Records to be Maintained at Construction Site

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Records to be maintained at construction sites play important role in construction activities. It is a document required to prove any construction activity has taken place at site during billing or any other claims. These records have all the data of various construction activities carried out at site. If any additional work has been carried out and it is claimed during billing, these documents need to be produced as a proof. Maintenance of records also helps during audits of construction projects at any point of time. These documents helps to defend any claims such as liquidated damages or false claims or violations of any guidelines by authorities or clients.

Records at Construction Site

The following are the various records that need to be maintained at construction site,

1. Drawings 

First and foremost import records to be maintained on site are the working drawings approved by the clients and design engineer, based on which all the construction activities takes place on site. There are different type of drawings required for construction, some of the basic required drawings are,

• Architectural drawing
• Structural drawing
• Plumbing & sanitary drawing
• Electrical drawing
• Finishing drawing etc.

2. Contract Agreement

Contract agreement documents including all sets of drawings, including amendments, a copy of approval of municipality, corporation or urban development authorities need to be maintained at construction sites till the completion of construction projects. These documents provides permission and guidelines for all the activities carried out at the construction site.

3. Time and Progress Charts or CPM Charts

These charts help in tracking the construction activities from time to time and help in effective planning, scheduling and controlling the construction projects activities. These charts need to be approved from the concerned authorities.

4. Work Orders Book

All the orders given by clients to the contractors need be maintained with serial numbers, signatures and dates. These orders should be specific for works. This order should also have a compliance column.

5. Works Diary

Works diary of a construction project should indicate contract agreement number, name of work, amount of contract, date of commencement of work, date of completion and extension time granted. All the relevant details need be entered daily in the works diary. This diary serves as an authentic record. Following details need to be entered in this diary with due care:

1. Weather at site
2. Important materials brought to site with their approximate quantity
3. Types of transport working at site
4. Types of tools and plants being used at site
5. Important items of works completed and passed on the particular date
6. Visits of VIPs and their remarks if any.

6. Works Passing Records

This record maintains all the activities to be carried out at construction site. It consists of an index page with details of all items of works to be done under the contract and other pages with details of progress of each works. This helps in tracking the progress of each activity of construction and helps in pre-planning for other remaining activities which starts after completion of current activity. This also helps in acquiring approvals before time for activities to be started.

7. Tests Results Record

This is an important record to be maintained at construction site as a proof for construction quality. This record consists of tests of various materials such as cement, sand, aggregates, water, steel reinforcement used at construction site, test records of concrete cubes, concrete cylinders, slump tests etc. These records are arranged as an index page with details of each materials, page numbers of records etc. Individual pages consists of each materials, with their test dates, results etc. All the tests carried out at site or in laboratory are recorded in the this record book. Some of the tests carried out at construction sites for civil works are:

• Cube tests for concrete works for each location or structural members.
• Sieve analysis of coarse aggregates, impact or abrasion tests.
• Sieve analysis of coarse sand for concrete works, masonry sands for masonry works, plastering and pointing works etc.
• Tests for impurities of aggregates and sands.
• Bulking of sand test for concrete and masonry works.
• Slump tests and compacting factor tests for concrete works.
• Crushing strength test, tolerance, water absorption test, efflorescence tests of bricks, stones or masonry work.
• Moisture contents of timber.
• Manufacturer tests reports provided by the vendors for admixtures, reinforcing steels etc.

8. Cement Register

This record is maintained with details of receipts, daily consumptions and remaining balance of cement at site. This record also consists of manufacturing dates of cement, date of receipt and test reports of cement at site or manufacturers test reports.

9. Register for Approval of Samples

This record provides details of all the samples for construction materials that has been approved or rejected by the clients. Approvals from the client is necessary for the construction materials to be used before commencement of the project. All the samples approved by the clients need to be kept separately along with their tests reports with approvals of the clients and contractors till the completion of the work.

10. Records of Changes, Deviation Orders and Amendments

Many a times during the construction projects, there are deviations or changes or amendments to the contract documents and work activities from time to time during construction project as required by the clients. These changes can be in a drawing, specifications or additional works. A record of all such deviation orders and amendments to contract agreement together with their financial effect should be maintained along with approval or signatures from the clients. If these changes involves in any extension of time of the contract, these should also be recorded.

11. Measurement Books

The measurement book is a record for all the construction activities carried out and approved by the client. These records are important for a contractor to maintain and help during billing claims. Any extra work done is also recorded in this book with notes.

12. Labour Attendance Record and Daily Wages Sheet

Generally for labour contractor payments, daily or every shift attendance record is kept. Apart from the above, technical staff attendance, engineers, supervisors, and peon attendance register is kept.

13. Periodic Bills Record

Bills on work till date from the previous bill and work checked by engineer-in-charge put up for the payment.