Constructing a building isn�t a one-man show. Construction is an extensively laborious job that involves hundreds of people, both on-site and off-site. It takes a massive team to make the building plan on paper a physical reality. While every individual involved in construction has a distinct role to play, a civil engineer has to be the most important of them all.
A civil engineer doesn�t just plan and design a building but also oversees the construction and maintenance from start till the end. The job of a civil engineer is one of the toughest jobs because a construction site is a hub of challenges and problems. Civil engineers have to tackle and find solutions to numerous challenges on a daily basis.
Let�s have a look at some of the biggest challenges a civil engineer may face on a construction site.
Safety Challenges
One of the biggest challenges a civil engineer has to face is to ensure their safety. The likelihood of accidents, both minor and major, is quite high at construction sites. Some accidents can lead to a civil engineer incurring major injuries and some may even lose their lives. A civil engineer has to take numerous precautionary measures in order to ensure that they stay safe and sound. Even the slightest negligence can cost a civil engineer their life!
Ensuring Compliance with Regulatory Bodies
A civil engineer leads all activities at a construction site. If anyone breaks any rules or fails to comply with the rules laid out by regulatory bodies, the civil engineer will be held accountable. This is one of the reasons why the job of a civil engineer is so tough. Like we said earlier, there are hundreds of people working at a construction site, and having everyone follow and comply with rules is quite a challenge. What makes it even more difficult is the fact that there are a different set of rules for different time intervals. For example, rules for those working at night hours would be different than the rules for those working the day shift.
Environmental Challenges
Like everything else, construction projects come with a timeline. The environment also presents numerous challenges for a civil engineer that makes it tough for the civil engineer to follow the timeline. Extreme weather conditions like rainfall, snow, and heatwave can halt construction because it�s just not possible to work under these conditions. Then there are natural disasters like earthquakes that can lead to construction sites shutting down as they�re at high risk of collapsing.
Managing Third-Party Contractors
Many third-party contractors are involved in a construction project. From electricians to plumbing contractors to painters to ram material vendors, a civil engineer has to manage everything. Managing third-party contractors isn�t easy. Since they�re on a contract, they don�t usually show the commitment that an on-site worker would show. Getting the work on your terms is definitely not easy!
The stress of staying true to the timeline and tackling all the challenges right when they present themselves is what makes the job of a civil engineer one of the toughest ones. So, the next time you see a building in awe, you�ll know just how much goes into making it.