls for HVAC and plumbing to be installed in the same area.

Corrective Action – Stop work in the area. Submit recommendation to the engineer to install the plumbing line in adjacent chase.

Situation #2 – Changes in material availability – A window model is out of stock or no longer being manufactured.

Corrective Action – Recommend alternative equivalent window for customer approval.

Situation #3 – Unforeseen circumstances – A broken water main has flooded your work area.

Corrective Action – Suspend work. Rent a pump to drain water. Stabilize excavation wall. Then, resume work.

Developing your correction plan

Developing a correction plan is a multi-step process. Once you identify a problem, you’ll need to use your report to document it. If another party is responsible for defining the corrective actions, then you’ll need to submit your report to them.

For example, if the project engineer is responsible for design changes, then he or she is the responsible party and must approve the corrective actions.

It’s always a good idea to offer your suggestions. So, include them on your report as well.

Documenting Correction Actions using a Correction Report 

I recommend using a Correction Report to document the various steps for handling corrective actions. Click the link to Download a your free correction report form.

You can use the report to communicate with your customer. Then, once decisions are made, you can use the CA Report to communicate actions that your team should take. You should document all actions, creating a paper train to clarify the steps you will take and have taken.

Conclusion

The main points to keep in mind are that you always need customer approval when deciding on alternatives to the original project plan.

It's a multi-step process and unfortunately, nothing is cut and dried. You want to determine the most sensible way to handle the situation, and all situations are different.

Always keep good records.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Do you have all the construction quality control documents you need to keep good records?

Record-keeping is an important part of your quality control plan. As part of our comprehensive quality plan package, you'll get over 100 construction quality assurance and quality control documents including standard operating procedures, templates, reports, and forms. Click this link: to download a construction quality control documents sample.

About the Author - Ed Caldeira is founder of First Time Quality, LLC, specializing in submittal-ready commercial/industrial construction QA/QC plan templates and custom quality plans as well as construction quality inspection and punchlist software.