Sociology Assignment: Work Activities in the Construction Industry

This sociology assignment explores various aspects of work within the construction industry. It covers identifying different types of work, assessing resources using available information, and preparing work programs, including the required information and different methods. The assignment also delves into methods for evaluating work activities against project requirements, such as contract conditions and health and safety standards, and evaluating the impact of external factors on project progress. Furthermore, it examines how work activities influence each other, the sequencing and duration of activities, and the concepts of zero and low carbon requirements. The assignment also addresses how work activities and resource use can impact carbon requirements and contribute to environmental sustainability, along with identifying alterations to work programs to meet changing circumstances and assessing the resulting contractual effects. Finally, it discusses methods for justifying decisions to stakeholders regarding alterations to the work program.

Running head - SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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1.3 Explain the types of work relative to the occupational work area and how to identify
different work activities.
Answer – As working in the construction industry, there would be wide range of work which
would be required to be done by the employee. There varieties of work that could be done by
the employee in the sector are housing construction, roads construction, bridges construction,
water resources which includes construction of cannels and dams, environmental
constructions and geotechnical which includes work like soil stabilization and upgrading soil
quality for construction. For the identification of the various work activities, the employee
would be needing particular plans and descriptions of the work, along with specifications,
program of the work, and scheduling and cost.
1.4 Explain methods of assessing the resources needed from a range of available
information.
Answer – For the required work, various methods would be required for assessing the
resources, availing from the available information. Resource plan would be needed, which
would be identifying all the needed information for completing the project. Certain resources
would be including resources like list of equipment, materials and labors. Project schedule is
needed to be developed for distributing the resources for completing the work. Other
necessary kind of resources would be business cases, terms of the references and project plan.
The following project plan could be done in programs like Microsoft Project, where proper
distribution of the work would be shown.
1.5 Explain the required information and the different methods used to prepare a work
programme relative to the occupational area.
Answer – The required information which would be needed for preparing a work programme
would be the list of the resources, the number of activities needed to complete the

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programme, the process of executing those output work programme, the list of output
activities and the final output project plans listing the process and scheduling of the
deliveries. The different methods of completing the work programme would be mapping the
plan of the construction, scheduling the budget and planning accordingly to the client and
prepare the plan in Microsoft Project.
2.2 Explain the different sources and methods that can be used to obtain clarification
and advice when the required resources are not available.
Answer – In the time when set resources of the construction is not available for provide g
validate information for completing the construction, resources management plan could be
used for providing the needed information. In this method, it would be possible for ensuring
the availability of alternate resources, which would be needed for completing the work. It
would be helping in optimizing the time and cost of the project. Other resources of
information would be getting information from the project manager, from the owner or
gathering information from similar kind of plans.
3.2 Explain different methods of evaluating work activities against the following project
requirements: -contract conditions -contract programme -health and safety
requirements of operatives.
Answer – For evaluating the working activities of contract conditions, certain methods are
used for evaluating the general condition of the contract. The methods which are used for the
evaluation are conciseness, clarity, consistency in both external and internal condition,
completeness and effects of cost and quality.
For evaluating a contract programme, certain planning and methods are to be done.
Methods like evaluating the objectives of the programme, determining the available

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resources, and considering the timeline for completing the evaluation. These methods would
be applicable to the contract programme in construction work.
After the establishment of safety and health programs, evaluation is needed to be
made. Therefore, the methods for making those evaluation are establishment of reports
discussing the plan, evaluating program periodically, and providing various ways for the
workers for participating in evaluation program.
3.3 Evaluate the requirements of significant external factors that could affect the
progress of work, in relation to: – other related programmes – special working conditions –
weather conditions – other occupations/people – resources – health and safety
requirements.
Answer – In construction projects, evaluation of certain requirements of some external
factors are needed for proper distribution of the work. Other related programme like time
frame performance could be affecting the overall improvement of the project, therefore, it is
needed to be evaluated. Special working condition could affect the labor working in the
project, where they are not accustomed of working. It is to be viewed that the labors are well
trained. Weather condition is one of the important factor; as under improper weather
condition, health issues could arise. Other occupations could have minor effect on the overall
project, although evaluation would be needed. Resources, are some of the important pillars of
the project of construction, therefore, correct requirements are needed to be taken care of for
proper evaluation. Health and safety would be responsible for taking notes of safety factors
and health parameters of the workers. This would be evaluated dependable over the
requirement of the project.
4.3 Explain different methods and sources that can identify which work activities
influence each other.

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Answer – There are certain in the construction industry which would be affecting one
activity over another in construction industry and projects. Resources like labor, equipment
and materials are interdependent on one another in a project. As without proper material work
at the site cannot be progressed, similarly, with proper labor working and equipment, those
material cannot be processed and worked out.
4.4 Describe how to determine the sequence of work activities and how long each work
activity will take.
Answer – Certain traits are needed to be determined for setting the sequence of work in the
project site of work. The whole construction planning is made based on two orientation,
namely cost oriented and schedule oriented. In the cost oriented, tasks are divided for setting
the different tasks based on their costs. Scheduling oriented in divided in two types, time and
resources, where task is separated on the basis of these two groups.
The estimated time of each activity depends on the intensity of the work and the
labors. The more the labor, the less time would be required for completing the work.
4.5 Describe what zero and low carbon requirements are.
Answer – Zero carbon requirements is considered to be the aero carbon policy where the
zero carbon hierarchy is followed for the construction process. There are some core
requirements in the zero carbon requirements. Those are – monitoring the performance of the
fabric must fit in the definition made by fabric energy efficiency standards, the CO2 emission
after considering the heating, ventilation and cooling factor must be less than the carbon
compliance limit established within the zero carbon policy.
Low carbon requirements are made in buildings which are specially designed for
building that would release low or zero carbon emission during its life time. It is would
highly be carbon insufficient and make less harm to the environment.

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4.6 Explain how work activities and different ways of using resources can impact on
zero and low carbon requirements, and make a positive contribution to the
environment.
Answer – Building work with improper materials can effect on the zero carbon and low
carbon requirements. There are some specific materials which are used by builders for
following the zero carbon policy. For having carbon emission to the minimum, materials like
blended cements, stabilized mud blocks and compacted fly ask blocks are used by builders
for contributing to the policy. Any flaws in these materials could impact the zero and low
carbon requirements. However, if the regular materials are modified and monitored according
to the constants made by fabric energy efficiency standards, positive impact could be made in
the environment.
5.3 Explain how to identify possible alterations to the work programme to meet changed
circumstances relating to action lists, method statements, duration, schedules and/ or
occupation specific requirements.
Answer – For identifying possible alternations in the work program made under the
construction plan, certain steps are needed to be followed. These changes would be meeting
the requirements like action list, method statement and duration of the work, influencing the
schedule of the work. The overall programme made by the client could be one of the possible
alternation if the requirements of the client changes according to the activities, which
eventually would be leading up to appointment for consultants, and working outside. Another
possible identification could be made by the design programme. Each consultant m akes
certain assumptions of completing the project, which could be shown in a gantt charts. This
would be altering the action plan of the program, and changing the method statement also.

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5.4 Explain how to assess contractual/ work effects resulting from alterations to the
work programme.
Answer – In the construction there are many contractual issues already existing with the pre
exiting work programme. In such a place, using the alternation of the work programme could
invite unwanted risks. Risks like financial crisis, human risk, healthcare risks, physical risk
and legal risk and investment risk could rise. In such case crucial risk management or
contractual management plans would be needed for copping up with those issues. Therefore,
contractual issues are needed to be evaluated and resolved for proper working of the project
of construction. Clarity of the contract would be one of the important for the managers to
resolve. Clarity of the contract would be helping in understanding the terms and conditions of
the work. Other management areas would be level of involvement, lack of flexibility and
limited techlogical resources.
5.5 Explain the methods used to justify to decision makers on the effects resulting from
alterations to the work programme.
Answer – Justification is needed to be made by the managers for using the alternation work
in the construction work. The methods for providing a proper justification of the alternation
programme would be with proper analysis of the alternative analysis – which would include
the methods and equipment needed for working on the plan, explanation of existing work
programme and how it would not be beneficial for not implying it and the features which
would be added by the alternation of the work programme which was missing in the old plan.
The managers would be needed to provide proper justification of how it would be effecting
the costs and investments of the programme.