NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CONSTRUCTION

MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH

PRESENTATION ON
QUALITY ASSURANCE

By
Pritish D. Mungmode
and
Venkat Reddy
CONTENTS
1. Objectives of Quality Assurance System
2. Needs of Quality Assurance System
3. Basic Principles of Quality Assurance System
4. Elements of Quality Assurance System
5. Quality Assurance Grading
6. Quality Aspects at Design Stage
7. Integration of Quality System in Construction Company
Operation
8. Quality System of Suppliers and Sub-contractors
9. Certification by Third Party
QUALITY ASSURANCE is a system of management for
controlling the characteristics of product or service, so as to
ensure and satisfy the needs of customer adequately.

OBJECTIVES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM

• Control over production that complies with the quality

requirement.
• Providing confidence that compliances has been achieved.

Different quality standards are designed for different situations.

NEED OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM

In recent years, the complexity of construction projects and

involvement of more people has increased, thereby increasing
the risk of errors/omission with regard to quality.

Failure of structure mainly occurs due to

• Ignoring the quality at design and construction stage.
• Due to product failure.
• Poor communication between participants in the process.
• Inadequacy in the availability of essential information .
• Inadequacy in reviews, checks, correction and control.
• Lack of technical expertise and skill to the requirement.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF QUALITY SYSTEM
• To execute the projects conforming to contract requirement for
full satisfaction of clients.
• Acceptance by the management that personal attention is
necessary for effective management of quality system.
• Creating awareness among the engineers and members of
work force of the company that primary responsibility of
quality lies with those doing work.
• In order to ensure that the people responsible for execution of
the project must take responsibility for quality, the
management should establish system for control and
verification of work and should educate and motivate them in
application of the system.
• The cost of educating and training on quality aspects which
might be incurred initially will get offset by better output, less
rejection and better quality.
ELEMENTS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM
• Management responsibility
• Involvement of all associated in the quality system
• Control document
• Selection of suppliers/subcontractors
• Material supplied by client
• Fitness of inspection, measuring and testing performance
• Proper handling, storage and delivery of materials
• Maintenance of quality records
• Employment of experienced, trained and skilled workers and
operatives
QUALITY ASSURANCE GRADING
Depends upon the degree of quality requirements from item to
item and situation to situation.
The extent of inspection to be performed should be carefully
Planned and the level of inspection when deemed necessary
Should be selected keeping in mind the overall cost involved.
Assurance measure include:
include
• Appropriate work instructions
• Special training and qualification of operatives
• Identification of inspection hold points
• Recording of inspections in specially designed forms
appropriate to the individual project requirement.
• Retaining documentary evidence of conformance.
QUALITY ASPECTS AT DESIGN STAGE

Basic common factors to be considered at design stage

• Function

• Form

• Material

• Cost

• Technology
INTEGRATION OF QUALITY SYSTEM IN CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY OPERATION

• Chief executive of the company should issue a policy statement

informing the entire workforce of the organization that the
company has decided to install quality system.
• While issuing CEO should stress that everyone should co-
Operate in its implementation.
• Appointing the management representatives assisted by few
trained engineers on Quality Assurance Requirement relating to
construction project to evolve Quality Assurance Manual,
formulating general quality assurance procedures and project
quality plans on project to project basis.
QUALITY SYSTEM OF SUPPLIERS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS

It includes assuring the quality of bought in goods and services by

• Selection of competent suppliers, subcontractors and PRWs.
• The definition of requirements.
• Verification of compliance.
The quality system of suppliers /subcontractors should also be
assessed so as to satisfy that they are capable of compling with the
required standards. This may be judged by:
• Assessment of their formal quality system.
• Verification of in-house records of their achievements.
• Documentary evidence as well as physical verification of their past
performance.
• Verification of their competence for higher level supervision and
supports of their quality standards.
CERTIFICATION BY THIRD PARTY

• Assessment by client can be expensive both for clients and

suppliers/ subcontractors.
• The wastage of resources on the part of client and suppliers can
therefore be greatly reduced by adopting practice of third party
assessment which are to be undertaken by the independent body
fully equipped for the purpose.
• Third party will carryout audit by following procedure similar to those
followed by the clients and will award registration/certification mark
to such suppliers who meet their standards fully.
• In India, Bureau of Indian Standards carryout the task of such
certification which is acceptable by the clients.
• Other certification bodies with proven capability and integrity can
also
be established in private sector, considering the growing demand of
quality.
Certification bodies may seek accreditation from Bureau Of
Indian Standards with the following categories of certification:

1. Certification of a Management System

2. Product Conformity Certification

3. Product approval

4. Certification of work force engaged in Quality Verification

Reference:
1. A guide for Quantity Surveyors, Engineers,
Architects and Builders
- K. S. Kharab.
THANK YOU