Part 4  -  Challenges, the Laws of Physics, Project/Construction Management and Reality

 

Manpower, Resources and Work Calendars

Forcing ten pounds of an item into a five pound bag can only achieve a negative result.   Despite the obvious visual consequence, project executives and project control experts often envision that increased project progress can be made by adding staff and adding work periods.  

Demanding the construction activity be shortened by adding more trade personnel and expending more manhours to achieve more daily progress is not unusual.  Construction scheduling tools can adjust the manpower, workday calendars and shifts to show acceleration of work with the goal to reduce the overall schedule duration.   However, these simple adjustments in the number of personnel on-site requires equal adjustments in material supply chain as well as equipment, tools, supervisory staff, construction management (CM) staff, and added processes for transitioning information at shift changes.

While effective for schedule recovery or for schedule acceleration, implementation will continue to be affected by work conditions, site access, and the work restrictions cited in the contract documents.    Additionally, the availability of support services, such as construction management (CM) and independent testing (ITA), for direct work will need to increase proportionately.   However, increasing persons in a work area may not necessarily create an equal improvement in the effectiveness, quality and speed of construction.  

On rail transit projects, adding resources and equipment is not always possible, and where it is possible, it is very challenging to achieve results that in theory should increase production and reduce activity duration.   In other words, doubling the personnel does not always result in doubling the production and halving the duration.   In addition to CM and ITA services, support services will need to increase proportionately for access and protection, track outages and on-rail vehicle escorts (pilots).    Where construction can be isolated from railroad operating areas, support services may be more readily out-sourced and may have a higher ratio of improvement for production and schedule. 

Services requiring rail transit personnel are also limited to the established headcount, crew sizes, crew vehicles, and tools, equipment and materials.   As dictated by annual budgets and labor contracts with unionized trades, railroad personnel are normally hired and organized into work groups for maintenance and operations, and construction.   Each group is assigned to specific geographic locations or project locations.   Due to several factors in managing company resources, personnel and assignments can shift between the two groups in order to maintain utilization while eliminating peaks and valleys for hiring and deferring personnel.  

When added personnel are required by projects, they likely are transferred from the maintenance and operations group.   The flexibility in making these transfers and the resulting increase in progress is limited by factors such as travel time from assigned location to the new location, and the familiarity of personnel with the project construction scope, work flows and processes, and construction equipment and materials.

Maintaining a steady state level of manpower is made more challenging by the unique training and qualifying periods for skilled trade persons in rail transit companies.   Due to the specialized skills need for operating and maintaining rails systems, companies create stringent screening processes for candidates including written and practical tests.   New hires start at an apprentice level and are on probation for at least six months.   Thereafter, employees continue in a training program for the specific skill hired and the established process defined in collective bargaining agreements to qualify personnel for full rate skilled trade positions.  

Timeframes to becoming qualified can vary depending on the unique skills required for executing duties in an environment that is focused on safety and customer service.  Signal maintainers = 3 years.   Lineman = 12 months.   Plumber = 6 months.  Carpenter = 6 months.   Electricians = 6 months.   During this period the incumbents are expected to demonstrate critical skills, teamwork, operation of tools and equipment, and safe work methods.  Failing to do so may mean separation from the company at worst, or extending the probation period for qualifying and for permanent assignments.

A short term alternative is to expand regular manpower shifts through overtime, which can increase daily progress while full time standard rate employees are identified or hired.  However, this alternative comes with its own challenges including:

• Increasing expenses for overtime labor rate
• Confirming vehicles and equipment are not already assigned to work groups on other shifts
• Off-setting shift production due to travel time
• Discounting progress due to personnel inexperience with project specifics

Reality

The actions taken by CM and contractor to adjust staffing to improve schedule performance is a function of the contract requirements, including provisions for time is of the essence, work hours, liquidated damages, and schedule incentives.  Depending on the contract, the CM will rely on the contractor determining the best actions to increase production and achieve performance milestones or to adhere to the planned curve of progress approved by CM at Notice to Proceed.

As may be requested by government officials or other influencers, Owner’s with the explicit goals to beat schedule dates will need to work with the CM to identify the cost impacts in exchange for improving the date contracted at the time of award, fast tracking or modifying the Owner’s standard procedures and process obstacles, and for coordinating interdependent activities and dates for predecessor and successor projects and contracts.