Who Else Working With The Civil Teams?

I would like to discuss the above matter because of certain criteria that sometimes overlooked, mis-informed or confused by other people on who actual worked in construction project besides the civil engineers and the team. Often times that people will normally deal with them without knowing others and also seeing them in control of almost everything in construction works.

In this case, it is not true as they have to collaborate to other professionals which considered as one of the ‘family’ in that particular project. In terms of project coordination…it is so…as construction works involved largely of civil part. In any construction project, either as consultant or contractor they will need all the help they can get to complete the job without any circumstances.

Architect

Job Description:
Normally they are among the first people clients seek for any future developments. An architect sometimes called the modern Da Vinci in our time as they design things (mostly structures) through art with respect to science and engineering. Nowadays, it is not about the functionally or purposes of the structures concerns but more on artistry perspective. Besides working on new buildings design, they will look into an area planning developments with series of building, modification design upon existing buildings, give advice on the establishment and preservation of old properties, and beautification of surrounding landscapes.

Scope of Works:

• Preparation and presentation of design proposals to the client;
• Advising the client on the practicality of their project and collaborate with the civil engineers if any problems shall arise;
• Close observant between architectural drawing and structural drawing produced by civil designer, and tried to keep up with the concept. Examples: At some point the architect concept couldn’t be done due to structural aspect;
• Also consulting with other professionals about the design of an environment;
• Solving problems that might occur during construction period together with others and carrying out defect inspections;
• Making site visits to check on progress and ensuring that the project is running within the agreed time-frame.

Electrical Engineer

Job Description:
If it is involving electrical matters or stuff, they are the one for the specialist job. You don’t want to mess around with it! The electrical engineers will design, develop and maintain electrical systems following strictly the required specifications, in-use-safety, reliability, quality, sustainability, and economy friendly. They are involved in almost all civil engineering projects from the concept and detail of electrical design through to implementation, testing, handover, and during maintenance.

Scope of Works:

• To identify, disable and relocate any existing electrical lines or cables before any civil work starts like excavation, renovation or demolition works;
• Working on installation and testing as comply to British (BS), European (EN) and other standards;
• Liaising with civil, mechanical engineers in the design team before any installation or changes could be made;
• Reading the technical drawings and design specifications;
• Proposing modifications and re-testing products, as well as servicing and maintaining equipment.

Mechanical Engineer

Job Description:
This engineers use their engineering principles to provide efficient solutions to the development of processes and products, ranging from small component designs to extremely large plant, machinery or vehicles. Most industries rely fully on mechanical systems and mechanical engineering is thought to be one of the most diverse of all engineering disciplines; from research and development to design and manufacture of products, and through to installation and final commissioning of plant; power plant, chemical plant, water treatment plant, hydro plant, and so forth.

Scope of Works:

• Designing and implementing cost-effective equipment modifications to help improve safety, reliability and throughput;
• Discussing and solving complex problems with manufacturing departments, sub-contractors, suppliers and customers;
• To ensure a product can be made reliably and would perform consistently in specified operating environments;
• Producing details of specifications and outline designs as well as considering the implications of issues such as cost, safety and time constraints;
• Work together with other professionals in relevant engineering specialism, and whereby monitoring, testing and commissioning plant and systems.

Chemical Engineer

Job Description:
Now this is the group that we have less change to work with and seldom meet in construction and they only take part if any project involve chemicals such as chemical plant or natural gas industries. They use the theoretical and laws of chemistry to develop industrial chemical processes and often build on the findings of research chemists, who worked with small amount of materials in the laboratory. They must also consider the effect of a plant or process on the environment whereby building a plant that will release deadly fumes into the air, polluting rivers and lakes, and harming the wildlife.

Scope of Works:

• Determine the most effective and efficient arrangement of operations, such as mixing, crushing, heat transfer, distillation, and drying.
• Developing an effective safety rules to be employed by workers while operating equipment or working in close proximity to on-going chemical reactions.
• Performing laboratory studies of steps in manufacture of new product and test proposed process in small-scale operation (pilot plant).
• Direct activities upon workers who operate or engaged in constructing and improving absorption, evaporation, or electromagnetic equipment.
• Perform tests throughout stages of production to determine degree of control over variables, including temperature, density, specific gravity, and pressure.

Quantity Surveyor

Job Description:
A quantity surveyor manages all costs related to building projects, from the initial calculations to the final figures as a whole. Surveyors seek to minimize the costs of a project and enhance value in financial, while able to achieve the required standards and quality. Furthermore, they have to prepare contracts for construction projects by stating clearly the terms and conditions, studying and understand the contracts offered to us.

Scope of Works:

• Estimation of costs on a wide variety of new building projects and structures, such as residential, commercial and industrial developments, infrastructures and utilities, roads and bridges, and so on;
• Preparing and analyzing costing for tender and contract documents, including bills of quantities;
• Performing risk and value management, and cost control, plus undertaking costs analysis for defects and maintenance works;
• Evaluating completed work, arranging payments, and writing detailed progress reports;
• Assisting in establishing a client’s requirements and undertaking feasibility studies;
• Understanding the implications of safety and health regulations.

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Surveyor

Job Description:
Personal view; besides the quantity surveyor, this are the small group of workforce that involved directly with any construction project. In fact, they are among the first team to undergo an early investigation of the project site. Surveyors do different types of work such as measuring land, air space, and water areas. They will describe where a certain area of land is, what the structure looks like, and also measure the whole construction, mineral and dump sites.

I believe they have an enormous scope of works at hand, and must be physically fit to perform the hot-and-sunny job at site. Surveyors should be able to see objects, distances, sizes, and other forms in their minds. Their work has to be accurate all the time, because any significant error could cost a lot of money. Examples; Setting of road or runway alignments, bridge piers, piling points and foundation, embankment and pavement of road, and so on.

Scope of Works:

• Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites;
• Direct or conduct surveys in order to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles;
• Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features;
• Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain;
• Prepare or supervise preparation of all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys;
• Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS);
• Locate and mark sites selected for geophysical prospecting activities, such as efforts to locate petroleum or other mineral products;
• Survey bodies of water in order to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures.

Geologist

Job Description:
Geologists are scientists who study the Earth’s crust to obtain an accurate picture of its structure (strata), history, and chemical composition. Their findings are used in construction, in planning environmental protection measures, and in exploring for sources of coal, metals, petroleum, and natural gas. They applied geological knowledge to engineering problems encountered in construction projects, such as bridges, dams, ports, tunnels, and large buildings.

Scope of Works:

• Consulting geological maps and aerial photographs to recommend on site selection;
• Undertaking desk studies and assessing sources of site information prior to field investigations;
• Assisting with the design of built structures and assessing findings for construction engineers;
• Site-based activities, including planning detailed field investigations by drilling and analyzing samples of deposits/bedrock, analyzing slopes of hilly area, and etc.;
• Advising on and testing a range of construction materials, such as sand, gravel, bricks and clay;
• Collaboration with engineering geologists, geotechnical engineers, consultants and contractors.

Safety and Health Officer

Job Description:
At any construction site they are the enforcer of laws of safety and health regulation. This officers are responsible for the safety of every personals involved in construction at site. At the same time to make practice of healthy workplace in every corner of project site.

Scope of Works:

• Carrying out routine or unplanned visits and inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and taking action to improve conditions;
• Investigating accidents at workplace, and complaints about poor standards of health and safety, as well as identifying areas of negligence;
• Investigating outbreaks of infectious disease, and preventing it spreading any further;
• Advising on health and safety issues in relation to new buildings and developments;
• Arranging for removal of abandoned vehicles and refuge;
• Provide training workshops or seminars to every workers to follow strict guidelines as well as enforcing them to make full use of the provided safety equipment.

Workshop Mechanics

Job Description:
We are nothing without machinery and wouldn’t be able to complete any project without it as we are not as tough as those guys who build the pyramids of Giza before. Agreed? They are the one whose managing and maintaining the functionally of both petrol and diesel machinery.

Scope of Works:

• To make sure the machinery has an adequate fuel consumption while on operation hours;
• To run regular maintenance schedule and have enough supplies of machinery parts;
• Always in standby if any machinery shall breakdown during operation.

I hope this covers the personals whose directly working with the civil engineering team, but if you want to add some valuable information please do so via comment. Cheers…

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