| dc.description.abstract | This report gives an account of my involvement in the design and construction supervision of
residential apartments in Ssonde, Mukono district. The project, whose total cost was Uganda
shillings 845,520,800 (VAT inclusive), was implemented by Skyem Development Limited from
April 2020 to April 2021. Way forward Construction Company Limited was commissioned to
design and supervise construction works for this project. I was assigned as an assistant
civil/structural engineer and my roles included taking charge of site investigations, structural
designs, civil engineering input into bills of quantities and supervision of civil/structural works.
Broadly, the tasks on the project feed into the need to strictly guard the dented image of the civil
engineering industry in Uganda where reports abound of an infiltration by incompetent and
unscrupulous individuals and the resultant fatalities and losses associated with collapse of
buildings. In light of these realities, I undertook structural designs in accordance with principles
and application rules of BS EN 1992: Eurocode 2: Design of Concrete Structures, as well as
supervising its construction, ensuring testing of construction materials used on site for conformity
to the standards.
Although the project was met with some challenges, at all times necessary measures were instituted
to mitigate their toll on progress and quality of the works. Foremost among the challenges were
the disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted to control its spread:
downsizing of work teams to comply with social distancing; provision of immunity boosters for
all workers and treatment of three workers who contracted COVID in October 2020. Additionally,
the client was unwilling to duly test the construction materials and the contractor reluctant to
engage an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) officer on site. The project management team
however managed to convince the client to agree to test the concrete and I ensured that only the
materials which passed the visual inspections were used. I also successfully proposed to the
contractor to assign the site foreman an additional role of safety champion, in addition to holding
some toolbox meetings and introducing punitive measures for non-compliance to OSH.
Furthermore, together with other members of the consultant team, I advised the client on key
aspects of operation and maintenance of building parts namely: rainwater gutters, painted metal
surfaces, external painted surfaces, windows and burglar proofing, timber doors and cabinet shutters, as well as mechanical installations (plumbing and drainage works). Together with other
consultants, I inspected possible defects during and at the end of the six-month defects’ liability
period and ensured that the defects identified were remedied by the contractor.
Out of this experience, I drew three key lessons. Firstly, prior project planning and scheduling of
works is important to ensure timely and efficient delivery; secondly, it is important for all
stakeholders (Consultant team, Contractor and Client) to maintain regular communication to avoid
delays and potentially costly errors; and thirdly, clients need to be sensitized on the rationale of
engineering practices to enable them appreciate and comply with professional procedures. There
were also cross-cutting issues that needed emphasis including: ensuring both physical and
psychological OHS for workers; complying with the country’s gender strategy to ensure that the
contractor allows for equality at site; sensitizing workers and availing them with protective gear
against HIV/AIDs and other STDs needs to continue for construction sites as is the case for other
transient communities. | en_US |
