FINAL PROJECT

DIRE DAWA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTION OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT CHAIR

INTERNSHIP PROJECT AT OIKOS CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT TITLE
QUALITY CONTROL AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT OF OIKOS
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

DURATION FROM (01/02/2012-30/05/2012EC)

PRE BY: TENSAYE CHANE
ID 1002591

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DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project represents my own work which has been done
after registration for the degree of construction technology and management at dire
Dawa University, and has not been previously included in a project or dissertation
submitted to this or any other institution for a degree, diploma or other qualifications. I
have attempted to identify all the risks related to this research that may arise in
conducting this research, obtained the relevant ethical and/or safety approval (where
applicable), and acknowledged my obligations and the rights of the participants

Student name………………TENSAYE CHANE

Advisor name ………………ZEMICHAEL.T
Sign……………………………
Date ……/…..../…….

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ABSTRACT

From a theoretical standpoint, quality management and safety management

programs have similar characteristics. In construction work, a company's ability to
deliver a quality product in a safe manner is the key to business success. Overall my
research supports the use of integrated safety and quality management in construction.
However, according to my stay in OIKOS construction company primary barriers to the
success of quality management in construction projects implementation, the nature of
construction work, and the industry itself.

The Quality Management System (QMS) in construction industry refers to quality

planning, quality assurance, quality control. The main goal of construction industry is to
ensure that construction projects are successfully completed within the constraints of
best quality, stated period and at minimum possible cost. The research based on QMS
recommended that construction companies should create a flexible and conducive
organizational atmosphere which encourages the development of quality management
system in all aspects of their work. The participants of project include owner/builder,
project management consultant, contractor, various consultants and suppliers. This
paper describes the analysis of how quality control and safety management had a
tremendous effect on my stay in OIKOS Construction Company.

Quality Management System is a continuing process of improvement involving all

aspects of the business. The wider aim of the Quality Management System is to prevent
mistakes before they happen. The three phases of QMS areas Quality Planning,
Quality Control and Quality Assurance. It is a process to follow in reducing errors in
work. The keys to continuous improvement are commitment and teamwork. This
commitment must start with the chief executive officer and filter throughout the
entire organization. QMS will not work without a total commitment and involvement
from top management. Managers, in all areas of the company, must provide
employees with the proper training, tools, equipment and work place environment to
accomplish the assigned task

During this project we will see the cause and methods of maximizing quality control and
safety management on OIKOS construction company

ACKNOWLEGEMENT

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The internship opportunity I had with OIKOS was a great chance for learning and
professional development. Therefore, I consider myself as a very lucky individual as I
was provided with an opportunity to be a part of it. I am also grateful for having a
chance to meet so many wonderful people and professionals who led me though this
internship period.

Bearing in mind previous I am using this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude

and special thanks to the supervisor of OIKOS Zedagim tesfaye who in spite of being
extraordinarily busy with his duties, took time out to hear, guide and keep me on the
correct path and allowing me to carry out my project at their esteemed organization and
extending during the training.

I express my deepest thanks to my advisor INS.ZEMICHAEL.T for taking part in useful

decision & giving necessary advices and guidance and arranged all facilities to make
life easier. I choose this moment to acknowledge his contribution gratefully.

I perceive as this opportunity as a big milestone in my career development. I will strive

to use gained skills and knowledge in the best possible way, and I will continue to work
on their improvement, in order to attain desired career objectives. Hope to continue
cooperation with all of you in the future,
Sincerely,

TABLE CONTENTS
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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT TITLE

QUALITY CONTROL AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT OF OIKOS

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Quality control and safety represent increasingly important concerns for project
managers.Defects or failures in constructed facilities can result in very large costs. Even
with minor defects, re-construction may be required and facility operations impaired.
Increased costs and delays are the result. In the worst case, failures may cause
personal injuries or fatalities.

Accidents during the construction process can similarly result in personal injuries and
large costs. Indirect costs of insurance, inspection and regulation are increasing rapidly
due to these increased direct costs. Good project managers try to ensure that the job is
done right the first time and that no major accidents occur on the project.
As with cost control, the most important decisions regarding the quality of a completed
facility are made during the design and planning stages rather than during construction.

It is during these preliminary stages that component configurations, material

specifications and functional performance are decided. Quality control during
construction consists largely of insuring conformance to this original design and
planning decisions.

While conformance to existing design decisions is the primary focus of quality control,
there are exceptions to this rule. First, unforeseen circumstances, incorrect design
decisions or changes desired by an owner in the facility function may require re-
evaluation of design decisions during the course of construction. While these changes
may be motivated by the concern for quality, they represent occasions for re-design with
all the attendant objectives and constraints. As a second case, some designs rely upon
informed and appropriate decision making during the construction process itself. With
the attention to conformance as the measure of quality during the construction process,
the specification of quality requirements in the design and contract documentation
becomes extremely important. Quality requirements should be clear and verifiable, so
that all parties in the project can understand the requirements for conformance. Much of

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the discussion in this chapter relates to the development and the implications of
different quality
requirements for construction as well as the issues associated with insuring
conformance.

Quality Assurance

“Quality Assurance” is a term that often is not fully understood. Indeed the concept of
quality assurance often gets confused with quality control and quality inspection.
The act of giving confidence, the state of being certain or the act of making certain.

Quality Assurance

The planned and systematic activities implemented in a quality system

so that quality requirements for a product or service will be fulfilled. Control: An
evaluation to indicate needed corrective responses; the act of guiding a process
in which variability is attributable to a constant system of chance causes.

Quality Control

The observation techniques and activities used to fulfill requirements for

quality.

.
1.1 Statement of the problem

Management of quality control and safety management, over the years, has been a
great problem to most firms in the construction industry. In construction project
operations, there is always a tendency of mismanagement of materials by construction
firms. As the size of the contract increases, however so do the scale of activities
concerning materials management

During the occurrence of a high number of projects, most construction firms focus on
getting work done whiles neglecting the management of materials. The negligence of
proper materials management contributes to several negative consequences such as,
breakages of materials, dissatisfaction by client, and reduction in the productivity of
workers, materials wastage, high project cost and delay in the progress of work at hand,
which affects the maximization of limited resources. Most construction firms have given
little priorities to the setting up of a department which oversee the management of their
materials resulting in improper materials management if there is any at all.
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Mismanagement of materials can be classified as loss since it has adverse effects on

construction projects. On the small sites, materials are managed by individuals with little
or no knowledge about the management of materials. It is therefore prudent for
construction firms to have a critical look on materials management, since it has a
rippling effect on construction projects.

What i have noticed in my stay at OIKOS construction is that there have been a lot of
problems happening due to the lack of quality control and safety managment thats why i
have decided to do my project paper on the subject matter.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
1.2.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES

● To identify the key causes of quality control and safety management in

construction at OIKOS construction plc.

1.2.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

1. Enhance Product Quality & Reduce Risks

2. Gain Production Efficiencies
3. Garner Customer Loyalty

1. Enhance Product Quality & Reduce Risks

the economic and reputational cost of product recalls or failures is often really high.
Manufacturers with solid and established quality programs consistently meet the
requisite product specifications, and are less likely to have quality incidents such as off-
spec batches or product recalls – reducing the level of risk for the supplier and OEM.
One of the benefits of strong quality procedures is that potential errors or issues are
identified in advance, enabling the team to address the problem and prevent the quality
issue from occurring in the first place.

2. Gain Production Efficiencies

a robust quality control and quality assurance program improves workflow, resulting in
efficiency gains along the production line as well as across the entire supply chain.
Quality programs typically track a large volume of data – often real-time – to trend key
metrics and enable operations personnel to make decisions based on accurate and
timely information. With this data, potential quality issues along the production line are
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identified and resolved promptly. Additionally, a strong quality program minimizes waste
generation, saving the time and money associated with salvaging off-spec or defective
products. These efficiency gains result in optimized operations and consistent quality –
saving significant time and money for both the manufacturer and customer.

3. Garner Customer Loyalty

a manufacturer that has a high level of production quality control and repeatability is
able to deliver consistent products to customers – becoming a trusted partner. When
products meet or exceed customer expectations, you get repeat business. Customer
loyalty and a long-term partnership benefits both the manufacturer and the customer.
The customer gains reliability within their supply chain; the manufacturer receives a
steady influx of projects and referrals and gains a more positive brand reputation – a
win-win situation for all parties.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH

This project is significant in that it may help the people engaged in the company OIKOS
construction company and how they can manage and maximize quality control of
construction materials and the safety management of their company while they
continue to provide the building and constructing of the projects they might have in the
future.

1.4 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The limitations of the study are that it has been conducted solely based on my
experience in OIKOS which might not be able to be implemented to other construction
companies due to different types of work being executed in different organizations,
Some of the drawbacks I faced while doing this study are

● First and foremost is the unwillingness to give proper data to conduct my study
from the labor workers on how they make sure the quality of materials are up to
standards
● Absence of well-organized secondary data on how much materials are been
brought in
● The lack of knowledge from the workers on site on the proper mesures to take
according to safety which lead to workers being injured and misuse of materials

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CHAPTER 2
2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 DEFINITION OF QUALITY CONTROL AND SAFETY MANAGMENT

QUALITY CONTROL
Quality control (QC) is the part of quality management that ensures products and
services comply with requirements. It is a work method that facilitates the measurement
of the quality characteristics of a unit, compares them with the established standards,
and analyses the differences between the results obtained and the desired results in
order to make decisions that will correct any differences.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Safety management is commonly understood as applying a set of principles,
frameworks, processes, and measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and other adverse
consequences that may be caused by using a service or a product.

2.2 CONSTRUCTION QUALITY CONTROL AND SAFETY

MANAGEMENT
Quality control and safety represent increasingly important concerns for project
managers. Defects or failures in constructed facilities can result in very large costs.
Even with minor defects, re-construction may be required and facility operations
impaired. Increased costs and delays are the results. In the worst case, failures may
cause personal injuries or fatalities. Accidents during the construction process can
similarly result in personal injuries and large costs. Indirect costs of insurance,
inspection, and regulation are increasing rapidly due to these increased direct costs.
Good project managers try to ensure that the job is done right the first time and that no
major accidents occur on the project.

2.3 LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL

Lack of quality in construction is manifested in poor or non-sustainable workmanship,

and unsafe structures, and in delays, cost overruns, and disputes in construction
contracts. Consultants are often appointed by a client for a partial service only during
construction.

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the failure of building structures are often due to lack of knowledge about construction
materials; improper mix proportions,; poor site supervision because of the hesitation to
use project management systems; poor Labor workmanship which is often unseen
because of the absence of essential construction trackers; fewer quality materials; lack
of technical or specialized knowledge; as well as lack of laborers.

These factors can lead to costly delays because the crew needs to redo some work
phases. Sometimes, the effect is over budget. Either way, poor-quality construction
work should be avoided. poor quality can be caused by
● Use of Low-Quality Materials
● Lack of Proper Site Supervision
● Lack of Quality System
● Poor Quality Procedures

FIG1.a concrete surface with poor quality coating that has begun to gradually
deteriorate due to low quality building materials

FIG2.a crack in the concrete foundation of a residential house due to low quality
building materials

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2.4 LACK OF SAFETY MANAGEMENT

The construction industry is considered one of the most hazardous industries in

the world. There has been an
increase in the number of buildings which is built for
commercial, residential and office purposes every year.
The construction market continues to expand due to the day-by-day increase in
need of infrastructure facilities, homes,
office spaces, etc,. The construction industry is very complex
and hence it is prone to numerous health hazards. Therefore
safety is a vital concern in the construction industry to result
in a hazardous-free environment.

FIG3.lack of safety management which lead a labour worker to work with out supportive
and protective equipment in a very risky environment which might even cost him his life

2.5 CAUSES OF POOR QUALITY MATERIALS AND POOR SAFETY

MANAGMENT ISSUSES

Construction litigation can be complex, and your chances of success when it comes to
gaining back damages will depend on the specific circumstances. It is beneficial to
understand what led to the poor quality of the construction project. The following are
some of the most common reasons why a construction project suffers from poor quality.

CAUSES OF POOR QUALITY MATERIAL

● Because it's cheaper
● Easily Available
● To shorten the time span of the project
● Lack of Awareness in the Industry
● Lack of proper training and education

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CAUSE OF POOR SAFETY MANAGMENT

● Poor handling, lifting, and carrying techniques
● Occupational Factors
● Environmental Factors
● Human Factors
● Lack of proper training and education

2.6 MANAGING AND MINIMIZING ACCIDENTS AND IMPROVING

MATERIAL QUALITY OF MATERIALS IN OIKOS

HOW TO MINMIZINE ACCIDENTS

Construction sites can be dangerous places to work.I had the advantage of seeing how
construction sites can be very dangerous not only to the people working on site but also
to the environments that the projects are being executed.at OIKOS I saw that most of
the workers had accidents and don't take the proper precautions to prevent accidents
from happening in the first place.so these are the ways to minmize the accidents that
happen

Wear PPE at All Times

It is vital that you wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times while
working on site. This is your first line of defense should you come in contact with
any hazards. For example, wearing Hi-vis, or high-visibility clothing, makes sure
that you are seen, safety boots protect your feet, and hard hats protect your skull.

Enforce Breaks
it is important to enforce breaks to protect your employees’ health and safety. Make
sure that workers take the necessary time to rest, eat, and hydrate so that they will
remain alert and focused throughout the day.

Maintain Construction Equipment

Equipment accidents on a Construction site can be severely dangerous. This is why
equipment maintenance is essential to decreasing accidents.

Train Your Team

Safety and compliance training courses should be required before employees begin
work. Conducting ongoing safety training and refresher courses can also help prevent
Construction accidents.

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How to improve material quality

Construction quality is a critical factor that directly affects the growth of any construction
business. Along with growth, it is also important for maintaining a professional
reputation and most importantly staying profitable.at OIKOS the quality of materials has
affected a few projects and these are the ways to prevent such things from happening.

Establish Standards
Given the fact that every single project is exclusive, it demands different quality
standards based on the type of construction and the contractual terms. Being able to
access and measure the real quality of work done is a positive step towards enhanced
construction quality. Hence, it is absolutely essential to set standards that are easy to
understand and are feasible.

GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT JOB

When you begin your project, make sure you have the right people boarded. Also,
assign the right people to the right jobs and ensure your team is crystal clear with your
expectations on construction quality.

CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

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3.1. DATA COLLECTION METHOD

My data collection methods involve different ways of getting the proper statistics that
will help me with a project and the title I chose like conducting interviews, having my
own observations, and reading records and documents that were kept by OIKOS which
helped me to understand more and get the facts on what they did as to improve quality
of materials and to maximize the safety of workers.

Conducting interviews
An interview is accurately defined as a formal meeting between two individuals in which
the interviewer asks the interviewee questions in order to gather information. An
interview not only collects personal information from the interviewees, but it is also a
way to acquire insights into people’s other skills.
In order to achieve a better understanding of my project i interviewed the owner of
OIKOS on what were the causes of accidents and how to prevent them from happening
in the future and also what were his ways of choosing material to improve with the
quality of the projects that were being executed .i also had the chance to speak to some
of the labour worker on what they did to keep themselves safe from accidents and how
they tasted the quality of materials they use to build which gave me a first hand insight
into how things were being done on site and what they thought should be done to help
them be safe and make high quality houses.

OBSERVATION
Here i just tried to get a better understanding of how things were being executed on a
daily basis by being present on site and get to see personally what low quality materials
cause in buildings and how important it is to have the proper safety equipment.

READING RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS

This was a bit challenging because there wasn't much of a written documents in OIKOS
but the few i found showed that there hasn't been a lot of accidents but the quality of
materials that were being brought in could have been better to improve the quality of the
work the company was doing.

CHAPTER 4

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

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4.1 CHALLENGES OR MAJOR CAUSES OF POOR QUALITY AND

SAFETY MANAGEMENT IN OIKOS

POOR QUALITY POOR SAFETY

Lack of contractor supervision Defective or Poorly Maintained

Equipment and Construction
Accidents

Lack of quality department Improper Training and Construction

Accidents

Short term objectives Poor safety management team

Poor quality procedure Lack of knowledge from workers

4.2 WHAT TO DO TO MINIMIZE LOW QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND

IMPROVE SAFETY MANAGEMENT IN OIKOS

HOW TO MINIMIZE THE USE OF LOW-QUALITY MATERIALS

➢ Use The Right Materials

➢ Have Supplier and Vendor Expectations from the Start
➢ Ensure Safety and Compliance
➢ Invest in Technology

HOW TO MINIMIZE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE LACK OF SAFETY

➢ Provide Adequate Training

➢ Take a Risk Management Approach
➢ Supervise Employees
4.3 MANAGING THE QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND SAFETY OF
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

MANAGING THE QUALITY OF MATERIALS

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Material management is the system for planning and controlling all of the efforts
necessary to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of materials are properly
specified in a timely manner, are obtained at a reasonable cost and most importantly
are available at the point of use when required and in order to do that we should use the
following methods

➢ Create an Inspection Plan

➢ Set your quality standards
➢ Make improvements
➢ Review your results

MANAGING SAFETY
All employers have a responsibility in protecting the health and safety of their staff,
regardless of their occupation or industry. For construction workers, who are exposed to
high risk environments, there are additional dangers which must be considered in order
to do that we should make sure these measure are taken

➢ Make Safety Your Top Priority

➢ Hold Everyone Accountable
➢ Reward the Good, Correct the Bad
➢ Conduct Daily Site Inspections and Safety Meetings

CHAPTER 5
5.1 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

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CONCLUSION ON QUALITY CONTROL

To conclude, project quality control is not an independent or separate process that
takes place at the end of an activity to measure the level of output quality. Rather, it is a
continuous process that starts with the project and ends with it. It is part of every project
management process from the time the project begins to the final stages in the closure
phase of the project.
Quality control centers on improving the satisfaction of the stakeholder through
continuous enhancements to processes that involve removing unnecessary operations.
Problem-solving and decision-making are under similar categories. After solving a
problem you must make meaningful decisions at the end of it all.
A strategic planning is a crucial element in every organization to anticipate and predict
the transformations in the business environment and position the organization to react.
Strategic planning helps prioritize the efforts of the company in the execution of a Total
Quality Management Approach. A best practice of bench marking must show that it has
the potential of giving good and faster results for quality project management

CONCLUSION ON SAFETY MANAGEMENT,

Finally to conclude this project the safety management system in a construction
organization is very important as this forms the basic framework on how the
organization works, maintaining safety. organization even before, accidents as such
would not have occurred in the first place. the benefits of a Safety Management System
are more important than any potential risks. A strong safety program benefits everyone,
the company, the employees, stakeholders, and regulators.

5.2 RECOMMENDATION

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RECOMMENDATION ON QUALITY CONTROL

➢ OIKOS should develop a quality control Manual of Practice to be a single point of
reference document that would provide guidance and information to workers and
the place where they get their materials
➢ OIKOS should develop a comprehensive workshop that is built off of existing
materials.
➢ OIKOS should develop a question-based evaluation tool to evaluate the
effectiveness of the materials of a Quality control program and the program as a
whole.
➢ OIKOS should develop risk-based evaluation tools

RECOMMENDATION ON SAFETY MANAGEMENT

➢ Communicating Safety Guidelines
➢ Consult your company’s guidelines for safety and training
➢ Encourage personnel to speak up if they see anything unsafe
➢ Inspect all equipment to be sure it is safe and working properly

6. REFERENCE

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⮚ Addis, D. (2005). Handling of concrete Making materials in Ethiopia

construction industry. These papers, for the Degree of Master of Science in
Civil Engineering (Construction Technology and Management)

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