Trimmed and clean construction site means fewer accidents

from the Outside looks like the huge construction site at DTU is an ordinary construction site.

But inside, behind the great red walls is almost clinically clean. There is not a single screw and flowing, and all floors of the building are swept so clean, even our dear queen could stay here without getting nøkker.

It garbage, that is now a walk is swept along in small piles, are daily transported away in one of the over a hundred bins, which are scattered around the square.

But how the hell you hold a over 50,000 sqm of construction site so clean? The answer is, according to the project manager on the square, Sebastian Aagaard, simple: planning, planning and re-planning.

Sebastian Aagaard has worked for many years with ledelsesfilosofien Lean and is the holder of byggerådgivnings company, Sebcom, which specializes in advising and managing the many processes on a construction site.

DTU hired him to manage the project, where DTU Aqua, DTU Fødevareinstitut and DTU Veterinærinstitut added together, and they desired that the project should be managed with the basic principles of Lean in order to avoid delays and accidents.

- We use all the basic principles, but uses some slightly different tools. For example, in the form of a very detailed gantt maps, as we are doing in collaboration with the presidents. On the gantt-chart is plotted the next four weeks of activities, and each professional group has their own post-it color as well as column, so it is uncluttered, tells Sebastian Aagaard.

Sebastian and the rest of the slænget in the gray skurvogne, also known as the ’command center’ call byggestyringen of the ’trimit’, and the six letters characterize very appropriately, the green door to the meeting room, where the many schedules, floor plans, and post-its continuously put up and take down.

Photo: Philip Reseke

With the schedule by the painter, when the rooms can be painted, and the the carpenter when he is in peace and can put drywall up. When the activities are finished, crossing the craftsmen even today's activity on the board. In practice, the craftsmen and the management of the square is also an app, Dalux, which gives an overview of the status of the day's work and 3D floor plans at your fingertips.

’Trimit’model helps the builders to avoid that run around on top of each other, but in fact, the main effect of a lean and clean site, that there are fewer accidents, because it means the builders have place and overview of the workspace.

- We have significantly fewer accidents than the average, and at the same time, we do the job right in the first place, so that we can avoid having to spend time on duplication of work.

Also less håndværkerslæng can get pleasure from to ’trim’ the working day. Try the seven assumptions, and see if it works. Maybe you do also to hear on the apprentice's hernia over not being able to find the right screws in the firmavognen.

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With Lean you will be as effective as a Formula 1 team

In 1980, it took 22 seconds to switch the wheels on a Formula 1 race car – today, it takes 2-3 seconds. How? Because the process has been 'trimmed' or more 'lean', as it is called in English. The concept goes back to Toyota's production in Japan, where you had to optimize all processes in order to compete with the big american car manufacturers like Ford.

And even if the artisans do not stand at an assembly line and assembles automotive parts, Lean is still a philosophy, as all the artisans can enjoy and benefit from.

Planning is a keyword
In the construction industry working mainly within a restricted field of Lean.

Lean is about eliminating waste, and working with in the construction industry from three main areas of focus: transformation, flow and value creation, says assistant professor Søren Munch Christensen at Aalborg University, which has a ph of.d. in Lean construction.

the Transformation is, that the tasks performed at the construction site, shall be as good and effective as possible. By the flow of thought is the resource – that is to say the coordination of material, manpower and so on. Last trades value creation to meet the client's or the client's wishes in relation to the economy, the timing and quality of construction.

Planning is therefore the alpha and omega of the Lean. Companies that work with Lean, working with an expanded schedule, planning six weeks ahead.

- Many Lean-construction companies use something called the 'Last Planner'. The coupler is a preparation process of a traditional schedule, so there is plenty of time to get a handle on the materials, manpower and equipment, to ensure that the planned tasks can be carried out, says Søren Munch Christensen.

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Good advice to 'trim' your working day

You've probably even experienced being frustrated over not being able to find the 15 mm screws. In that case you should check the Lean-expert's great advice to trim your working out.

– Organize your tools and materials, so you can find what you need.

Materials should be close to, but not get in the way.

– Clean the tool and construction site for an overview and fewer injuries.

– Create a fixed pattern of work – it increases the production.

– Take advantage of the working time and keep your appointments.

– With colleagues, suppliers, byggeherre and other artisans in the square.