Common Causes of Downtime on Construction Sites

Lake Oconee Boomers

Common Causes of Downtime on Construction Sites

Downtime: it’s the enemy of productivity and can have negative impacts on client relations, employee morale, project timelines, and workflow. In an industry where everyone must adhere to tight project timelines, reducing downtime as much as possible is crucial for success. To minimize or even eliminate downtime, you need to recognize its main causes. Below, we will address some of the most common causes of downtime on construction sites.

Equipment Malfunctions

If there is a malfunction with a crucial piece of construction equipment, the entire project could get put on hold. To prevent equipment malfunctions from throwing a wrench into your project, you must take precautionary measures. Inspect equipment after each use for potential issues, stick to a regular maintenance timeline, and train all employees on proper equipment use. If you work with machines that have tires, switching from pneumatic to solid cushion tires can eliminate the potential for flats and blowouts.

Weather Delays

Another one of the most common causes of downtime on construction sites is weather. Often, inclement weather like rainstorms or significant amounts of snowfall can put construction work on hold until it clears up. While you can’t control the weather, you can consider modifying your equipment.

If you have machines that can’t drive across soft, wet surfaces during or after rainfall, think about investing in over-the-tire tracks. You can easily attach and remove these tracks from your machine so it can operate in wet conditions when the weather demands.

Poor Management

The safety and productivity of construction sites depend on good management. If management is disorganized and does not facilitate good communication, accidents and setbacks can occur. To create a production site with minimal delays, management must ensure that their team feels comfortable to ask questions about the project, bring up concerns, and discuss potential options other than the original plan. During all discussions about the project, all team members should be present to avoid miscommunications.