What’s a Field Superintendent?

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A field superintendent coordinates and supervises construction projects, manages subcontractors, orders supplies, and ensures compliance with safety regulations. A bachelor’s degree in engineering may be required. They liaise between the general contractor and subcontractors and oversee project timelines. They are responsible for ensuring safety compliance and must communicate effectively with all stakeholders.

A field superintendent is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the day-to-day work of a commercial construction project, such as building an apartment complex or adding a wing to a hospital. Usually employed by a general contractor, she works on site, supervising the activities of all subcontractors according to the overall plans for each project. In many cases you also have to manage the order and delivery of supplies and ensure compliance with all safety regulations. A field superintendent may be required to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related subject. Additionally, she must have strong communication and time management skills.

In most cases, a field superintendent is employed by a general contractor or firm responsible for the overall design and execution of a construction project. The general contractor usually hires smaller, more specialized firms, or subcontractors, such as plumbers and electricians to perform specific construction tasks. One of the primary duties of the field superintendent is to serve as an on-site liaison between the general contractor and his subcontractors. He oversees the work of all subcontractors, ensuring it meets all design and safety specifications and is completed in accordance with the project timeline.

Often, the field superintendent is responsible for ordering the materials needed to execute a project. He can coordinate material deliveries and arrange supplier payments. For larger projects, however, individual subcontractors can manage their own supply needs.

Since there is a high risk of accidents on most construction sites, the field superintendent has to look after the safety of everyone on his site. In the United States, he must ensure that each phase of an ongoing project complies with Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations. This can include anything from ensuring that all machine operators are authorized to notify workers of the presence of hazardous materials on its site.

While it may be possible for a construction employee to attain a field superintendent position over time, more and more contractors are requiring applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related subject. In addition to this requirement, a field superintendent must also be comfortable working in an environment that can be noisy and muddy. Finally, he must be able to communicate effectively with his employer, the building owner, his subcontractors and suppliers, and must be able to direct all work according to his project timeline.




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