Steel Erection Best Practice For Pre-Planning/Pre-Job Meeting

Pre-Planning/Pre-Job Meeting

1. Know the responsibilities of all players involved in project. (Project Pre – Planning)
2. Have Site Specific Erection Plan completed before (Pre – Job Meeting)
3. Get all concerns on table to help eliminate issues once project starts.

Project Pre-Planning

In the Pre-Planning meeting you must consider the structure’s design and constructability as well as the application of various fall protection systems.

Project pre-planning is the responsibility of the:

• Prime Contractor
• Design Engineer
• Project Owner/Manager
• Steel Erector
• Steel Fabricator

Prime Contractor’s Responsibility

Before erection starts, the prime contractor must provide the following information and communicate it to the steel erector:

• Minimum strength of concrete footings, piers, walls, and masonry that the concrete has attained based on appropriate OSHA standard test method of field-cured sample. Concrete compressive strength must be a minimum 75% of the intended compressive strength to support loads imposed during steel erection.
• Notice of any repair, replacement, or modifications of the anchor bolts for a column (required before the column is erected) as well as documentation to confirm that the changes were done in accordance with OSHA standards.
• Site Layout verifications.

The prime contractor must also provide and maintain:

• An overall project schedule that includes coordinating the various building trades.
• Adequate access roads into and through the site for the safe delivery and movement of equipment and workers.
• A firm, properly graded, drained area that is readily accessible to the workers and with adequate space for the safe storage of materials and the safe operation of the steel erection equipment.

Design Engineer’s Responsibility

The design engineer is responsible for:

• Ensuring that the structural design and integrity is consistent with the structure’s intended use and that the structure can be erected safely.
• The foundation supporting the structure.
• Considering the safety of both workers and the public.
• Considering the site-specific soil and atmospheric conditions.
• Ensuring that a minimum of 4 anchor bolts are on each main structural column.

Project Owner/Managers Responsibility

• The owner/project manager is:
• A key player in the overall shared responsibility of public and workers safety.
• Responsible for ensuring that all organizations involved in any erection project are fulfilling their safety responsibilities.

 Steel Erectors Responsibility

The steel erector is responsible for:

• Ensuring workers are adequately qualified, suitably trained, and with sufficient experience to safely perform the assigned work.
• Informing the prime contractor about access needs to the site and specific work areas.
• Pre-planning work activities to ensure that workers are not required to work under unsafe or suspended loads. If workers must work beneath a load (E.G. , connectors), they must be informed about the danger.It is best practise to not allow any work to be performed below erection.
• Developing site-specific work instructions and procedures that identify access and area needs.
• Ensuring that requirements for moving loads over working areas are met. The steel erector and crane operator must comply with the general and specific requirements of lifting and handling loads.
• Ensuring the prime contractor has provided a report verifying concrete strength.

Steel Fabricator Responsibility

• The steel fabricator is responsible for:
• Providing detailed connection information to ensure that the structure can be safely erected.
• Providing, where required, safety attachments or anchor points as outlined in project specification/design documents.

Project Pre-Job Meeting

The pre-job meeting is when all the players come together and get on the same page and go over safety, scheduled, delivery dates,  site specific erection plan, it usually will take place 2 to 3 weeks before projected start date.

Parties Involved:

• Steel Erector
• General Contractor
• Project Safety Coordinator
• Project Manager
• Erection Foreman
• Fabricator

Typical Topics To Be Discussed From The GC Side
Many of the GC questions will be answered in the site specific erection plan, that should be completed before and presented at this meeting.

• Safety
• Who is Competent Person for Erector
• Fall Protection
• Erectors Company Safety Plan
• Training Documents for: – Fall Protection – Forklift – Aerial Lifts – Scissor Lifts – Rigging
• The Project Safety Coordinator will talk and say what there expectations for safety are as well as go over site rules.
• MSDS Sheets
• Welding Certs
• Schedule
• Delivery’s
• Man Power
• Work Hours
• Crane that will be used
• Crane Inspections
• How many different locations will the crane have and where are they?
• What is the path for overhead loads?
• How will other trades be notified of overhead loads?

 Topics To Be Brought Up By Erector 

It is in the Erectors best interest to get all his concerns on the table in the Pre-Job meeting. There are several things that continually hurt erectors and cause them to lose money on projects they will be listed in the topics. You can find more detail on the issues in (1.9 Pitfalls Erectors Face)

• Site Specific Erection Plan
• Has concrete reached 75% of sufficient strength?
• Need Proof of Strength – ASTM test method results – Engineer verification
• Were anchor bolts repaired, replaced or modified?
• Erector needs notified in writing if they have been.
• Need Notification of Commencement for Steel Erection.
• Is laydown area firm, properly graded, well drained and accessible?
• Has controlling contractor provided adequate access to site?
• Are all foundations in place for continuous erection?
• Stress the importance of continuous erection.
• How will activities be coordinated with other trades?
• Has the anchor bolts been surveyed for correctness?
• Has one anchor bolt at each column been shot into grade?
• Who is the contact person for lines, grades and elevations?
• Are the roof opening dimensions established and on a plan?
• Is there any underground tunnels or utility’s on project to be concerned about for placing down outriggers on crane?
• If traffic or pedestrian control is needed how will it be handled and by who?
• Inclement weather what is the plan for it?

Topics Regarding Steel Deliveries:

(these topics assume Erector is not working for Fabricator, if Erector is working for Fabricator these topics would be discussed between the two parties and not in Pre-Job Meeting)

• Are steel delivery’s set to be on time?
• Has the sequences been confirmed and dates of shipping confirmed?
• Do we have field use erection drawings?
• Are stairs going to be on site to be erected as building goes up or before the deck goes down so we can hang with crane.
• Confirm erection bolts will be on first truck.
• What is the process in the event of mis-fabrication?
• Are Stairs on track to be on site to hang as steel goes up.

Steel Estimating Solutions

Vince Hughes

505-249-2390

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