Title:
Who is Responsible on the Construction Site?
Author(s):
Norman Scott
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
24
Issue:
5
Appears on pages(s):
53-58
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
5/1/2002
Abstract:
When it comes to assigning to certain parties the obligation for performing or producing the proper results in construction, the term “responsibility” tends to be a dreaded word. Engineers and architects often do not want to mention the subject or they skirt the issues associated with it. Contractors discuss it frequently, but usually in the context of it being someone else’s problem. Subcontractors and material suppliers can become paranoid about the subject because, being at the bottom of the money-authority food chain, they often end up getting stuck with it, whether it’s justified or not. Sad to say, many in the design-bid-construct linkage are skilled at avoiding responsibility. When the two roles—authority and responsibility—are rightly balanced and properly communicated, almost all related issues are much easier to resolve.