What is technical disclosure? How to pay?

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Technical briefing is a highly important technical management task for construction companies. Its purpose is to enable the technicians and workers involved in the installation work to become familiar with and understand the characteristics of the project they are working on, its design intentions, technical requirements, construction methods, as well as the issues that need attention. Given the inherent complexities, continuity, and variability of installation project construction, installation companies at all levels must strictly implement a responsibility system for technical briefings, and strengthen construction quality inspection, supervision, and management in order to improve construction quality. I. Tasks and objectives of technical instructions: In the process of transforming construction blueprints into actual physical structures, it is essential, within the framework of project organization and management, that every technical professional involved in the construction work understands the specific conditions under which the work will be carried out, the organizational aspects of construction, the detailed technical requirements, as well as the key technical measures that need to be implemented. It is also important to have a comprehensive understanding of the entire construction process and of the critical areas involved, so that the quality of the construction meets the standards set by the construction acceptance regulations. For every worker involved in the construction work, technical briefings enable them to understand the specific tasks related to the particular sections of work they are responsible for, as well as the methods of operation, construction techniques, quality standards, and safety precautions. This ensures that workers know exactly what is expected of them. Through such briefings, it becomes clear how different roles should coordinate with each other and how tasks should be handed over smoothly, thereby facilitating orderly construction, reducing various quality issues, and improving the overall quality of the work. Therefore, when carrying out a construction project, it is necessary to provide technical briefings with different focuses and levels of technical detail to the personnel at various levels involved in the work. Especially for key projects, critical parts of projects, special projects, as well as those involving the adoption and application of new technologies, new processes, new materials, and new structures, it is even more necessary to provide comprehensive, clearly focused, and detailed technical instructions during the technical briefing. II. Classification of technical briefings: Generally, technical briefings are conducted among construction personnel at different levels, based on factors such as the difficulty level of the construction work, the scale of the installation project, and the complexity of the structure ； The content and depth of the technical instructions also vary. 1. Design briefing. The design agency carries out the engineering design in accordance with the **basic construction policies and guidelines as well as relevant design standards. After approval by the local construction committee and relevant departments, the designers provide technical instructions to the construction team regarding the design intent, drawing requirements, technical specifications, construction precautions, and special requirements for key areas. 2. The chief engineer or principal engineer of the construction unit provides technical instructions on the implementation of the construction plan to the person in charge of the construction team or work area. 3. The construction team leader or the person in charge of the construction site (project manager) provides technical instructions to the persons in charge of individual construction units, quality inspectors, safety officers, and other relevant staff members. 4. The person in charge of the unit project or the chief technical engineer provides technical briefings to all shift supervisors and workers of various trades. III. Requirements and contents of technical instructions for installation project construction l. Requirements for technical instructions ⑴ The technical instructions for project construction must comply with the relevant provisions of the installation project construction and acceptance specifications, technical operation procedures (process standards for individual tasks), and quality inspection and evaluation standards. At the same time, it must also comply with the relevant regulations and guidelines established by various industries, as well as the specific local policies and laws of the province (region/municipality) where it is located. ⑵ Technical instructions for construction work must comply with **all technical standards, including units of measurement and names. Some construction companies also establish internal standards, such as construction process standards for specific installation tasks and construction management standards, etc. These corporate standards should be strictly implemented during technical briefings. ⑶ The technical instructions must also meet all the technical requirements specified in the design and construction drawings. In particular, when the technical requirements and standards outlined in the drawings are higher than those specified in the relevant construction and acceptance codes, more detailed instructions and explanations must be provided. ⑷ It shall conform to and reflect the intentions and specific requirements outlined in the technical instructions provided by the higher-level technical leader. ⑸ All requirements of the construction organization plan or construction scheme must be met and implemented, including technical measures and construction schedules. ⑹ For construction workers at different levels, the depth and level of technical instructions vary; in other words, the content of these instructions as well as the way in which they are presented must be tailored to each group of workers. ⑺ The technical instructions should be comprehensive and clear, highlighting the key points ； It should be clearly explained how to proceed, what standards must be followed, what the technical requirements are, and construction methods, quality standards, and safety precautions should all be specified in detail without any ambiguity. ⑻ New technologies, new processes, and new materials used in construction should be explained in detail, along with specific instructions on how to create sample rooms and other related matters. 2. Contents of construction technical instructions 2.1 The technical instructions provided by the chief engineer or senior engineer of the construction company to the team leaders or supervisors in the construction area should cover the following main aspects: ① Overview of the project and various technical and economic parameters and requirements ； ② Main construction methods, key construction techniques, and problems encountered during implementation ； ③ Technical treatment details and precautions for special engineering sections ； ④ Construction technical requirements, implementation plans, and precautions for new technologies, new processes, new materials, etc ； ⑤ Construction organization design: network plan, schedule requirements, construction layout, construction machinery, labor arrangement and organization ； ⑥ The cooperative relationship between the main contractor and subcontractors, as well as between the civil engineering work and the installation work, and the handling of related issues ； ⑦ Adhere to construction quality standards and safety techniques, and make use of standardized work methods such as those promoted by the organization wherever possible. 2.2 The technical supervisor of the construction team shall provide technical instructions to the person in charge of the specific project, quality inspectors, and safety officers, covering the following aspects: ① Project overview, as well as local topography, geomorphology, engineering geology, and various technical and economic parameters ； ② Specific requirements, implementation methods, and construction difficulties of the design drawings ； ③ The specific requirements for the construction organization design or construction plan, as well as the steps and methods for its implementation ； ④ What are the specific practices during construction, what process standards are used, and which construction methods employed by this company? ； Key areas and potential problems encountered during implementation along with solutions ； ⑤ Construction schedule requirements, sequence of tasks, construction planning, and assignment of tasks to construction teams ； ⑥ Issues related to the main types and quantities of construction machinery used in the construction, as well as their arrival dates and the scheduling of operational procedures ； ⑦ Operating procedures, technical specifications, and precautions related to new processes, new structures, and new materials ； ⑧ Construction quality standards, specific safety measures, and precautions. 2.3 The content of the technical instructions provided by the person in charge of a particular construction project or the chief technical engineer to the team leaders and workers of various trades should include the following aspects: ① Clarifying the specific technical requirements for each sub-project that is to be constructed by a particular team, as well as the construction process standards or internal company procedures to be followed ； ② Construction quality standards for various sub-projects and elements ； ③ Prevention measures for common quality problems and precautions ； ④ Explanation of construction safety measures, as well as an overview of the safety accidents that have occurred in similar projects in the past and the specific safety strategies that should be adopted. IV. Methods for Implementing Technical Instructions for Construction Projects The methods for providing technical instructions during construction generally include the following: 1. Meeting-based instruction The chief engineer or senior engineer of the construction company provides technical instructions to the team leaders or supervisors in the construction areas; this is usually done through technical meetings, with the company’s chief engineer or senior engineer serving as the chairperson. Participants in such meetings include representatives from the company’s technical, safety, and quality control departments, as well as team leaders, deputy team leaders, and engineers specializing in various fields. Thoroughly prepare the technical briefing materials in advance, and conduct technical presentations and briefings during meetings. A special presentation is given on the construction organization plan or construction scheme for the project, along with specific methods and requirements for implementation. The technical department then provides detailed explanations of the key aspects of the construction scheme and sets specific requirements (including those regarding construction progress). The quality control and safety departments offer detailed information on construction quality and technical safety measures. The technical deputy leader of the construction team and the engineers in various specialties put forward specific requirements regarding issues that were not clear in the technical instructions or posed significant difficulties during implementation, including matters related to the construction site, construction machinery, construction schedule, construction plan, division of construction phases, labor allocation, and construction techniques. The meeting should address technical issues one by one and make the necessary arrangements. 2. Written instructions: The technical supervisor of the unit shall provide technical instructions to the team leaders and workers involved in the work. It is important to use written forms for these instructions, not only because written technical documentation is an essential part of the construction technical records and should be archived after the construction is completed, but also because it serves as an important means of clarifying technical responsibilities. Especially in the event of serious quality issues, it acts as a key indicator for identifying those who are technically responsible. The person in charge of each unit project, based on the construction organization design or construction plan for that project, as well as the technical instructions provided by superior technical authorities, must, in accordance with the relevant technical provisions, quality standards, and safety requirements stipulated in construction and acceptance specifications and regulations, as well as the company’s own construction methods and operating procedures, take into account the specific circumstances of the project. For each sub-project, they should refer to the corresponding process standards and prepare detailed written technical instructions. These instructions should be prepared in multiple copies (usually five copies) and then communicated to the worker teams. After receiving the instructions, the team leader should sign the instruction record. Two copies are handed over to the work crew for implementation, one is stored in the site’s technical archives, and one is kept by the technical personnel. After receiving the technical instructions, the team leader must organize all team members to study and discuss them carefully, so as to clarify the process flow and key points of construction operations, the requirements for task handover, quality standards, technical measures, methods for protecting finished products, ways to prevent common quality issues, as well as safety precautions. Subsequently, based on the project schedule requirements and the team’s labor force and technical capabilities, responsibilities should be assigned within the team, along with clear guidelines for cooperation, in order to develop a plan that ensures the successful completion of all tasks. In the absence of technical instructions and clear construction intentions, with only design drawings and construction procedure sheets provided, team leaders or workers can refuse to start working, as this does not conform to the normal procedures for construction work. 3. Demonstration using samples during construction: When new technologies, new processes, or new materials are used for the first time, and as a precautionary measure, the method of demonstrating through samples can also be employed for certain sub-projects within installation work. The so-called sample demonstration involves, in accordance with the technical requirements and specific methods outlined in the design drawings, and by referring to similar construction techniques as well as experience gained from site visits, creating a sample that meets excellent quality standards on a particular physical structure, process, or sample within the installation project. This is done by experienced workers with high technical skills within the company, so that it can serve as a model for other workers to learn from. It helps these workers understand the characteristics, properties, and differences of new technologies, processes, and materials used throughout the construction process, as well as enabling them to master the necessary operational techniques and become familiar with the steps involved in the construction process and the relevant quality standards. Since this kind of explanation is relatively intuitive and easy to understand, it yields good results. 4. Technical instructions for positions: The construction of a particular project consists of various tasks and operations carried out by different workers and positions. Only by ensuring the quality of the work performed by these various positions can the quality of the installation work be guaranteed. Some construction companies establish responsibility systems for workers’ job positions and create operation procedure sheets; based on the specific conditions at the construction site, they provide written instructions to workers regarding their duties at all times, outlining specific requirements for carrying out the work, including those related to safe operations. V. Issues to be noted in the technical briefing for construction project installation 1. The technical briefing must strictly comply with construction and acceptance standards and regulations; the requirements specified in these standards and regulations, especially the quality standards, must not be altered or omitted arbitrarily. The technical instructions must also meet the requirements specified in the construction organization plan. It is necessary to comprehend and understand the technical requirements set out in previous technical documents such as those providing higher-level instructions, and it is not allowed to violate the relevant provisions contained in these documents arbitrarily. Detailed meeting minutes should be kept for the meetings held by the company, including the names of the participants, the date, the contents of the meeting, and any technical decisions made during it. Meeting minutes must be complete; they shall not be lost or torn arbitrarily, and should be archived as technical documents related to the meeting for long-term storage. All written technical instructions must be reviewed, and copies must be kept; the handwriting should be neat and clear, and references to materials should be accurate. The issuer, reviewer, and recipient of the written instructions must all sign and stamp them. 2. A construction project consists of multiple sub-projects, and each sub-project is equally important to the overall project; the technical instructions for each sub-project must be comprehensive, thorough, and meticulous. For sub-projects that are large in area, numerous in quantity, and require high technical standards, a more detailed technical briefing is necessary ； Technical briefings should also be conducted with the same care for sub-projects that are relatively sporadic, located in special areas, involve concealed work, or have low technical requirements. 3. During the technical briefing, special attention should be paid to the current common problems related to construction quality and work-related accidents within the company; every effort should be made to prevent such issues from arising, thereby stopping construction quality accidents and casualties in their infancy. During the technical briefing, potential quality issues and accidents resulting in injuries should be prevented, to ensure that the briefing is comprehensive, thorough, and complete. Furthermore, the technical instructions should be provided as early as possible, so that frontline technicians and workers have sufficient time to understand the technical issues outlined in them and prepare in advance, ensuring that the construction workers are well-informed and thus able to complete the construction tasks successfully. 4. Supervision and inspection of the technical briefing process. Technical managers at all levels must not assume that everything is fine just because I have provided oral or written technical instructions. Generally speaking, this is merely the beginning of the technical briefing process. The bulk of the work involves supervising and inspecting the effectiveness of these briefings. During construction, grass-roots technical personnel and foremen must be repeatedly reminded to pay close attention to the relevant requirements outlined in the technical briefings, especially at specific construction sites. It is also necessary to strengthen the “three-inspection system,” intensify inspections throughout the construction process, conduct strict interim inspections of the project, and promptly address any issues that arise, so as to prevent quality failures or unnecessary rework and waste. 5. There are various ways to implement technical briefings, ensuring that every worker becomes familiar with and understands the specific details and requirements outlined in them. For example, before the construction of a specific sub-project, the relevant information from the technical instructions can be displayed on the wall in the form of bulletin boards or similar. Reinforce the instructions during work planning and task assignment before and after shifts. For new technologies and new processes, external parties or experienced workers from the same unit should carry out technical demonstration sessions, or provide sample rooms to illustrate the relevant techniques, so that workers can clearly understand the operational steps and have a clear idea of what to do, thereby preventing various quality or safety incidents. 6. Technical disclosure is an important part of construction management and an essential step in the construction technical management process. It is a grave mistake to think that technical briefings are outdated procedures – merely a matter of reading from a script in a superficial manner, with no proper follow-up or supervision after the briefing is given. Some believe that this isn’t a new process or technology, and since the construction workers are all experienced veterans, they simplify the briefing content—or even skip the briefing and inspections altogether. For some more sporadic types of work, such as embedded parts and tinwork, no instructions are given, no oversight is provided, and no inspections are carried out. All of the above are common phenomena, extremely wrong, and they are the root causes of quality accidents. Thoroughly carrying out technical briefings for construction projects is a prerequisite for ensuring project quality and completing tasks on schedule; it is also a duty that every construction technician must fulfill. VI. Key points of technical instructions for the construction of individual installation tasks: Since a project, especially large and complex installation projects, involves many different tasks that must be carried out in phases by teams specializing in various types of work. The content of the technical instructions should be determined in accordance with the specific requirements of various sub-projects, based on the technical specifications in the design drawings and the provisions of construction acceptance standards. Different contents and focuses should be adopted for technical instructions tailored to the specific characteristics of different types of work. Installation projects can be classified by specialty into 9 sub-projects, namely pipeline installation, electrical installation, ventilation installation, elevator installation, general mechanical equipment installation, industrial furnace construction, automation instrument installation, steel structure work, and container work. Each of these sub-projects can further be divided into several sub-items based on the type of work and the category of equipment, resulting in a total of over 130 sub-items for installation projects. The key points of the construction technical instructions included in the sub-projects are listed below. 1. Pipeline installation work: determining the embedding locations and dimensions in coordination with civil engineering works; requirements for the prefabrication of pipelines, their supports, hangers, fasteners, etc.; the sequence and methods of pipeline installation along with relevant precautions; pipeline connection methods, measures, and quality requirements; welding processes and technical standards as well as related measures; types, positions of welds, and quality standards; pipeline pressure testing parameters, media used, temperature conditions, and testing procedures; pipeline purging methods, steps, and quality requirements; anti-corrosion requirements for pipelines and corresponding operating procedures; methods for preventing common quality issues; and safety precautions. 2. Electrical installation work: Close coordination with civil construction to determine the types, locations, and methods of embedding; the installation methods, procedures, measures, requirements, and key operational points for electrical busbars, cables, wires, cable trays, piping, panels, switches, fixtures, etc.; quality standards, especially regarding the appearance and dimensions of exposed pipelines and fixtures, as well as the quality of installation; ensuring that protection and shielding grounding are complete and reliable; protection of finished products, particularly valuable electrical fixtures; methods to prevent common quality issues; and safety precautions. 3. Ventilation installation works: determination of the dimensions for the fabrication of air ducts, types of joints used in air ducts and the corresponding fabrication procedures as well as quality requirements; requirements for the fabrication and installation of air duct supports and hangers; methods of air duct installation, key operational points, and quality requirements; quality control measures for the fabrication and installation of cleanroom air ducts; requirements for anti-corrosion coating of air ducts; selection of insulation materials, their thickness, insulation methods, and key operational points; ways to prevent common quality issues; safety precautions, etc. 4. Elevator installation project: Location of elevator guide rail supports and methods for determining their positions, methods and quality requirements for lifting and adjusting the guide rails, methods for handling the ends of steel cables, steps for installing the car, control of the position of floor doors, installation requirements for load-bearing beams, process for lifting the drive machine, quality standards for control cabinets and electrical systems ； Safety protection measures for escalator transportation and lifting, setting out and measurement of the installation location ； Methods for preventing common quality issues, finished product protection, and safety measures for working at heights. 5. Installation of general mechanical equipment: inspection and acceptance of the foundation’s appearance and dimensions; requirements for the conditions at the construction site, especially those related to constant temperature, constant humidity, vibration prevention, dust prevention, or radiation protection during the installation process; the entire sequence of operations from marking out the location, transporting the equipment to its final position, installing it, to conducting individual unit tests; the dimensional standards and precision requirements that apply during installation, as well as the criteria to be met during testing; quality standards, methods for preventing common quality issues, safety precautions, and measures for protecting precision equipment. 6. Industrial furnace masonry work: acceptance, inspection, selection of furnace construction materials as well as moisture-proof measures during storage and construction; masonry methods and key operation points; precautions for masonry in various sections; control of casting processes for refractory castables or mix ratios for refractory concrete, along with corresponding technical measures; regulations and requirements regarding the mixing, transportation, and vibration of refractory concrete; methods and sequences for pouring refractory concrete as well as curing methods; number, width, distribution, and structure of expansion joints; quality standards and methods to prevent common quality issues. 7. Automation instrument installation projects: Proper storage, selection, and installation of instrument equipment, valves, and other related components; procedures and requirements for coordinating instrument installation with work carried out by other specialized teams; methods, measures, quality standards, and key operational points for installing instrument pipelines and equipment; procedures and requirements for individual instrument testing and joint calibration; thorough protective measures for raw materials, equipment, and finished products; quality standards for instrument installation and testing, as well as measures to prevent common quality issues. 8. Steel structure engineering: the model, weight, quantity, geometric dimensions, planar position and elevation of steel structures; the variety, type, specification, connection methods and technical measures for different types of steel; the specifications of welding equipment and precautions for its operation; welding processes and their technical standards; the sequence of operations from material cutting to the assembly of complete structures; quality standards for steel structures and measures to prevent common quality issues; construction safety measures (especially those related to work at heights). 9. Container engineering: prefabrication of semi-finished components and foundation inspection; selection of construction machinery and equipment, on-site layout, and operational precautions; comprehensive installation methods, procedures, and quality requirements; product materials, specifications, welding methods, welding materials, and selection of welding sequences; welding processes and technical standards, technical measures, weld types, positions, and quality standards; parameters for strength and sealing tests, environmental requirements and procedures, product corrosion protection and insulation requirements; prevention of common quality issues; safety measures (especially safety precautions during operation such as protection against electric shock, exposure to toxins, and falls).