Introductory Summary
I have been working at the construction site of the nuclear power plant in Jensen, Missouri for the past three weeks overseeing the construction of the water cooling tower. While the work at the site is only two days behind schedule, there are a few problems regarding safety and scheduling which I would like to bring to your attention through this memo.
Description of Problems
There are three major problems we are facing at the construction site. These problems are related to security, scheduling, and safety. Given below are the details of these problems.
Safety-Related Problems
The biggest problems at the construction site relate to the safety of the workers. Some of the issues which have come to my attention are:
- Recently two field hands had received bad cuts from machinery.
- Mary Powell, the safety inspector on the crew has cited 12 workers for not wearing their hard hats.
- Cement truck drivers driving through the site raise a lot of dust which can be potentially hazardous to the crew’s health.
Each one of these problems needs to be dealt with urgently to reduce the chances of any mishap at the construction site. It is my suggestion to hold a meeting with the subcontractors to discuss the safety at the tower site. Also, the truck drivers should be advised to drive slowly through the site to reduce the level of dust.
Scheduling Related Problems
The work at the construction site is two days behind schedule due to some unforeseen issues. Rain has been the biggest culprit. On April 21, light rain delayed three cement pourings for the tower wall. And last Monday, heavy rain and flooding kept everyone at home resulting in the loss of an entire day.
We are also expecting another delay because one of our subcontractors, Allis Wire, Inc. has just informed us that there will be a two-day delay in delivering steel reinforcing wires that go into the concrete walls.
Since these delays are beyond our control, I suggest that we work overtime to get back on schedule. Otherwise, we may have to revise are time forecasts as these delays are starting to add up.
Security-Related Problems at the Site
Some miscellaneous boards and masonry pieces are missing from the site each day, probably because homeowners nearby consider these stuff to be discarded. Perhaps putting some more “No Trespassing” signs will help dissuade the general public from picking up stuff from the site.
Conclusion
As stated earlier, so far we are only two days behind schedule. However, the rainy season and delays from our subcontractors could completely make the schedule haywire. In the circumstances, it is best to put in a few hours of overtime to make up for the lost time.
Also, safety is a big concern at the site. Again there have not been any major accidents so far but if we do not pull up the crew, a major accident could be just waiting to happen.
Other than the above-stated problems, I have not come across any other major issues at the construction site in my three weeks here. However, the above-stated issues need to be tackled urgently to avoid any further problems.