Task 8

Limitations of accuracy

Individual surveys are not good at following trends in real time or over short periods of time.

Because surveys collect data at a single point in time, it is difficult to measure changes
in the population unless two or more surveys are done at different points in time. Such
repetition is often expensive and time-consuming, making frequent periodic surveys
impractical.

Individual surveys generally cannot provide strong evidence of cause and effect.

Because surveys collect data on disease and factors at the same time, you often cannot

Tell which came first, the risk factor or the disease. Without this temporal association, it is
very difficult to prove that the reputed risk factor actually cause the disease. For example, a
survey in a refugee population may find high incidence rates of diarrhea, a low prevalence of
access to clean water, and a high prevalence of malnutrition. However, a single cross-
sectional survey cannot disentangle the different contributions of each of these factors to the
other; in fact, it is likely that malnutrition and limited access to clean water contribute to high
diarrhea incidence, while the high diarrhea incidence also contributes to malnutrition.

Other constraints to using surveys to gather data:

1. Insecurity limiting access to the population of concern

2. The lack of time to carry out a survey
3. The lack of funding necessary to carry out a survey
4. The lower priority for carrying out a survey because of competing urgent tasks

Impact of bad weather (ground movement)

The weather can affect surveying in many ways. Not only are the survey field personnel
affected by the weather, but it can adverse effect on the equipment, as well.

During light rain or snow, field crews work; however whenever the rain or snow is affecting
visibility or there is lightning, a fiend crew should not be working. If it is raining, and crews
are working in or along roadways, extra safety precautions must be taken. Crews need to
watch out for motorists and vice versa. Visibility maybe impaired and pavement can be slick
which could lead to a tragic accident.

Extreme cold weather or heat can also affect survey instruments. Some instruments have
certain temperature ratings, and if operated outside that range, the accuracy of the
measurement can be affected. When field crews are working in extreme heat or cold they
should take breaks from the weather to protect themselves from heat stroke or hypothermia,
although proper clothing can help protect them.

Heat waves or ‘shimmer’ can also affects the precision of measurements that are taken with
electronic measuring devices.

Wind is an invisible threat. Depending on how fast the winds are blowing, equipment can be
knocked down if not properly secured. Damage from this sort of accident is generally
expensive.

Wind can also cause issues with the field personnel’s sight. Flying debris can damage the
eye, although proper eye protection can help with this.

Most field crews work in all kinds of weather conditions to get the job done and take care of
the client. Proper safety training and knowing the equipment’s limitations will help get the
project completed within the appropriate accuracy tolerances while keeping field crews safe.
The public can help with this by slowing down coming upon a field crew or keeping a watch
out for the crews when working along a road way.

In addition, clients should recognize that adverse weather will inevitably slow the field work
down and increase the costs of a survey.

Effect on setting out a working site

About Set-Out Surveys

This kind of survey is very important when preparing for any type of construction work.

Basically a set-out survey involves transferring a building design onto the land itself so the
builders can follow it during construction progresses. Examples of this would be for the
earthworks, roads, car parks, sewerage, water and actual buildings themselves.

Why Are They Important?

Why Are They Important for several reasons:

1. They allow for the construction to be done within the boundary, which is vital to
ensure no boundary disputes later on

They enable the construction team to build exactly to plan as physically laid out in front of
them

When Are Set-Surveys Needed?

1. When building anything from a small dwelling to major commercial building or high
rise
2. When building roads, tunnels etc...
3. Doing any extensions to existing buildings