Im starting to take on more of a management/ supervisory role in the company I work for. One of the things that they want me to do is keep a daily job site log book. There is no set format, Im free to come up with what I want. What is wanted are notes on day to day happenings, who’s on site ( both company employee’s and subs), any significant conversations with home owner, subs, etc.
For those that have or do keep log books what info have you found helpful to record daily? Does anyone have a pre-made form that they use.
Thanks for any help.
Live by the sword, die by the sword….choose your sword wisely.
Replies
Don't know if this relates, but as a survey PC I kept a daily log which included, date, weather conditions, crewmembers, mileage, progress on the job(s) during the day, contacts with property owners/contractors/construction inspectors/ and any other pertinant happenings, like dog attacks, snake bites, and being chased by livestock.
Working on the old Austin Municipal Airport runway aprons and a jet taxied too close to the BRAND NEW total station and it went bouncing down the concrete apron for a couple hundred feet.
Boss had a cat over that one, but we did have SAFETY CONES set out...
I work for a commercial drywall shop.
I are required to keep a log also. We do have a form we can use with duplicates for the general if they want one, or we can just use a notebook. We turn them in monthly.
I include : # of men and tasks, locations, specific instructions from anyone, significant decisions, any delays etc.
We also have a Job Memo to give to the general and have signed. We use it to record something significantly out of the norm that happens or we are requested to do. It is not a change order, just a record of what went down.
As with all paperwork, the key for me is to try and stay on top of it. I am currently at least a month behind in my safety meeting- jobsite inspections. Maybe I'll get to it Monday ; ^ )
Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
I've never been disciplined enough to keep a journal, log book, diary, etc, and the problem was compounded by having to take the time (and find a place) to write it all down while it was fresh in my mind.
The most effective tool I ever found to do this was a hand-held recorder. This was long before cell phones, but I got pretty good at whipping it out and just talking to myself.
Many cell phones have a recording function which may work just fine for you - unless your verbal "notes" resemble a Russian novel. - lol
Many cell phones have a recording function which may work just fine for you - unless your verbal "notes" resemble a Russian novel. - lol@@@ FWIWOne of my crew pointed out that you can assign the recorder feature to a speed button on most phones - which eliminates a bunch of button pressing. I tried it. It works. I still use a digital voice recorder. It makes it easy to capture those fleeting thoughts. At night I listen and make notes.The ToolBear
"I am still learning." Goya
The ones I have seen and used are in triplicate and contain spaces for date, temperature, or daily weather, subs on site and # of workers, visitors, deliveries, a special box to record concrete info ( amount poured, slump, admix etc.) and a place to record days progress, accidents, injuries and inspections. Some also have a space for calls made.
I find the premade ones too limited in space for a lot of info as they try to cram too much info into too small a space.
So I actually end up using a set of spiral bound note books (8 1/2" x 11") for my log then once a week or so transfer the info onto the pre-made forms.
Every morning I start a new page & I note time of my arrival, time of subs arrival and # of bodies plus weather info upon arrival. I can use as many pages in a day as I need for that day's report.
Then as the day progresses I just make notes: weather, concrete info , who visited, who I called and about what , deliveries, problems, progress, items to be dealt with, questions needing answers etc. Just whatever seems to be important or of note that happens that day. Each note gets numbered and starts a new paragraph or line.
At the end of the day I log everybody's quitting time, note progress made, add a short list of "to do's" for the next day and sign myself out.
Using the note books allows me to be as concise or as rambling as I see fit in my descriptions without being bound by a pre-made forms space limits for any given item. I can also scribble notes or phone numbers by names if I need to and know where to find them again when I need them.
I label each note book on it's cover with dates covered and keep them all in one place in the job shack.
The really funny thing is that the days I am busiest solving problems and "working the site" and have the most happening are the days that I record the least information. Simply no time to write anything, every notation is a one liner that I use to jog my memory for a day I have more time and can elaborate the notes.
My note books have stood up in court, and been acceptable to those above me although they still want their "company forms" filled out at the end of the job.
Like Mike I do commercial construction, but I'll leave out the " I are" ;-)
My current job does not require a daily log, but almost all other jobs I'm on do. I still keep one on this job for my own benefit. I keep this one real short & simple. Who was on the job, & what task.
My normal jobs I will keep two, one that goes into my file & one that goes to the GC.
The one that goes to the GC will have date, how many personnel are on the job, & what areas we are working on.
My personal one will have that stuff, plus any problems that might be going on, deliveries, meetings etc etc etc.
keep it short & to the point, unless you like to write.
My company provides the forms, but if you have Microsoft office, or even word you can create a form or go to Microsoft website & search for templates.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
but I'll leave out the " I are" ;-)
Hey, I started out with We. I was gonna speak for both of us. ; ^ ) Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
I've been using this log book since 1988:
http://www.constructionbook.com/construction-maintenance-daily-log/project-management-design/
You might want to call and get them to lower the listed price. I paid about $24.
I'm self-employed. In my log book, I note where I was, the hours I put into certain tasks, which subs showed up and what they accomplished, inspections, miles on my truck (I use logged miles for taxes), who called that day, telephone numbers and weather. I make short notes of significant things subs, inspectors and customers have to say.
The logbook, I've found, is very helpful in tracking labor costs. I may miscalculate the first time I do a job but the second time I can base my estimate on the actual hours I worked on a similiar job.
It's also an historic record of what I've done. I've had customers from years past call me and ask me about a product I've installed. Using my logbook, I can determine when I there, then I can find the receipt. I can provide the exact matching material and where I bought it for things I installed 15 years ago.
I also record my weight daily. This helps keep the pounds from sneaking up on me. Today, I know I'm the same weight I was on this date a year ago. (Not exactly slim but at least I haven't gained anything!)
Edited 4/6/2008 11:23 am ET by Mudslinger
Thanks for the thoughts/ tips. I do know I will have to have a hard written copy but I do like the recorder idea.
I can see it a problem of finding ( or making) the time to write stuff down in the log book, or thinking "I'll write it down in a minute or two" and then two weeks later........ Can also see a problem of how much info to record. Waste of time and energy to record too much. I like the sweet and simple idea, to bad it goes against my natural tendencies :)
Think I will start with spiral bound notebook and see how that works. Biggest part will be to keep at it. I remember hearing that it takes 21-22 days to form a habit.
Thanks again for the ideas!Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
DH is a quality control/risk management inspector for a large builder. As others have mentioned, he uses the voice recorders as he walks each unit to document. He is also required to take pictures of every single unit. He has a placard that he writes Project name, building number, and unit number and tacks it on the wall for the picture.
When he gets home, he turns on his voice recorder and writes any reports he needs too. Initially, they gave him a notebook laptop, you know, the kind that he can flip the top around and write on it like a clip board. He found it way too alkward and cumbersome dashing between buildings.
I just think trying to take notes during a busy day would be hard. You might be really good at it at first, but it might not always be feasible as time wears on.
You could also probably develope your own template form on your computer with any pertinate information you need to include and just fill it out daily.
Hope this helps.
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
PS
I think Andyz72 has done something like this, too.
I'm sure he will be along soon.
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
Here's a page from the log book I use.
It's the green book mentioned earlierNAIL IT !!!
You can pick up surveyors field books pretty cheap. They're yellow or orange, and have rag paper pages to water doesn't damage them much. You can date them and keep them on a shelf for reference easier than spirals because they're hard bound. Plus they're easier to copy on a Xerox machine because when it opens up it'll fit on the glass. And they're made for a rear pocket fit...
I keep a spiral notebook where I record daily work done for my weekly invoices to clients. But what I've found increasingly handy is my iPod touch, which I always have on the job for listening to music anyway. I can jot quick little reminders, to-do-lists, calls to make etc. into it as I think of them. It's like having a voice recorder. Plus it's got all my contact information in it, and all photographs of the current project, so I can pull it out and call up a photo of the wiring in the wall that I long ago closed in and can no longer remember where the wiring is, etc. Also almost always have a digital camera with me.The notebook stays in the truck for the most part, and I get in at the end of the day and record what I did an how long it took.Steve
Edited 4/6/2008 6:33 pm by mmoogie
I like the surveyors book too although I've never owned or used one. I watched a surveyor using one and was jealous. I also use Dovetails idea although I'm not on a jobsite anymore. I've tried every kind of notebook and the plain old spiral notebook works best for me. I just put a date in the margin and write whatever I need too. The worst part for me is being consistent about using that same book. I also have two yellow pads next to me right now and I just flip the page and jot notes in them, so I really have to read through three books to find anything. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
I use the survey book but the best is what all the gc here year. Its a yealy annual book. each page has a date on it. that way they stay in order and you can keep your date rights
Edited 4/6/2008 9:53 pm by brownbagg
m2akita
Mike Smith Posted this a while back.
It' an employee time card with categories.
Rich
My truck is old and i write notes on the hood with pencil, Does that count???