Loss of Labor Productivity due to Delivery Methods and Weather

Abstract

This paper describes three structural steel erection projects that used different methods of delivering the structural steel members. Two projects scheduled daily deliveries. On one project, steel was erected directly from the truck. On the second project, steel was off-loaded, sorted, and then erected. On the third project, three bulk deliveries of steel were made. The steel was stored wherever space was available, and sorting was done as the steel was erected. The differences in labor productivity are quantified using the multiple regression technique. The analysis shows that the most efficient delivery method is to erect the steel directly from the truck. Double-handling, as was done on the second project, resulted in a loss of productivity of about 9%. Indiscriminate deliveries resulted in a loss of productivity of about 16%. The effects of weather are also quantified. Significant losses of productivity occurred because of snow (41%) and cold temperatures (32%).