Quality Management
Build quality in, then verify it
Quality management separates quality assurance (QA) from quality control (QC). QA is the planned system: procedures, checklists, training, mock-ups, and audits that make the work right the first time. QC is the inspection and testing that verifies the product. An inspection and test plan (ITP) lists what will be inspected, by whom, against which standard, and at which hold or witness points. A hold point stops work until the authority inspects and releases it; a witness point allows work to proceed but requires notification.
Traps: treating inspection as a substitute for planning, proceeding past a hold point, accepting verbal approval, closing a nonconformance report (NCR) without verifying the fix, and confusing 'meets minimum' with 'fit for purpose'. Record as-built conditions, test results, and warranties for turnover.
Worked example: 28-day concrete cylinder results fall below the specified strength. Do not simply pour the next lift. Raise an NCR, review batching and curing records, arrange cores or non-destructive testing, and obtain the designer's disposition before acceptance. Rule of thumb: quality is planned and built in; inspection only confirms it.
Use plan-do-check-act (PDCA) for continuous improvement. Track rework cost and root causes, not just the number of NCRs.