The proper management of construction logistics can separate an on-budget, timely, and high-quality project from one that is regarded as a failure.
Construction logistics refer to the operations that need to occur in order to facilitate construction tasks and activities. Effective logistics create plans and workflows to coordinate what happens on a jobsite, by whom and when in order to ensure the successful completion of a project.
In this article, we will dive into construction logistics, including the basics, main categories, and best practices that you can apply to your projects.
The Basics of Construction Logistics
Managing construction logistics is about identifying and handling of anything and everything needed to keep the scope of work moving forward as smoothly as possible. There is a lot of work that needs to happen for work to be completed: Schedules need to be coordinated between teams, materials need to be bought and workflows need to be created.
In construction, logistics range from bird’s eye view considerations — such as sequencing tasks in the most effective way possible — to the littlest detail, such as installing a PPE guidelines around the jobsite so workers can always be reminded.
All phases of the construction process requires logistics throughout its lifecycle. Common categories include procuring and allocating resources, mitigating risk on a jobsite, managing tools and materials and communicating crucial information to project stakeholders.
Project superintendents take care of daily jobsite operations such as coordinating with subcontractors, supervising workers’ tasks and enforcing safety regulations at all times. Project managers (or PMs) handle a lot on the administrative side of logistics, including managing resources, acquiring permits, tracking expenditures and coordinating inspections.
Key Factors of Construction Project Logistics
There is a seemingly overwhelming list of things to consider when managing logistics in a construction project. However, there are common category types that logistics often fall into.
1. Construction Site Layout and Organization
Construction sites need to be set up and organized properly to ensure work can happen efficiently and safely. Each project site has its own set of constraints and limitations that need to be considered. Common layout and organization logistics in construction sites include the placement of and systems for the following:
- Equipment placement and storage
- Material storage and staging
- Waste disposal
- Break areas
- Signage
- Temporary structures (such as offices)
- Sanitation and bathrooms
- Site access points
- Ingress and egress
Permits usually determine what can and needs to be completed on a site. Permits often state when work should happen, how to establish a danger zone around the site perimeter, what type of inspections will be required, and any specific regulations, such as noise limitations.
PMs and CMs typically use preconstruction meetings to gather information that will inform the whole team of the site layout. This might include information about construction crew scheduling, staging of material, and a list of tools and equipment available. Site managers must coordinate an ample amount of storage for subcontractors’ equipment, usually done in large steel containers on site. In some projects, sites require the building of temporary structures, such as mobile offices or site trailers.
2. Building Material, Tools and Equipment Management
Required materials, tools, and equipment need to be stored, managed, kept in good shape, and scheduled to be available when it’s bound for usage. Proper resource management prevents damage, theft, and injury while also helping organize the project site. The plan for resource or inventory management should account for many considerations, including:
- Storage
- Deliveries
- Resource scheduling
- Inventory management
- Waste management
- Fueling stations
- Maintenance plans and areas
- Temporary utilities (such as water, electricity, and internet)
The inventory storage depends on many factors, like the size of the site, the nature of the project erected and its current stage in the construction process.
Coordinating and receiving timely deliveries is one of the most important parts of managing construction resources. GCs and CMs should communicate with team members to understand when resources are needed for activity while also communicating with suppliers to understand when resources will be available. Most GCs and CMs use a method called just-in-time (JIT) deliveries, a strategy that aligns plans for deliveries to be in sync with when they’ll be needed. This practice can save on costs related to transportation and storage while also reducing waste.
Effective inventory management requires extensive documentation, like recording delivery times, verifying if deliveries are correct, and tracking overall inventory. Daily logs and construction inventory management software are helpful tools for tracking what is on the job site, how it’s used, when is it located and any required maintenance that should be scheduled.
3. Transportation and Access
Construction managers need to have plans for how workers, equipment and building materials would revolve around the site, and who is able to access certain areas. Considerations for such include defining and managing the entrance and exit points, movement on the site, security, traffic, loading and unloading zones, parking, and walkways, and coordinating with local government units on any traffic flow changes or road closures.
In any construction transportation plan, the goal is to ensure vehicles, workers, and equipment are able to enter and exit the jobsite with minimal danger to anyone working, or simply anyone passing through the area. For many construction projects, getting into the site should connect directly to a road.
In some cases however, traffic might need to be slowed or detoured, which can require site managers to place signs, barriers, cones, and to hire flagging person to direct traffic.
There are some construction sites are not directly accessible from surrounding road. This is common in renovation and extension projects, where part of a project is under construction while the rest of the it is in use. In such cases, construction managers need to establish points to access the site that are not as invasive to the surrounding areas, infrastructures and neighbors. Doing this might require coordinating with the owners of a surrounding area and establishing systems that prevent wear and tear on these designated routes.
4. Accessing the Job Site
Determining who is able to access the job site generally depends on the location of the project and its nature. Many sites give stakeholders ID cards, badges, or keys that grant them exclusive access to the site or areas that are relevant to their work. Some job sites have specific requirements to grant access, such as a proof of vaccination or background check.
Some government projects require bidding contractors to get a facility security clearance, which is a determination made by the government body that a contractor is able to access classified information. For safety and security reasons, most construction managers prefer guests to never be without company while on site and require visitors to have a designated escort. Digital tools like biometrics can help manage who’s allowed on site and what documentation is needed.
5. Communication and Collaboration
Systems need to be laid out to ensure stakeholders are aware of plans, schedule changes, material schedules in construction, and any other important information. This might include a kickoff meeting, OAC meetings, signage, routine briefings, displays with schedules, and online tools that manage and organize communication between stakeholders.
Some GCs integrate pull planning, which is a collaborative form of backwards planning that involves key stakeholders into the planning phase and can increase communication and buy-in.
Many jobs establish numerous mediums for communication. However, certain systems are more effective and efficient when more people can submit queries and access documents on their own.
Construction crew management software, like Pro Crew Schedule, allows authorized team members to access any document, see activity schedule, monitor inventory, and many more. GCs or CMs usually manage and monitor communication in an digital software to ensure they are functioning and embracing collaboration. However, everyone on the project site must buy-in to participating and complying to the systems in order for them to work.
3 Tips for Managing Construction Logistics
Construction logistics requires a huge amount of adaptability, as new challenges constantly emerge throughout a project lifecycle. However, there are a few tips that usually help make coordinating logistics as efficient as possible:
1. Have a complete and updated set of construction drawings and specifications
Scheduling, budgeting and resource procurement are tough to do without a deep understanding of the project’s output goal. Making plans without having the complete set of updated drawings can lead to miscommunication, delays, and having to revise specifications. Construction crew management software allows anyone to access specific drawings and for drawings to be updated as needed.
2. Establish and monitor workflows.
Workflows in construction are processes for completing sets of tasks, actions or milestones in a project. Workflows standardize sequences of usual tasks so they can be reviewed, executed, streamlined and repeated from project to project. Doing this can increase a team’s adaptability, making planning quicker and saving money and time. Common construction workflows include estimating and bidding, RFIs, submittals, invoicing, change orders and inspections.
3. Build network and relationships.
Logistics require extensive collaboration with people beyond the job site, such as the neighbors in the surrounding area or municipal body. Making an intentional effort to have open communication to transparently convey information can deliberately build positive relationships and help improve the management of construction logistics, such as rerouting traffic or coordinating inspections.
