Construction Industry: Developments, Contracts, and Safety

This document provides an overview of the construction industry, including developments, types of contracts, and health & safety practices. It discusses the roles of different construction companies and the impact of legislation on the industry. The document also highlights the importance of communication and collaboration in ensuring safety practices.

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CIVIL ENGINEERING
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
Location
Date

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TASK 1
a) Developments within the construction industry
The initial buildings were shelters and huts which were constructed by use of simple tools. As
cities came into existence during the Bronze Age, a class of professionals such as carpenters,
bricklayers, and other artisans appeared.1 Currently, the construction industry requires many
professionals for the construction projects to be completed on time, and within the specified
budget. Some of the professionals who are required in the modern construction industry include;
technical people such as engineers, technicians, architects and interior designers. Other
professionals include construction managers and quantity surveyors.
b) Linkage and Scope between parties in a construction organization
In any construction organization, many parties are involved in the overall delivery of
construction projects. The parties can be from the public or the private sector.2 Some of the main
parties in the construction organization are as shown in the chart below.
1S. Foxell, Professionalism for the Built Environment, CRC Press, London, 2015, P.23.
2M. Graham, Managing Construction Projects, John Wiley & Sons, Berlin, 2011, P.184.

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Fig 1: construction organization structure
The scope to which the various parties in the construction organization link to each other depend
on the relationship of their responsibilities. For instance, the project manager is directly linked to
the general manager who is directly linked to the directors.3
c) Types contracts
The type of contracts which are tendered by the contractors include;
 Item rate contract or unit rice contract
 Lump sum contract4
3 R. Gameson, Construction Conflict Management, and Resolution, Routledge, Texas, 2017,
P.239.
4B. Greenhalgh, Practice Management for Land, Construction and Property Professionals,
Taylor & Francis, London, 2010, P.118

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 Lump sum and the scheduled contract
 Percentage rate contract
 Special contracts
For this given scenario the best tender is the special contract, which will lead to the usage of
package contract whereby the contractor will undertake the full responsibility to finance, design,
specify and construct the entire project.
d) Developments of the construction companies employees, the contracted works and
structures.
The organization structure of a construction company refers to the arrangement of job roles,
reporting and the operational relationships between and within these roles. The construction
industry involves many employees such as; Architects who are involved in the design of the
building and the overall project., engineers, contractors, subcontractors who work together to
achieve the need of the client.5 Usually, the employees are brought together for a specific
construction project, and they are later disbanded once the projects are completed.
e) How construction companies have established their business ethos and structure.
The broadband, web and the software-as-a-service (SaaS) have greatly assisted in changing
the perception regarding technology and information management. The mobility of
technology has been a great factor since the advent of smartphones. The Building
Information Modelling has, of course, been an increasingly dominant theme over the past
decades and the same is set to continue. The social media has in a way started to challenge
the existing models of communication, and due to that, the various construction companies
have to become aware of the owner of data.
5P. Bentel, Modernism and Professionalism in American Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Texas, 2014, P.32.

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The future shape of the construction companies is likely to be affected by social, political and
economic factors. Globalization, population growth, carbon and the scarcity of resources will
have an increasingly significant and direct impact on the industry structure. Foe the scenario
given the various professionals who will be involved in the delivery of the project will be able to
work as a team under one platform of Building Information Modeling (BIM).6
TASK 2
a) Types of construction companies
There are different types of construction companies which exist in the current market. Their
classification depends on the job which they perform.
i) Small renovation contractors
This type of construction companies are usually involved in the alterations of projects or small
commercial and office projects. Majority of the small renovation contractors have their offices
within their homes.7
ii) General contractors
These construction companies are usually experts in new buildings or the renovation of the
existing projects.
iii) Owner-Builder
These kind of construction companies are companies which are involved in the construction
of their projects. The projects can be for their se or sell once completed.
iv) Real Estate Developers
6A. Ashworth, Willis's Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, John Wiley & Sons,
Sydney, 2012, P.65.
7K. Jensen, Professional Learning in the Knowledge Society, Springer Science & Business
Media, London, 2012, P.832.

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This is a type of the owner-builder construction company whereby they construct buildings
and other projects to sell on completion.
v) Professional construction manager companies
This type of Construction Company refers to the company of an individual or a group of
individuals who usually perform the functions required. This companies usually supply all
the personnel required for the project to be executed.
vi) Package Builders
These companies are known to make contacts for both the design and construction of a
project.
vii) Sponsor-builder construction company
This company usually carries out its activities in the government or the subsidized buildings
mostly in the field of the housing whereby, a sponsor-builder may be given the role of
planning, designing, building, management, and maintenance.
For the scenario provided the best construction company is the sponsor-builder construction
company since the magnitude of the project required to be carried out is very big.
b) Relationship between the construction companies
Some of the relationships that will exist within those companies include;
 Contractor-supplier relationship
 Main contractor-subcontractor relationship
 Contractor- client relationship
 Supplier – client relationship
c) Link which links construction companies

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Construction companies involved in the execution of the projects are usually connected by the
deliverables which need to be delivered before the entire project is completed. The construction
manager is the main link for all the construction companies since he controls all the sections
within the site of the project.
d) Factor which distinguish between construction company tenders and contracts
Tender means an invitation to trade under the terms on offer. The contract refers to any
agreement entered into between the contractor and another party either the client or the
subcontractors
TASK 3
a) Construction processes
The process which is followed in the construction of any project is as follows;
1. The selection of the construction site
For the current scenario, this has responded to sustainability since the site selected is away from
the river and other natural resources.8
2. Designing the project
In the given scenario the project will be designed in a way which will in cooperate with various
measures which will ensure that the project will not lead to the pollution of the environment.
3. Expertise and project approval
4. Construction process
5. The commissioning of the project
b) contract planning techniques
8 R. Scherer, Modern Methods of Construction: Views from the Industry, Modern Methods of
Construction: Views from the Industry, Chicago, 2014, P.245

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Planning Techniques Available
1. Gantt or bar charts
This refers to the horizontal bar chart which is created as a production control. The Gantt chart
gives a graphical illustration of the schedule which assists in planning, coordinating and tracking
of specific tasks9.
2. The line of balance charts
This refers to a technique of showing the repetitive work which may be available in a project as a
single line on a graph. This usually creates easier cost and time optimization analysis because all
the information is available for all the activities of the project.10
3. Critical path techniques
This technique is used to determine the duration of the project. Through the use of the
sequence of scheduled activities
4. network analysis Precedence diagrams
For the given scenario the most appropriate technique is the Line of balance charts since it
creates easier cost and time optimization analysis because all the information is available for
all the activities of the project.
c) BIM impacts upon operations and construction companies in the current scenario
In the current scenario, Building Information Modelling (BIM) will be having a great impact on
the design of the project since the project is very massive. The design team will have an
opportunity to design as a team on the BIM platform.
d) how construction has developed
9W. Rogers, The Professional Practice of Landscape Architecture: A Complete Guide to Starting and
Running Your Own Firm, John Wiley & Sons,London,2010, p.372
10G. Gudni, Modern Stone Cladding, ASTM International, Kiev, 2011, P.155.

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The construction industry has developed in terms of innovation and design, in that there are latest
developments in the construction materials used, the use of modern construction techniques;
there has been a lot of improvements in the design procedures, structural analysis. BIM has
played a very great role in facility management, service management and management studies on
overall. For the current scenario, BIM will be of great help as the project management is
concerned.
TASK 4
a) Health & safety in construction
Majority of the workers who take part in the construction process are exposed to various hazards
such as the occupational diseases and injuries resulting from the accidents which occur. The
machines and other complex construction machinery pose a danger to the operators11. Due to that
various health and safety measures have been integrated into the construction process such as
carrying out site layout and planning to ensure that all the hazards in the site are identified and
carefully taken care of. The workers and professionals who are engaged in the construction
industry are encouraged to wear personal protective clothing such as helmets, goggles, gumboots
to protect them from physical injuries12. First aid kits and accident reporting mechanisms have
been put in place in the construction process, Safety and health warning signs also are put in
place to warn the workers on site. Finally, Health and safety risk assessment is always carried out
to assess the dangers likely to be encountered on site.13
b) Government legislation
11G. Stukhart, Construction Materials Management, Taylor & Francis, Chicago, P.61.
12U. Rembold, Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology, Elsevier, Texas,
2014, P.21.
13A. Deplazes, Constructing Architecture: Materials, Processes, Structures, Springer Science &
Business Media, Paris, 2016, P.442.

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The principal piece of legislation affecting construction is also one which applies to the industry
as a whole. The Health and Safety at Work, Act 1974 (HSWA)
c) The role of communication and collaboration in ensuring safety practices
Through the collaboration and communication in the construction industry, various parties who
are involved in the construction process can be able to highlight the risks and the hazards either
verbally or through writing to remind and warn each other. For the provided scenario
collaboration and communication will be of great importance if the risks and hazards associated
with the given site can be included in the design documents, tender documents and drawings in
order which will be passed down to the construction team to alert and war5n them of the existing
risks and hazards.14
d) Benefits of health & safety legislation
The construction industry has greatly benefited from the health & safety legislation in that it has
been able to have;
i) Safer job sites
With the existence of health and safety legislation, many accidents are prevented. Through the
commitment to the safety and health culture which in most cases starts from the top management
and flows to the frontline workers, these usually include the safety training and the mandate of
the use of personal protective equipment15.
ii) Little or no project disruption
With the existence of the health and safety legislation, many construction companies can
complete the projects within the given time frame since there is no any form of disruption to the
14Y. Rubinstein, Modern simulation and modeling, Wiley, Kiev, 2018, P.92.
15A. Phillips, Development without Aid: The Decline of Development Aid and the Rise of the
Diaspora, Anthem Press, Berlin, 2013, P.23.

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projects. Most workers and other professional in the project delivery team feel motivated where
their health and safety have been taken into consideration.
iii) Retain their staffs
The health and safety legislation has made the majority of the staff who are working in different
construction companies to remain there since their safety and health is catered for.
iv) Great reputation
The reputation of the construction industry as a whole has improved in the recent past since the
introduction of the health and safety legislation
e) Effects of health and safety legislation in construction
The concept of health and safety in construction is being driven with the main aim of achieving a
construction environment in which all the involved parties enjoy protection from diseases or any
form of injuries.
Advantages of health and safety legislation within the construction industry
 Greater efficiency
 Improved staff morale
 Low costs of insurance
 Less cost of production
 Compliance with the law
 Low staff turnover16
Limitation of health and safety legislation within the construction industry
 Lack of safety awareness and concern is also a problem affecting the overall
performance.
16G. Silvius, Sustainability in Project Management, Gower Publishing, Ltd., London, 2016,
P.217.

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Bibliography
Ashworth, A. , Willis's Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, John Wiley & Sons,
Sydney, 2012, P.65.
Bentel, P., Modernism and Professionalism in American Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Texas, 2014, P.32.
Deplazes, A., Constructing Architecture: Materials, Processes, Structures, Springer Science &
Business Media, Paris, 2016, P.442.
Foxell, S. Professionalism for the Built Environment, CRC Press, London, 2015, P.23.
Gameson, R. Construction Conflict Management, and Resolution, Routledge, Texas, 2017,
P.239.
Graham, M., Managing Construction Projects, John Wiley & Sons, Berlin, 2011, P.184.
Greenhalgh, B., Practice Management for Land, Construction and Property Professionals,
Taylor & Francis, London, 2010, P.118.
Gudni, G., Modern Stone Cladding, ASTM International, Kiev, 2011, P.155.

13
Jensen, K., Professional Learning in the Knowledge Society, Springer Science & Business
Media, London, 2012, P.832.
Phillips, A. , Development without Aid: The Decline of Development Aid and the Rise of the
Diaspora, Anthem Press, Berlin, 2013, P.23.
Rembold, U., Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology, Elsevier, Texas,
2014, P.21.
Rogers, W. the Professional Practice of Landscape Architecture: A Complete Guide to Starting
and Running Your Own Firm, John Wiley & Sons, London, 2010, p.372
Rubinstein, Y., Modern simulation and modeling, Wiley, Kiev, 2018, P.92.
Scherer, R., Modern Methods of Construction: Views from the Industry, Modern Methods of
Construction: Views from the Industry, Chicago, 2014, P.245
Silvius, G., Sustainability in Project Management, Gower Publishing, Ltd., London, 2016,
P.217.
Stukhart, G. Construction Materials Management, Taylor & Francis, Chicago, P.61.