Classification of engineering quality accidents and corresponding handling methods

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Classification of engineering quality accidents and corresponding handling methods I. Characteristics and classification of engineering quality accidents According to current regulations in China, whenever the quality of a project is unsatisfactory, it is necessary to carry out repairs, reinforcement, or discard the project; any direct economic loss resulting from this that is less than 5,000 yuan is considered a quality issue with the project； An engineering quality accident is defined as one with direct economic losses of over 5,000 yuan. 1 Characteristics of engineering quality accidents ① Complexity: There are numerous factors that affect engineering quality, and the causes of quality accidents are complex. Even for the same type of quality accident, the causes can vary greatly and be quite different from each other. This increases the complexity and difficulty of analyzing quality incidents, determining their nature, causes, and progression, as well as identifying appropriate solutions and measures. ②Once a quality incident occurs in critical engineering projects, the impact is significant. In minor cases, it affects the smooth progress of construction, delays the project schedule, and increases construction costs. In severe cases, it leaves behind hidden hazards, resulting in a dangerous building that may lose its functionality or become unusable. In the worst scenarios, it can even lead to structural instability and collapse of the building, causing tremendous losses of life and property. ③Variability: After quality problems arise in many engineering projects, their quality status does not remain stable at the initial state in which they were detected; instead, it may continue to evolve and change over time. Therefore, some quality issues that are not serious at the initial stage may, if not addressed and corrected in a timely manner, develop into minor quality incidents. These minor incidents, in turn, may escalate into serious or major quality accidents. Therefore, when analyzing and addressing construction quality issues, it is essential to be mindful of the variability of such issues. Reliable measures should be taken promptly to prevent them from worsening and leading to quality accidents ； Or enhance observations and experiments to collect data and predict future trends. ④Quality accidents in multiple construction projects often occur frequently in certain parts of the works. Therefore, it is essential to summarize experience, draw lessons, and take effective measures for prevention. 2 Classification of engineering quality accidents. There are various methods for classifying construction project quality accidents; they can be classified based on the severity of the losses caused, on their underlying causes, or according to the consequences resulting from them or the responsibilities involved in such accidents. **Currently, engineering quality is generally classified according to the severity of the resulting losses, with the basic categories as follows: 1. Minor quality incidents: Those that meet one of the following conditions are considered minor quality incidents. 1) The direct economic loss is 5,000 yuan (including 5,000 yuan) or more, but less than 50,000 yuan ； 2) Those that affect the functional use or the safety of the structural design, resulting in permanent quality defects. 2. Serious quality accidents: An accident is considered a serious quality accident if it meets one of the following conditions. 1) Direct economic losses are 50,000 yuan or more (including 50,000 yuan), but less than 100,000 yuan ； 2) Seriously affects the functionality or structural safety of the project; poses significant quality risks ； 3) The nature of the accident is severe, or it results in serious injuries to 2 people or fewer. 3. Major quality accidents: Any incident that meets one of the following conditions is considered a major quality accident and falls under the category of major accidents in construction projects. 1) Structural collapse or scrapping ； 2) Death or serious injury to 3 or more persons as a result of a quality accident ； 3) Direct economic losses of over 100,000 yuan. According to the regulations set by the construction administration authorities, major construction accidents are classified into four levels. Major quality accidents that occur after the project is put into use as a result of poor project quality caused by mistakes in surveying, design, supervision, construction, etc., or due to the project quality not meeting the required standards and thus requiring reinforcement, rework, or disposal, resulting in direct economic losses of over 100,000 yuan. In addition, due to construction safety issues—such as the collapse of scaffolding and platforms, overturning of machinery, electric shocks, fires, etc.—major accidents occur in construction projects. Serious accidents in construction projects are classified into the following four levels: 1) Those resulting in 30 or more deaths or direct economic losses exceeding 3 million yuan are classified as Level 1 ； 2) It is classified as Level 2 if it results in 10 to 29 deaths, or causes direct economic losses of over 1 million yuan but less than 3 million yuan ； 3) Cases resulting in 3 to 9 deaths, or 20 or more serious injuries, or direct economic losses of 300,000 yuan or more but less than 1 million yuan are classified as Level 3 ； 4) Level 4 applies when there are 2 or fewer deaths, or 3 to 19 persons suffering serious injuries, or when the direct economic loss amounts to 100,000 yuan or more but less than 300,000 yuan. 4. Extraordinarily serious accidents: Any accident that meets one of the criteria specified in the Interim Provisions on the Procedures for Investigating Extraordinarily Serious Accidents issued by the State Council – namely, 30 or more deaths in a single incident, direct economic losses of 5 million yuan or more, or other circumstances of particularly severe nature – is considered an extraordinarily serious accident. II. Bases for Handling Engineering Quality Incidents There are four main aspects that serve as the basis for handling engineering quality incidents: factual information regarding the quality incident ； Regarding contracts and contract documents ； Relevant technical documents and archives ； Relevant construction regulations. The first three are bases with specific characteristics that are closely related to particular engineering projects, while the fourth is a regulatory basis, which is a source of authority with high level of binding force, universality, and applicability. The actual information regarding quality accidents includes the following aspects: (1) The content of a quality accident report should include: the time and location where the quality accident occurred ； Description of the quality accident situation, such as the type of accident that occurred, the location where it happened, the condition and extent of the affected area, and the severity of the incident ； Situations where quality accidents change ； Observation records of quality incidents, as well as photos or videos of the condition at the incident site. ⑵First-hand information obtained through investigations and research. ⑶ Relevant technical documents and archives ⑷ Relevant design documents as well as technical documents, archives, and materials related to construction. ⑸Relevant construction regulations⑹ The following categories related to project quality and the handling of quality incidents: regulations concerning the qualification management of entities involved in surveying, design, construction, supervision, etc ； Regulations regarding the management of practitioners’ qualifications ； Regulations regarding the construction market ； Regulations regarding construction work ； Regulations regarding standardized management. III. Procedures for Handling Engineering Quality Incidents
After an engineering quality incident occurs, the incident handling and investigation team under the project management department follows these procedures: immediately halt construction at the site of the quality defect as well as in related areas and in subsequent work processes. The relevant work areas are required to take necessary measures to prevent the incident from worsening and to protect the scene. At the same time, it must be promptly reported to the relevant authorities by category and level, along with a written report to be prepared within 24 hours. A quality accident report should include the following main contents: 1. The name of the unit where the accident occurred, the name of the project, the location, the time, and the place ； 2. Overview of the accident and preliminary estimate of direct losses ； 3. Preliminary analysis of the cause of the accident ； 4. Measures taken after the accident ； 5. Various relevant materials (if available) ； In the event of a major quality incident, cooperate with the supervision unit to follow the procedures outlined below: http://img.civilcn.com/d/file/zhishi/gcgl/2019-02-12/b9c4fdc012c4b1d9229c0e006e791e1b.jpg IV. Methods for dealing with engineering quality issues During the construction of various projects or after they are completed, if any non-conforming elements or quality issues are detected, they should be addressed in accordance with their nature and severity using the following methods: 1. When quality issues arising from construction are still in their incipient stage, they must be stopped immediately. The construction party should promptly replace defective materials, equipment, or unqualified personnel, or change the incorrect construction methods and procedures ； 2. When quality issues arise as a result of construction, the responsible area shall immediately take action to address these issues and implement effective measures to ensure construction quality. 3. When non-conformities are identified after the completion of a certain process or sub-project, the responsible area shall be organized to take timely remedial actions for correction. 4. In the warranty period following delivery and commissioning, if construction quality issues are detected, organize and guide the affected area to carry out timely remedial actions, reinforcement, or rework. Description of the basic processing procedure ； Investigation and verification details, including relevant data from the investigation ； Results of root cause analysis ； Basis for handling ； Approved quality issue resolution plan ； Relevant original data, acceptance records, and documents during the implementation process ； Inspection, evaluation of the processing results, and acceptance conclusions ； Conclusions on quality issue handling. 5. After receiving the technical treatment recommendations put forward by the quality accident investigation team, the Quality and Safety Department organizes the relevant work areas to conduct discussions, assigns them the task of developing technical treatment plans, and reviews and approves these plans. 6. After the technical treatment plan is approved, the Safety and Quality Department shall require the work area where the accident occurred to develop a detailed construction plan. For the technical handling of quality issues in the project, the supervision engineer shall oversee the construction quality; key parts and critical processes during the technical treatment process should be monitored on-site, and inspections and approvals should be carried out in conjunction with relevant parties such as the design team and the safety and quality departments of the BT project command team. 7. After the self-inspection upon completion of the work area where the accident occurred, submit the inspection results for review; organize relevant parties to conduct inspections and acceptance, and if necessary, carry out evaluations of the handling outcomes. Compile quality accident handling reports and archive relevant technical documents. The main contents of the report on the handling of engineering quality accidents are as follows: ① Details of the engineering quality accident, investigation findings, and cause analysis (selected from the quality accident investigation report) ； ②Basis for handling quality incidents ； ③Technical handling plan for quality accidents ； ④Addressing issues and managing relevant documentation during technical treatment construction ； ⑤ Inspection, evaluation, and acceptance of the processing results ； ⑥Conclusion on the handling of the quality incident 8: In accordance with the ‘Order to Resume Work’ issued by the supervision engineer, it is required that normal construction activities be resumed in the area where the incident occurred.