Material management on Site

Posted By: Fundi Mfalme on 17th of October 2012

Continuing from our previous discussion, construction being a worthwhile investment, it is also perceived to be too costly and complicated for many people. This being the case, many thus opt to have the whole process delegated to contractors even for even small projects. Many a times the clients then see the cost of construction going way above the estimated costs and most of this projects end up stalling. Another unfortunate occurrence is the said contractors going for short cuts and undercutting the client by using low quantities of materials. This has the worst effect to the overall project as most structures will then be constructed poorly both aesthetically and structurally. Good project management in construction must vigorously pursue the efficient utilization of labor, material and equipment. Improvement of labor productivity should be a major and continual concern of those who are responsible for cost control of constructed facilities. Material handling, which includes procurement, inventory, shop fabrication and field servicing, requires special attention for cost reduction The challenge here therefore becomes getting the right work done at the right costs. Do not get me wrong, at times the estimates done might be higher or lower than the actual costs, but once you have the estimate it is a question of having the work done within that estimate. The lead role for optimizing quality and maintaining cost is the Clerk of Works on site who shall report directly to the Architect or the client. To achieve great results, the material, labor and equipment management must be above average and effective. This week we shall focus in material management on site. COMPONENTS OF MATERIAL MANAGEMENT ARE *Material estimation, budgeting, planning and programming *Scheduling, purchasing and procurement *Receiving and inspection *Inventory control, storage and warehousing *Material handling and transport *Waste management OBJECTIVES OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT *Efficient materials planning *Buying or Purchasing *Procuring and receiving *Storing and inventory control *Supply and distribution of materials *Quality assurance *Good supplier and customer relationship *Improved departmental efficiency TIPS ON MATERIAL MANAGEMENT Order the amount/quantity of materials you need as accurately as possible; It is the responsibility of the C.o.W to inspect all materials delivered to the site prior to their being used in the work. It is desirable to perform inspection of materials or fabricated products prior to their delivery at site. E.g.: precast members. The C.o.W shall have rights to reject faulty material and have it removed from site. With respect to manufactured goods, the quality requirements should be specified in the purchase order. Ensure that deliveries are rejected if damaged or incomplete. Make sure storage areas are safe, secure and weatherproof (where required). The storage should also be done following the specifications of the manufacturer. Liquids should be stored away from drains, burns and in bundled areas to prevent pollution There should be an effective material usage flow from issuing of bids/tenders, awarding the supply contract, purchase delivery and consumption. This should avoid any lags in materials and should be well coordinated with the schedule of works for the overall project. As stated earlier a ‘just in time’ delivery should be optimized. It does not make sense to order cement on site while the foundations have not yet been dug nor the site cleared. It will also be cost effective to order in bulk and if you anticipate a price fluctuation, make the payment of the materials but do not ask for its delivery In conclusion, there should be a centralized material management team co-ordination between the site and the organization/client. Proper control, tracking and monitoring of the system is required. Awareness and accountability should also be created within the site. Projects employing proper material management system are seen to have increased their overall efficiency by 35%. For any querries and more insights, visit www.fundimjanja.com