8.7 Supervision and control

Supervisors and foremen are the key persons. They should ensure that the work runs smoothly in the field.

The bigger the workforce, the greater the need for supervision. One foreman is usually needed for ten to fifteen workers and one supervisor, usually a technician, has to be appointed for each worksite. The supervisor is responsible for organizing the workers, for giving clear instructions on the work to be done, for motivating and encouraging workers to perform well, and for controlling and correcting the work. The supervisor must know the methods and techniques used arid be able to demonstrate them.

The supervisor and/or the foremen should be responsible for controlling the quality of the work, the presence of the workers, instruction and training, the work achieved and the stock and maintenance of tools. The supervisor should also be responsible for checking that safety rules are kept, that working conditions are appropriate and that first aid equipment is available at the worksite. To effectively supervise the work, inspections have to be carried out on a regular basis at least once or twice a day. The work should be regularly checked and corrected. The better the control, the easier it is to correct problems when they are still minor.

To improve planning and coordination of the work, there must be regular feedback from the supervisors on the sites to the planners.

Supervision and control

Responsibility of the supervisor