Comprehensive Guide to Common “Digital Abbreviations” in Construction Sites

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This post was last edited by “Hasty Passerby” on September 12, 2018, at 08:12. A comprehensive list of commonly used “numeric abbreviations” in construction sites: In construction management, engineering documentation, and verbal communications, various construction techniques, procedures, methods, and control measures are often summarized concisely using “abbreviations starting with numbers”. But these “digital abbreviations” often make people forget what they refer to. It is now compiled as follows for reference by on-site workers. One-word summary: 1. One machine, one box, one switch, one leakage protector: This refers to the requirements regarding electrical safety for machines and equipment on site; each electrical device should have a dedicated switch box, which contains a disconnect switch (one switch) and a leakage protector. 2. One certificate and two reports: This means that the materials used in a project must come with an official factory certification of conformity, a material certification sheet, and a test report showing successful on-site inspection. 3. Dual responsibilities for one position: In construction projects, this refers to the fact that a specific job position entails two types of responsibilities, emphasizing the safety responsibilities associated with each position – namely, its regular job duties as well as its safety-related obligations. Two-word phrase 1: Two certificates refer to the ‘Qualification Certificate’ and the ‘Position Certificate’ that are essential for the main management and technical personnel on site. 2. Two don’ts and one must: In construction, the Ministry of Railways emphasizes the need to firmly uphold the principles of \"leaving no regrets, avoiding becoming a culprit, and building projects that will last forever.\" Three-word phrases 1. Three wastes: refer to \"wastewater, waste gas, and waste residue\" that need to be properly handled in environmental protection. 2. Three types of control: Refers to controls during the construction process: pre-control, in-process control, and post-control. The focus of quality control should be on preventive control in advance. It also refers to the three controls of \"quality, schedule, and cost\". 3. Three guarantees: refer to the general requirements for construction: ensuring quality, ensuring safety, and ensuring progress. 4. Three safeguards: refer to the use and installation of safety helmets, safety belts, and safety nets. 5. The three principles of openness, fairness, and impartiality: These refer to the three principles that guide assessment and evaluation processes. 6. Three orders: refer to the start work order, stop work order, and resumption work order issued by the chief supervisor after obtaining the owner’s approval. 7. Three parties: Refers to the “three parties” in the engineering construction management system: the project owner, the contractor, and the supervision unit. 8. Three comprehensives: refers to quality management that involves all employees, across all aspects, and throughout the entire process within the quality assurance system. 9. Three types of inspections: refer to self-inspection, mutual inspection, handover inspection, or special inspection during construction. 10. Three stages of work: During each construction phase, technical staff and quality inspection personnel should carry out technical briefings before work begins, provide supervision and inspection during the work, and conduct summaries and evaluations after the work is completed. 11. Three safety talks: Refers to the three safety discussions conducted during the construction process: before starting work, discussions on safety precautions are held ； During construction, emphasize the key points of safe operation ； After work, discuss today’s safety situation and lessons learned. 12. The three violations refer to the abbreviation for “illegal command, illegal operation, and violation of labor discipline.” 13. The three networks: namely the telecommunications network, the broadband network, and the television network. 14. Three types of electrical services: namely electricity, telecommunications, and radio and television facilities. 15. “Three Simultaneities”: This refers to the requirement that environmental protection and soil and water conservation measures in construction projects must be carried out concurrently with the main construction work; that is, they must be designed, constructed, and inspected/delivered at the same time. It must be done all at once, without leaving any problems behind. 16. Three processes: This refers to the requirements for workers during each stage of construction – they must check the previous process, ensure the quality of the current process, and support the next process. 17. Three-level verification: Refers to the requirement, in measurement work, for verification by different personnel who carry out the measurements, verification by the technical supervisor, and verification by the chief engineer. It also refers to the requirement, in on-site technical and quality control work, for review by the technical supervisor, review by the quality inspection engineer, and review by the supervision engineer. 18. The three principles of not harming: It refers to not harming oneself, not harming others, and not being harmed by others. See “Four No-Harms” below. 19. The Three Fixes system: refers to the system of \"designating specific persons for machinery, assigning specific machines, and defining responsibilities for each position\" in machinery management. 20. Three no’s for handover: Refers to the handover between construction stages – no handover without self-inspection records, no handover until approved by the quality inspection engineer, and no handover unless key areas have been signed off by the supervision engineer. 21. The three whens: Whenever there is a process, there is a standard; whenever there is a standard, there is an inspection; whenever there is an inspection, there is a conclusion. 22. Three-level power distribution: refers to the three levels of the power supply system, namely main distribution, distribution, and switch boxes. Safe electricity use requires three-level power distribution with protection at each level. 23. Three connections and one leveling: Conditions that must be met at the construction site before work begins: accessible roads, available water supply, accessible electricity, and a leveled site. If we talk about “five connections and one leveling”: communication (including the internet) and ventilation should be added ； If we talk about the “seven connections,” postal service and heating supply should be added as well. 24. Total Quality Management: refers to the requirements and methods of comprehensive quality management. That is, management that covers the entire process, involves all aspects of quality, and engages all employees, along with the comprehensive use of methods from business management, specialized techniques, and mathematical statistics. 25. Three pipes and four lines: Refers to the “three pipes” used in tunnel construction support work: ventilation pipes, high-pressure air pipes, and high-pressure water pipes ； “Four lines”: power line, lighting line, transport line, and communication line. 26. Three treasures, four openings, and five edges: refers to some of the items in on-site safety inspections. (1) “Three treasures”: refer to the use and installation of safety helmets, safety belts, and safety nets. (2) “Four types of openings”: refer to the protection at stair and elevator entrances, the protection of openings and pits, the protection at passageways, as well as the edge protection for balconies, floor slabs, and rooftops. (3) “Five edges”: refers to the safety protection facilities for the edges of the building façade, roof surface, balconies, lift shafts, and foundation pits of construction projects. 27. The three-standard or three-certificate system refers to a company’s quality management standard system, environmental standard system, and health and safety standard system; it is abbreviated as “three standards” within the company. Once the relevant certificates are obtained, it is also referred to as the three-certificate system or the integration of the three certificates. 28. Integration of three standards: refers to the unification of policies and objectives ； Integration of management functions ； Integration of system documents ； Process control coordination ； Performance monitoring synchronization ； Continuous improvement integration, abbreviated as “integration of the three standards”. 29. Integrated certification of the three standards: Simply put, it refers to the integrated certification of three management systems – quality (QMS), environment (EMS), and occupational health and safety (OHSAS). 30. Three-level safety education: Safety education at three levels—the company, the project management department, and the construction work teams. Level 1: Corporate level, covering the company’s overall policies and its security-related guidelines ； Level 2: Project department level, which covers the safety management systems of the project department ； Level 3: Team level, covering specific safety operating procedures and precautions for work. Generally speaking, the content at the team level is the most practical, as it is directly related to an individual’s safety. 31. Three-phase five-wire system: refers to a system in which the neutral point is directly grounded and equipped with a dedicated protective neutral wire (known as the TN-S neutral protection system). Three-phase electricity ； Add five wires: the three phase wires of three-phase power (wires A, B, C), and the neutral wire (wire N) ； And the ground wire (PE wire). 32. Three-step seven-step method: Refers to the three-step seven-step excavation method for tunnels in soil layers or unstable rock masses, or for tunnels with large cross-sections. It is based on the principle of excavating arc-shaped pilot tunnels while retaining the core soil; it involves three steps and seven excavation faces arranged in the upper, middle, and lower sections. The excavation and support work in these different areas are carried out in a staggered manner along the longitudinal direction of the tunnel. 33. Three stages, four sections, and eight procedures: refers to the division of stages and sections in subgrade filling, as well as the specific construction procedures. (1) “Three phases”: preparation phase, construction phase, and completion acceptance phase ； (2) “Four zones”: filling zone, leveling zone, rolling zone, inspection zone ； (3) “Eight-step process”: Construction preparation → Base treatment → Layered filling → Spreading and leveling → Watering or sun-drying → Rolling and compaction → Inspection and acceptance → Finishing and shaping. 34. Three advancements, four timely completions, and one reinforcement: refer to the key aspects that must be emphasized in tunnel construction. (1) “Three advancements”: refer to advance forecasting, reinforcement, and support ； (2) “Four in place”” ； Selection of construction methods, support measures, rapid sealing, and timely installation of lining ； (3) “One reinforcement”: Reinforce measurement ； Four-character phrase 1: “Four parties” refers to the four entities involved in project construction: the project owner, the design firm, the construction contractor, and the supervision agency. 2. Four electrical systems: refer to communication, signaling, power supply, and electrification projects in railway construction. 3. The four new elements refer to the new technologies, new processes, new equipment, and new materials that are actively promoted and applied in construction projects. 4. Four controls: refer to construction quality, safety, progress, and cost control. If we talk about the “five controls,” environmental protection control should be included. 5. Four Ones: A slogan proposed by construction and supervision companies for the sake of the company’s reputation and long-term interests – to build a project, create a monument, establish a positive image, and make friends (or foster new traditions along the way). 6. Four similarities: It means that for the acceptance of each batch of steel, it should consist of steel with the same grade, the same furnace number, the same specification, and the same condition at the time of delivery. 7. The four principles of not causing harm: Refers to not harming oneself, not harming others, not being harmed by others, and protecting others from being harmed. 8. The four principles of not letting anything go: These refer to the principles for handling safety or quality issues, as well as accidents: (1) Do not let it go until the true cause of the accident, that is, the origin point that led to it, has been identified ； (2) The person responsible for the error has not taken action, has not reflected deeply, has not learned from it, and will not be let off ； (3) Relevant parties and even all employees fail to gain education or learn from it; no such opportunity is missed ； (4) No practical measures have been established to prevent such accidents from occurring again; no effort will be spared. 9. Four ditches connected: Refers to the situation where the tunnel’s roof ditch, drainage ditch, side ditch, and blind ditch are all connected to each other. 10. Four standardizations: Refers to the four areas of standardization required in current railway construction projects: standardization of management systems, standardization of personnel allocation, standardization of on-site management, and standardization of process control. 11. Four phases and eight steps: refers to the total quality management process (the PDCA cycle approach). Such classification can make our way of thinking and work more organized, systematic, visual, and scientific. (1) “Four-stage” (PDCA): Plan, Do, Check, Action. (2) The “eight steps” represent the details of the four phases: identifying quality issues → analyzing influencing factors → identifying the main causes → formulating improvement measures → implementing these measures → evaluating their effectiveness → summarizing lessons learned → identifying unresolved issues, in order to proceed to the next PDCA cycle.