Self Perform Oversight and Coordination

Objective

Create expectations for superintendents when scheduling and overseeing tasks utilizing Koester self-perform labor.

Background

Utilizing self-perform labor can often be a last-minute decision, but more often than not can and should be planned in advance. This is an often-overlooked task for superintendents. Once on site, managing self-perform labor is also often overlooked. The goal of this document is to help create efficient use of time and resources needed to utilize self-perform labor on our job sites.

Things to Consider

Self-perform labor is a limited resource. Often many jobs need labor and can fight for these limited resources. Planning, communication, and readiness on site will likely mean your job is going to get the resources it needs when it needs it.

Superintendents are expected to manage materials and tools readiness as well as cost code management for Koester labor on site. Being ready with materials and tools on site as well as understanding what labor codes will be used are key to success.

Prerequisites

Koester Expectations – 3 Week Look ahead Schedule

Steps

1.       Plan for labor needs during 3-week lookahead scheduling. Not everything is an emergency and labor priority will be given to those who plan and have labor scheduled.

2.       Review weekly self-perform lookahead schedule. The labor foreman (James Daniel) sends a copy of the schedule weekly.

3.       If possible, revise your 3-week schedule to accommodate the existing self-perform schedule. If this is not possible, contact the labor foreman to discuss options.

4.       Once job 3-week scheduling is set, contact labor foreman to schedule labor. In addition to scheduling, topics of discussion should include needed materials/ delivery dates, tools needed, safety considerations and any other items that will affect the ability of the work to be completed when scheduled. Durations and time expectations for completing tasks are to be confirmed in this step.

5.       If material or other delays will delay the need for labor, contact the labor foreman asap to reschedule. See step 1, utilizing the 3-week lookahead schedule.

6.       If an emergency on another job site will delay labor scheduled to your site, the labor foreman will contact the superintendent to reschedule. Scheduled labor will take precedence unless there is an emergency.

7.       Order, schedule or verify delivery of any materials required for the task to be on site prior to labor arriving on the job site. It is the superintendent’s responsibility to have materials on site or make the necessary arrangements for self-perform to bring small amounts of material with them. This is not a day before discussion. Plan.

8.       Make any tool or equipment requests necessary to complete the tasks to be performed. It is the superintendent’s responsibility to have tools or equipment on site or make the necessary arrangements for self-perform to bring small tools with them. Rental equipment needs to be scheduled through the tool department. This is not a day before discussion. Plan. See Tool Department- Requesting Tools and Equipment

9.       If labor is traveling, be sure that necessary accommodations have been made for overnight stays. This should be a topic in weekly team meetings. If traveling work is to be completed in a single day and overtime is expected, this must be communicated as early as possible so team members can make the necessary arrangements. This is not a day before discussion. Plan.

10.   Prior to labor arrival, review estimate for cost codes to be used for tasks. If a task is unplanned and not in the estimate, confirm with PM as to where to code labor. It is the superintendent’s duty to communicate cost coding to self-perform labor. If multiple codes are to be used, this should be communicated and durations for each code given for labor to utilize on their time card. Koester labor must clock in and out of codes throughout the day if multiple codes are to used. This should be communicated at the begining of the workday. Revising labor timecards is an unnecessary and time-consuming task. Plan. Provide estimated hours to complete the task to the carpenters doing the work and monitor progress.

11.   On the day before labor is to arrive, contact the labor foreman and confirm the following:

a.       Materials and tools are on site.

b.       Initial cost codes for labor to clock in under. Koester labor must clock in and must have a cost code associated. This is not to be generic or figured out later. Be prepared. See step 10.

c.       Travel arrangements are in place.

d.       Confirm durations and expectations for the timeliness of work to be completed.

12.   Notify the labor foreman as soon as possible if tasks will be completed early or if you see that they will take longer. The labor foreman may or may not be able to extend labor on your site based on existing scheduling. This is why it is important to discuss and set realistic durations in the planning stage. If labor is able to accomplish tasks sooner than expected, there is possibly another site that could use the help early. Please communicate often.

See Also

Tool Department- Requesting Tools and Equipment

Field Ops – Koester Expectations- 3 Week Lookahead Schedules