lab tests, and observations. It is very important that the contractor be able to document and report satisfactory compliance because only after the standards have been met will the owner accept the work and release payment.
Managing Project Safety
The ability to do work on a construction site is directly related to safe surroundings. Every construction manager is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe working environment. This function cannot be taken lightly. People get hurt and can even lose their lives on construction projects. This function, by necessity, must be a priority on every project regardless of size. The personal and economic costs associated with accidents, injuries, and deaths on the job site are clearly avoidable, and a proactive, rigorous approach to safety planning and management is one of the most important construction management goals.
Assessing Project Risks
Construction is a very risky business, for both the owner and the contractor. Part of the challenge is trying to place the risk in the hands of the party who can best manage that risk (see Table 2.1). That's why an owner hires a contractor to begin with—to shift the risks for the construction cost, time, quality, and safety to someone trained to manage them. Once the risks are identified, understood, and analyzed, proper allocations can be made for reasonable schedules, estimates, and management plans.
Table 2.1 Risks Allocation Table
| Type of Risk | Responsible Party | ||
| Contractor | Owner | Designer | |
| Site conditions | X | ||
| Weather conditions | X | ||
| Project funding | X | ||
| Subcontractor failure | X | ||
| Job site safety | X | ||
| Material deliveries | X | ||
| Quality of the work | X | X | |
| Delays in the work | X | X | |
| Defective design | X | ||
| Defective work | X | ||
| Code compliance | X | X | |
| Estimate errors | X | ||
| Labor strikes | X | ||
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Although it is very important for a construction manager to be trained in all the functions listed earlier, the two most important skills needed to succeed in construction management are decision making and problem solving. I'm sure you have determined by now that construction is not an industry for the weak of heart. The stakes are enormously high on every project, and the environment is very unpredictable.
Throughout this book, I will provide “Real World Scenario” sidebars to give you a little taste of the decision making and problem solving that relate to the various functions. What I want you to understand is that the solutions to many construction issues cannot be found in a book or relayed in a seminar—they are discovered by using critical and creative thinking skills and by being very resourceful.
Although being skilled in estimating, scheduling, or project administration will provide you with the tools to evaluate and assess situations, it will be your ability to think on your feet, make tough decisions, and find solutions that may never have been tested before that will actually carry the day.
What It Takes to Be a Construction Manager
By this time, you are probably in one of three places. You are very excited about what you have learned so far, you are not quite sure what to make of this thing called construction management, or you are wondering who in their right mind would ever get themselves involved in such a business! So before I take you any further, maybe this would be a good time to discuss exactly what it takes to be a construction manager.
General Requirements
The Bureau of Labor Statistics presents the following character synopsis in its Occupational Outlook Handbook when describing the necessary attributes of the construction manager:
Construction managers should be flexible and work effectively in a fast-paced environment. They should be decisive and work well under pressure, particularly when faced with unexpected occurrences or delays. The ability to coordinate several major activities at once, while analyzing and resolving specific problems, is essential, as is an understanding of engineering, architectural, and other construction drawings. Good oral and written communication skills also are important, as are leadership skills. Managers must be able to establish a good working relationship with many different people, including owners, other managers, designers, supervisors, and craft workers.
Although this profile pretty much hits the nail on the head, so to speak, I would have to add a few more attributes to the list. I have found most construction managers to have a strong work ethic and an enthusiastic and highly motivated nature. They are tenacious and very results oriented. And, above all else, they are noted for being risk takers.
It is also very important for the construction manager to actually know something about building. It is much easier to manage a process when you have an appreciation for what it actually takes to get the work done, and believe me, you will have a greater appreciation for it after you dig a couple of ditches and manhandle some 90-pound sacks of mortar all day long. The best way to get this experience is simply to go out there and do the job.
Most companies look for individuals with both industry work experience and formal training or education in construction management. Therefore, it is not uncommon for construction management programs to require (or highly recommend) summer jobs
