Implementation of standard work in the construction industry

Abstract

Standard Work (SW) focuses on reducing variability and waste based on three conceptual elements: takt-time, work sequence, and work-in-process. Considering the importance of SW implementation in the Construction Industry, there is a need for adapting the conceptual elements due to differences between the production systems. This paper discusses the singularities of SW concepts adaptation in construction processes and proposes four implementation rules. A participatory case study was conducted aimed at the implementing SW in the construction of the reinforced concrete structure of a 26-floor residential building developed by a Brazilian construction company. This process is characterized by long cycle time, a great number of interrelated operations performed by workers with specialized skills who traditionally have autonomy in organizing their work. The singularities refer to the adaptation of the conceptual elements to the context investigated and resulted in four rules to implement SW in the construction industry: (a) define daily work packages as a control parameter due to the long takt- time; (b) focus the specifications of standard work sequences on the team, allowing space for autonomous decisions; (c) establish batches’ size prioritising the sharing of resources between work packages; and (d) define specifications for transporting and storing resources since there are constant modifications of the workstations.