WCU-Construction Quality Management COTM 5th Year 2014E.

Lecture-3
Standards in Construction sector
A standard is simply a definition of how something should be.

Standards are documents used to define acceptable conditions or behaviors and to provide a base
line for assuring that conditions or behaviors meet the acceptable criteria. In most cases, standards
define minimum criteria; excellent quality is, by definition beyond the standard level of
performance.

Standards can be written or unwritten, voluntary or mandatory. Unwritten quality standards are
generally not acceptable.

It is established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides, for common and
repeated use, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the
achievement of optimum degree of order in a given context.

It should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience and aimed at
the promotion of optimum community benefits.

Quality Standards Organizations

1. International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

2. International Electro-technical Commission (IEC)

3. American Society for Quality (ASQ)

4. American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

5. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

6. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

7. European Committee for Standardization (CEN)

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8. European Committee for Electro-technical Standardization (CENELEC)

9. American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

10. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

11. British Standards Institution (BSI)

12. Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE)

The quality and standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE) is the national standards body of Ethiopia
established in 1970.

It has undergone several restructuring programs since its establishment, and currently provides a
comprehensive range of services in the following areas:

• Ethiopian standards development

• Regulation enforcement (Compulsory product certification and legal metrology)
• Laboratory testing in the fields of mechanical, electrical, chemical and biological testing.
• Calibration of instruments in various measurement areas:
• Product inspection:
• Training on standardization, quality, testing and metrology: and
• Provision of up-to-date standards information.
QSAE, representing Ethiopia, is a member of the International Organization for standardization
(ISO), International organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and Codex Alimnetarius
Commission (CODEX). It also maintains close working relations with the international Electro-
technical Commission (IEC). It is a founding member of the African Regional Organization for
standardization (ARSO).

The general requirement of construction quality is described in the contract documents or the
construction industry has a number of standards and codes that govern the process.

This includes: -

• Contract Documents (eg. FIDIC, PPA...etc)

• Codes (eg, EBCs... etc)

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• Standards (eg. Ethiopian Standards (ES)...like ES 1177-2:2005...etc)

• Specifications (eg. BaTCODA, ASTM...etc)
• Specific site specifications...
In order to adequately carry out Quality control tasks the supervisor must be well versed and
knowledgeable in the area of construction specifications and standards knowledge base is
particularly important in understanding the specific requirements of a project as described in the
construction specifications.

The Importance of Specification

There are many design decisions, which cannot be expressed in drawn form. These must rely on
being expressed in words. There are, also, many design decisions, which would be too tedious, or
too impractical for some other reason, to be recorded in drawings.

The specification is thus created to complement the drawings so that together they convey all the
design decisions. This is why a construction specification is primarily a design document.

Specifications are
• Written descriptions of the required quality of the built product and its component products.
• A specification may also include the procedures for determining that the requirements of
the specification have been met.
• The specification links the drawings with the general conditions of contract. It
complements, without duplication, the information in the drawings or the general
conditions of contract.
• Drawings are graphic descriptions which primarily define quantity, position and sometimes
quality.
• Specifications are written descriptions, which define quality. Together they express the
designer's intentions.
The purpose of a Civil/ CoTM Engineering Specification is to tell the contractor precisely the,

• Quality and type of materials required to be incorporated in the works

• Workmanship and finish, anticipated with consideration given to practical limitations
such as tolerance, clearances, ...

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• Extent of the work to be executed

• Methods he may or may not use in order to carry out the works
• Requirements and procedures to be complied with in inspection, tests and analysis,
during manufacture and usage by the owner both on site and off site.
• Methods for testing and acceptance of final products.
• Parameters for rejection of non-conforming works etc.
• Factory tests (If necessary), protection during manufacture, transport and placing or the
like.
Specification should describe the type and quality of every product required for the project.
Specifications should describe the requirements for fabrication, erection, application, installation
and finishing.

Specifications should describe the quality of workmanship necessary for the project. This includes
all phases of creation and installation starting with manufacturing, fabrication, and application,
through installation, finishing and adjustment.

Specifications should include any necessary codes and standards applicable to the project. It should
also include descriptions and procedures for alternate materials, products or services if necessary.

The various manufacturers must meet standards like ASTM, ES, and BSI etc.

Example: Portland cement: Conform to ASTM C150, Type I or Type II, low alkali. Maximum
total alkali shall not exceed 0.6 percent.

EBCs 2 lays out some general guidelines on Quality control. The emphasis is particularly on
concrete works.

According to EBCs 2 Concrete Quality Control Comprises of

• Quality Control: Comprises a combination of actions and decisions taken in compliance

with specifications and checks to ensure that these are satisfied.
• Quality control consists of two distinct, but interconnected parts, namely production
control and compliance control.

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✓ Production Control: Comprises a combination of actions and decisions taken

during production to check the operation and to obtain a reasonable assurance that
the specifications will be satisfied.
✓ Compliance Control: Comprises a combination of actions and decisions, in
accordance with compliance rules adopted in advance, to check the compliance of
the product with the specifications.
Check List for use by Building Construction supervisors
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