Coordinating consultant field reviews: notice, sequence and what each discipline needs
A consultant is called after the crew says the work is ready to cover. The visit cannot be arranged in time, and the next activity is waiting. The look-ahead named the work but omitted the review and the preparation it needed.
Build a field review calendar with the responsible consultants, identifying the stages they need to see, how notice is given, what must be ready and accessible, and who accompanies the visit. Use the look-ahead to book and update reviews before the work reaches them. Keep the consultant’s professional review scope separate from the contractor’s quality control and other required inspections. Confirm the actual requirements with the relevant professional and project documents.
Put the review into the work sequence
- Confirm the review arrangements by discipline. Ask the responsible consultant about anticipated stages, information and notice. In British Columbia, EGBC’s guidance leaves the number and extent of engineering field reviews to the professional’s discretion; a contractor’s calendar must not impose a fixed limit.
- Link each visit to a work location and stage. Show the activity before the review and what follows it. Include relevant hold points from the project’s requirements, with a named person responsible for confirming readiness.
- Prepare the visit package. Provide current drawings, relevant approved information and the questions needing attention. Identify unresolved deviations rather than presenting an incomplete area as accepted work.
- Arrange access and attendance. Confirm the time, site arrangements and person walking with the reviewer. Follow the site’s safety procedures and explain any inaccessible location before the visit rather than improvising access on arrival.
- Confirm changed readiness promptly. If work moves or the stage is not ready, notify the consultant and affected team through the agreed route. Record a revised arrangement and keep subsequent work dependent on the applicable release conditions.
- Follow the report through to closure. Assign each observation or question to its responsible person, record the response and arrange any return review requested. A visit completed on the calendar is not proof that every follow-up item is resolved.
Checklist
For each planned review
- Responsible discipline and current contact.
- Work location, stage and readiness owner.
- Confirmed notice and required information.
- Safe access and accompanying person.
- Report actions and any return review.
Check your understanding
The calendar says the consultant visited, but the report asks for a return check. Is that stage closed?
