Work Study

Professor Dr Eng Khaled Ahmed Hamdy

Professor of Project Management
Work Study
• Work Study is the process of observing, evaluating and
improving performance in operations
• Based on Method Study and Time Study
• Used in the examination of human work in all its contexts
• Involves the Systematic Investigation of all the resources
and factors which affect the Work Efficiency and Economy
• The aim is to Achieve Improvements
Work Study

Work Study

Method Study Time Study

• Flow Diagram • Work Measurement
• Flow Process Chart • Activity Sampling
• Multiple Activity Chart
Work Study

Work Study

Method Study Time Study

• Flow Diagram • Work Measurement
• Flow Process Chart • Activity Sampling
• Multiple Activity Chart
Time Study Techniques
Work Measurement Activity Sampling
• Uses Statistics to reduce
the required number of
observations

𝑍 2 × 𝑃(1 − 𝑃)
𝑁=
𝐿2
Activity Sampling Procedure (1)
• List the operations and tasks to be studied:
• Working/Not working
Or
• In more details such as:
• Fixing Shutters (FS)
• Cleaning shutter panels (CL)
• Removing formwork (RF)
• Receiving instructions (RI)
• Idle (I)
Activity Sampling Procedure (2)
• Prepare a suitable observation sheet for recording the
information.
• Prepare a planned timetable of observation times at regular
intervals.
• Choose a suitable position for taking the observations.
• Record each activity that is in operation at the instant it is
observed.
• From the percentages of the activities observed, select the
activity or activities that show a disproportionate amount of
time being spent on them.
Activity Sampling Observation Sheet
 Activity Sampling Equation
𝑍 2 × 𝑃(1 − 𝑃)
𝑁=
𝐿2
Where:
• N = No. of Required Observations
• Z = Confidence Level = 2 for 95% Confidence
• P = Percentage of activity observed
• L = Accuracy Level Required
 Activity Sampling Example
Crane Operations were observed 400 times with the following
results:
Operation No of Observations
Crane Lifting 160
Crane Moving 80
Crane unloading 60
Crane Idle 100
1. Determine the percentage of time the crane was idle and the degree
of accuracy of the result (95% confidence level is required)
2. How many additional observations are required, If the degree of
accuracy is to be 2%.
 Solution
Percentage Idle, P = 100/400 = 0.25
For 95% confidence level Z = 2

𝑍 2 ×𝑃(1−𝑃) 22 × 0.25(0.75)
𝐿= = = 0.0433 = 4.33%
𝑁 400
If L = 2%, then:

𝑍 2 ×𝑃(1−𝑃) 22 ×0.25(0.75)
𝑁= = = 1875
𝐿2 0.022
Therefore, the number of additional observations is 1875 – 400 = 1475
Work Study

Work Study

Method Study Time Study

• Flow Diagram • Work Measurement
• Flow Process Chart • Activity Sampling
• Multiple Activity Chart
Method Study Questions
Flow
Diagram
Flow
Process Chart
Multiple Activity Chart
• Multiple Activity Charts are diagrams used to show the
interrelationships between workers and/or equipment
• The Multiple Activity Chart focuses on very short-term
schedules, especially when the schedule is resource
driven
• Multiple Activity Charts manifest their usefulness for such
types of very short-term schedules, especially if they are
repetitive in nature, with effective savings achieved
through reduction in cycle times.
Multiple Activity Chart vs Gantt Chart
Gantt Chart Time (in Days, weeks or Months)
Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Act 4

Multiple Activity Chart Time (in Minutes)

Resources 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Task 2
Worker 1 Task 1

Task 4
Equipment 1 Task 3
Equipment 2 Task 5
Worker 2 Task 6
Crane Skip2 Skip1
Crane Dumper2
Skip Dumper
Dumper1 Mixer Loader
0.5
1
1.5

Load
2
Fill Mixer 2.5
Raise 3
3.5

Mix
4
4.5
Load

Fill Dumper 5
Fill Mixer 5.5
Raise 6
Travel 6.5
Mix

7
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 7.5
Fill Dumper 8
8.5
Return

9
9.5

Travel & Pour

Travel & Pour

10
10.5
11
11.5
12
Return
Return

12.5
13

Travel & Pour

13.5
14
14.5
15
Return
15.5
16
Attach Fill Skip 16.5
17
17.5
18
18.5
Travel & Pour

19
Travel & Pour

19.5
20
20.5
21
Return

Return

21.5
22
Attach 22.5
23
23.5
24
24.5
Travel & Pour

25
Fill Skip 25.5
26
26.5
27
Return

27.5
28
Attach Fill Skip 28.5
29
29.5
30
Travel &
Travel &
Crane Skip2 Skip1
Crane Dumper2
Skip Dumper
Dumper1 Mixer Loader
0.5
1
1.5

Load
2
Fill Mixer 2.5
Raise 3
3.5

Mix
4
4.5
Fill Dumper 5
5.5
6
Load

Travel 6.5
Fill Mixer 7
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip Raise 7.5
8
Mix

8.5
Return

9
Fill Dumper 9.5

Travel & Pour

Travel & Pour

10
10.5
11
Travel

11.5
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 12
Return
Return

12.5
13

Travel & Pour

Return

13.5
14
14.5
15
Return
15.5
16
Attach Fill Skip 16.5
17
17.5
18
18.5
Travel & Pour

19
Travel & Pour

19.5
20
20.5
21
Return

Return

21.5
22
Attach 22.5
23
23.5
24
24.5
Travel & Pour

25
Fill Skip 25.5
26
26.5
27
Return

27.5
28
Attach Fill Skip 28.5
29
29.5
30
Travel &
Travel &
 Crane Skip2 Skip1
Crane Dumper2
Skip Dumper
Dumper1 Mixer Loader
0.5
1
1.5

Load
2
Fill Mixer 2.5
Raise 3
3.5

Mix
4
4.5
Fill Dumper 5
5.5
6
Travel 6.5
7
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 7.5
Load

Cycle time
Fill Mixer 8.5
Return

Raise 9
9.5

Output per hour

Mix

Travel & Pour

Travel & Pour

10

Time to Pour 80 m3
10.5
Fill Dumper

Hours worked per day

11

Cycle Time = 6min

11.5
12
Return
Return
Travel

12.5
13

Output per day = 8 x 5 Travel & Pour

Attach Skip
Fill Skip
Fill Fill Skip 13.5
Load

14

= 2 days
Fill Mixer 14.5
Return

= 8 hours
Raise 15
= 40 m3Return 15.5
Mix

Travel & Pour

Travel & Pour

16
Attach Fill Skip 16.5
Fill Dumper
= 60/6 x 0.5 = 5 m3

17
17.5
= 6 min to pour 0.5Travel

18
Return
Return
Travel

18.5
m3 & Pour

19
Travel & Pour

Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 19.5

Load

20
Fill Mixer 20.5
Return

Raise 21
Return

Return

21.5
Mix

Travel & Pour

22
Attach 22.5
Fill Dumper 23
23.5
24
Return
Travel

24.5
Travel & Pour

25
Fill Skip Attach Fill Skip
Fill Skip 25.5
26
26.5
Return

27
Return

27.5
Travel & Pour

28
Attach Fill Skip 28.5
29
29.5
30
Retur

Travel &
Travel &
Utilization Factors
Equipment Active Time Idle Time Utilization (%)
Loader 3 3 50%
Mixer 3 3 50%
½ m3 Dumper 4.5 1.5 75%
½ m3 Skip 6 0 100%
Crane 6 0 100%
Calculating Costs
Equipment Price/day
½ m3 Batching Plant 1200
½ m3 Dumper 400
½ m3 Skip 100
Crane 4000
Compaction Equipment 120
Labourer 300

Cost to pour 80 m3 of Concrete

Required Labourers: Batching Plant= 1200 x 2 days = 2400
Mixer (Driver+Loader) 2 Dumper = 400 x 2 days = 800
Dumper Driver 1 Skip = 100 x 2 days = 200
Crane Driver 1 Crane = 4000 x 2 days = 8000
Gang 4 Compaction Equipment = 120 x 2 days = 240
Total 8 Labourers = 8 x 300 x 2 days = 4800
Total = 16440

Cost of Pouring 1 m3 of Concrete = 16440/80 = 205.5

Crane Skip2 Skip1 Dumper2 Dumper1 Mixer Loader
0.5
1
1.5

Load
2
Fill Mixer 2.5
Raise 3
3.5

Mix
4
4.5
Load

Fill Dumper 5
Fill Mixer 5.5

- Add 0.5 m3 Dumper

Raise 6

- Use 2 No. – 1 m3 Skips

Travel 6.5
Mix

7
Fill Skip Fill Skip 7.5
Load

Fill Dumper Fill Dumper 8

Fill Mixer 8.5
Return

Travel Raise 9
9.5
Mix

10
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 10.5
Load

Fill Dumper 11
Fill Mixer 11.5
Return

Raise 12
Travel

12.5
Mix

Travel & Pour

13

Travel & Pour

Fill Skip Fill Skip 13.5
Load

Fill Dumper Fill Dumper 14

Cycle Time = 6min Fill Mixer 14.5
Return

Raise 15
Return

Return
Travel

15.5
Mix

16
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 16.5
Load

Fill Dumper 17
Fill Mixer 17.5
Return

Raise 18
Travel

18.5
Travel & Pour
Mix

19
Travel & Pour

Fill Skip Fill Skip 19.5

Load

Fill Dumper Fill Dumper 20

Fill Mixer 20.5
Return

Raise 21
Return

Return
Travel

21.5
Mix

22
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 22.5
Load

Fill Dumper 23
Fill Mixer 23.5
Return

24
Travel

24.5
Travel & Pour
Travel & Pour
Mix

25
Fill Skip Fill Skip
Fill Skip 25.5
Fill Dumper Fill Dumper 26
26.5
Return

27
Return
Return
Travel

27.5
28
Attach Fill Skip Fill Skip 28.5
29
29.5
Return

30
Travel &
Travel &
Utilization Factors for Improved Method
Equipment Active Time Idle Time Utilization (%)
Loader 6 0 100%
Mixer 6 0 100%
½ m3 Dumper (2 used) 4.5 1.5 75%
1 m3 Skip (2 used) 6.5 5.5 54%
Crane 6 0 100%
Calculating Costs for improved method
Equipment Price/day
Cycle time = 6 min to pour 1 m3
½ m3 Batching Plant 1200 Output per hour = 60/6 x 1 = 10 m3
½ m3 Dumper (2 used) 400 Hours worked per day = 8 hours
Output per day = 8 x 5 = 80 m3
1 m3 Skip (2 used) 150 Time to Pour 80 m3 = 1 day
Crane 4000
Compaction Equipment 120
Labourer 300

Cost to pour 80 m3 of Concrete

Required Labourers: Batching Plant= 1200 x 1 day = 1200
Mixer (Driver+Loader) 2 Dumpers (2) = 2 x 400 x 1 day = 800
Dumper Drivers 2 Skips = 2 x 150 x 1 day = 300
Crane Driver 1 Crane = 4000 x 1 day = 4000
Gang (Add labourer) 5 Compaction Equipment = 120 x 1 day = 120
Total 10 Labourers = 10 x 300 x 1 day = 3000
Total = 9420

Cost of Pouring 1 m3 of Concrete = 9420/80 = 117.75

Labor Payment Schemes
Professor Dr Khaled Ahmed Hamdy
Professor of Project Management
Financial Incentive Schemes
• Incentive Schemes are designed to enhance:
• Productivity
• Methods and Quality of Work
• Workers’ earnings but without increasing the cost of the job
Summary of
Financial
Incentive
Schemes
Comparison of Schemes

Scheme Productivity Method and Quality Workers’ Earnings

Daywork

Piecework

Direct Hours
Saved Bonus
Geared Hours
Saved Bonus

Group Schemes
Levels of Performance

Performance Description

125P Very Quick; High Skill; Highly Motivated

100P Brisk; Qualified; Motivated

75P Not Fast; Average Skill; Disinterested

50P Very Slow; Unskilled; Unmotivated

Direct Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• Workers are paid a bonus for each hour saved from a
certain target
• In the direct scheme, the bonus payment for each hour
saved is equal to the hourly rate for each hour worked
• The target number of hours is set for a certain level of
performance
 Direct Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• The most common is the 75-100 direct scheme
• Standard Performance is 100P
• Target hours are calculated at 75P
• The hours saved are calculated as follows:
Hours Saved = Target Hours (at 75P) – Actual Hours Worked
• Worker is paid for Actual hours saved plus a bonus for
hours saved depending on his performance
Direct Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
Example of
Direct Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• Quantity = 720 Bricks
• At 100P – Output = 60 Bricks/Hour
• Using a 75-100 Direct Hours Saved Scheme
• Basic Hourly Rate = 20 LE/Hour worked
• Bonus Hourly Rate = 20 LE/Hour saved
Solution (Direct Scheme) 1
• At 75P – Output = 0.75 x 60 = 45 Bricks/Hour
𝟕𝟐𝟎
• Target Hours at 75P = = 16 Hours
𝟒𝟓
• If the worker is working at 100P then he will need:
720
• Hours worked = = 12 Hours
60
• Hours Saved = 16 Hours – 12 Hours = 4 Hours
• Basic Pay = 12 x 20 = 240 LE
• Bonus Pay = 4 x 20 = 80 LE
• Total Pay = = 320 LE
• Equivalent Hourly Rate = 320/12 = 26.67 LE
 Solution (Direct Scheme) 2
Output Rate
At 100P 60 Bricks/Hour
At 75P 45 Bricks/Hour

Target Hours
20 LE/Hour 16 Hours
Hourly Pay @75P
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Worked Hours Saved hours Basic Pay Bonus Pay Total Pay Pay/Hour
Perf (P) 720/60/(1) Target-(2) 20LE*(2) 20LE*(3) (4) + (5) (6)/(2)
120 10 6 200 120 320 32
100 12 4 240 80 320 26.67
75 16 0 320 0 320 20
50 24 0 480 0 480 20
Geared Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• Workers are paid a bonus for each hour saved from a
certain target
• In the geared scheme, the bonus payment for each hour
saved is a fraction of the hourly rate for each hour worked
• The target number of hours is set for a lower level of
performance than that of Direct Schemes
• This allows for new jobs or un-skilled workers
 Geared Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• Using a 50-100 geared scheme
• Standard Performance is 100P
• Target hours are calculated at 50P
• The hours saved are calculated as follows:
Hours Saved = Actual Hours Worked - Target Hours (at 50P)
• Worker is paid for Actual hours saved plus a bonus for hours
saved depending on his performance
• The hourly bonus pay can range between 25% to 75% of the
basic pay
Geared Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
33%
Example of
Geared Hours-Saved Bonus Scheme
• Quantity = 720 Bricks
• At 100P – Output = 60 Bricks/Hour
• Using a 50 -100 Geared Hours Saved Scheme
• Basic Hourly Pay = LE 18 / Hour worked
• Bonus Hourly Pay = LE 6 / Hour Saved (33% of Basic)
Solution (Geared Scheme) 1
• At 50P – Output = 0.5 x 60 = 30 Bricks/Hour
𝟕𝟐𝟎
• Target Hours at 50P = = 24 Hours
𝟑𝟎
• If the worker is working at 100P then he will need:
720
• Hours worked = = 12 Hours
60
• Hours Saved = 24 Hours – 12 Hours = 12 Hours
• Basic Pay = 12 x 18 = 216 LE
• Bonus Pay = 12 x 6 = 72 LE
• Total Pay = = 288 LE
• Equivalent Hourly Rate = 288/12 = 24 LE (=1.33 Basic)
 Solution (Geared Scheme) 2
Quantity 720 Bricks
Output Rate
At 100P 60 Bricks/Hour
At 50P 30 Bricks/Hour
Target
Hourly Hours
18 LE/Hour 24 Hours
Pay @50P
Bonus
Pay 6 LE/Hour
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Worked Saved Bonus
Basic Pay Total Pay Pay/Hour
Perf (P) Hours hours Pay
720/60/(1)
18
24LE*(2) (4) + (5) (6)/(2)
Target-(2) 6
8LE*(3)
120 10 14 180 84 264 26.40
100 12 12 216 72 288 24.00
75 16 8 288 48 336 21.00
50 24 0 432 0 432 18.00
Geared Scheme Graph
133%

75
Overtime Scheme
• Overtime helps accelerate the work
• But overtime results in reductions in productivity rates.
• In some cases, working overtime can result in quicker
completion of the tasks but higher costs
 Overtime Example
• Quantity = 4000 m2
• Labor Productivity = 6 m2/man-hour
• Available crew = 8 Men
• Hourly rate = LE 15/man-hour (Regular Hours)
• Hourly rate = LE 25/man-hour (Overtime Hours)
• Regular Schedule = 40 hours per week (5 days x 8 hours/day)
• Overtime Schedule = 50 hours per week (5 days x 10 hours/day)
• Inefficiency due to Overtime = 13%
 Overtime Example Solution (1)
Regular Schedule:
• Quantity = 4000 m2
• Labor Productivity = 6 m2/man-hour Labor Cost / m2 = 2.50 LE/m2
• Available 8 Workers
4000 𝑚2
• Time Required = 6 𝑚2
= 83.33 hours
8 𝑚𝑒𝑛 ×
𝑚𝑎𝑛−ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟
• 2 Weeks (40 hours each) + 0 days + 3.33 hours
• Hourly rate = LE 15/man-hour (Regular Hours)
• Cost of Labor = 8 Men x 83.33 Hours x 15 LE = 10,000 LE
 Overtime Example Solution (2)
Overtime Schedule:
• Quantity = 4000 m2
• Labor Productivity = 6 m2/man-hour x (1-0.13) = 5.22 m2/man-hour
• Available 8 Workers
4000 𝑚2 2 = 3.35 LE/m2
• Time Required = 5.22 𝑚2
= 95.79 hours Labor Cost / m
8 𝑚𝑒𝑛 ×
𝑚𝑎𝑛−ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟
• 1 Week (50 hours) + 4 days (10 hours) + 5.79 hours
• Hourly rate = LE 15/man-hour (Regular Hours)
• Hourly rate = LE 25/man-hour (Overtime Hours)
• Cost of Labor (Regular) = 8 Men x 15 (40 + 4x8) = 8640 LE
• Cost of Labor (Overtime) = 8 Men x 25 (10 + 4 x 2 + 5.79) = 4758 LE
• Total Cost of Labor = 8640 + 4758 = 13,398 LE