Best Construction Company for an Occupied or Tight Jobsite

All construction projects require proactive, site-specific safety protocols. However, an occupied and/or tight jobsite comes with additional challenges, and your construction company should understand what it takes to overcome them. 

At McCownGordon Construction, we don’t just boast some of the best builds in the Midwest and beyond, we pride ourselves on putting safety above all. Our people-focused mentality ensures everyone involved with a project—from our employees and trade partners to the clients we serve and the general public—remain taken care of throughout the construction process. 

The importance of high operational standards

No matter the site, prioritizing the highest operational standards promotes a smooth, timely construction process and ensures safety stands at the forefront. 

Throughout the build process, McCownGordon works with our clients so we complete their projects efficiently and on schedule. Starting with preconstruction, our superintendents get engaged early in the process to ensure all the aspects of the occupied renovation are coordinated effectively. In fact, this increased dedication from our superintendents makes our builds successful and as seamless as possible. 

Why are superintendents so important? 

Although we’d argue all the professionals involved with a project are equally important, superintendents are the crucial connection who bring it all together. From the start, they’re heavily involved with the day-to-day operations, scheduling, coordinating with trade partners and ensuring the team comes together as a unit. 

Successful superintendents bring solution-driven mindsets, meaning they find innovative ways to solve operational issues and concerns, often before they happen. Especially with an occupied jobsite, it’s important to act quickly and efficiently. That way, current occupants and employees avoid hazards and other missteps that could affect their safety. 

For superintendents, every day is different. Think about it this way: as the construction process continues, the building evolves and different trade partners come in and out. Throughout this shifting environment, superintendents must be nimble individuals who think quickly on their feet. When your superintendents understand what worked yesterday may not work best today, you know they are always reassessing the situation for optimal outcomes. 

Why collaboration makes the difference 

Imagine working on a huge project with tons of moving parts, yet the people involved rarely interact with each other. You can probably guess it’s not the ideal situation. Why? Because collaboration gives people the opportunity to share ideas while remaining on the same page at all times. 

On an occupied and/or tight jobsite, every single person on the project should know what’s going on to avoid confusion. When there’s limited space or people continuously moving throughout the building, working hand-in-hand proves vital for success. 

With our people-first mentality, we don’t just collaborate because it’s necessary, we collaborate because we truly believe in the effectiveness of a unified team. As an employee-owned company, everyone at McCownGordon strives to outperform their best each and every time. When we work together, our combined dedication and drive for our builds creates an open environment that eliminates disorganization. 

In addition, our roles and responsibilities often overlap to inspire the best building experience, not only with the clients but also with each other. The more collaborative and open we can be, the more cohesive our operations run. At the end of the day, no matter a person’s rank or title, we are all part of a family focused on getting everyone home safe. 

Pull planning for efficient operations

Many people get involved with a construction project, so the best construction company for an occupied job site understands the importance of thorough planning. 

At McCownGordon, we often implement pull planning, which gives us a detailed, visual outlook on the project’s timeline, who needs to come when and more. For example, poor planning could lead to a carpet installation before painting. 

What exactly is pull planning?

Pull planning is a collaborative, visual representation of the project flow that uses color coding to strategically organize each project. Each color represents a trade partner; the number of colors for a specific task represents how many days that task will take to complete.

Through this process, instead of the superintendants directing what the scheduling will look like, we allow our team to estimate the duration of each task, then we build the schedule around it. As a result, the process pushes our team to become more engaged and driven to perform the work within their allotted time. 

Outside of holding our team accountable and keeping them engaged, pull planning aids with material sequencing. When dealing with a tight or occupied build, all of the needed materials can’t be on site at once. That would take up a lot of space and could potentially become hazardous for building occupants. 

To solve this issue, pull planning highlights which materials will be needed at what time. These just-in-time deliveries enable us to have the materials on site right when we need them. So instead of having a packed space, we make sure our work area remains clean and clear with enough room to efficiently perform the task at hand.

How to Keep a Tight Construction Site Safe & Clean 

How McCownGordon focuses on safety for employees and occupants

Before we even head to the site to start building, we use the latest technology and advanced strategies to build an effective site-specific safety plan.

A site-specific safety plan is a meticulously constructed set of regulations that consider a site’s unique hazards, personnel involved and the project’s goals. No matter the project scope, a construction site can change from day-to-day; therefore, the plan must have rapid adjustability to accommodate those changes. 

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA), seven key elements form the basis of any effective construction safety program. 

1. Management Leadership
2. Worker Participation
3. Hazard Identification and Assessment
4. Hazard Prevention and Control
5. Education and Training
6. Program Evaluation and Improvement
7. Communication and Coordination

With every project, McCownGordon implements each element, which gives our site-specific plans the strong foundation they need. 

Creating a safety plan means having a thorough knowledge of the project’s scope. To do this, we sit down and outline factors such as:

• Requirements
• Challenges 
• Necessary precautions (i.e. high rise and fall protection)
• Material deliveries 
• Electrical work
• Chemical issues 
• Abatement issues
• And more

From there, we use our in-depth understanding of the project to plan out specifics to promote safety. 

Building the foundation: logistics and preconstruction

Your construction company should always create a logistics plan before construction begins. A well thought out plan doesn’t come from spontaneity or last-minute decision making. That’s why McCownGordon builds a logistics plan the moment you start working with us.

We use the most advanced technologies and methods to route construction-related traffic that is key to managing safety once a renovation or new build starts. For example, we implement virtual technology to show our customers and trade partners crane locations, how equipment will enter and leave the site, when traffic will be heaviest, etc. Our technology increases clarity and improves communication between all parties impacted by the project. 

Learn more about construction technology and the latest trends.

Keep in mind a logistics plan is a living document, meaning as the project changes, so does the logistics plan. The goal is to best serve the facility and occupants while reducing the greatest amount of risks. At the end of the day, when we know our clients or partners  and workers are safe, we’re able to bring your building to life without putting anyone in harm’s way.

McCownGordon continues our dedication to safety through operational risk management (ORM). This daily process includes assessing hazards, controls, and creating up-to-date solutions as the build continues. As a result, we  monitor risks in real time and react before those risks could put anyone in danger.

The latest hard hat technology

Rather than utilizing traditional hard hats, McCownGordon has officially made the switch to hard helmets. Since we pride ourselves on remaining on the forefront of the best construction practices, we have completed a lot of research on the new head gear, including feedback from our team. 

Adorned with vents and other modifications, the helmet offers a foam interior comparable to a car bumper. The impact-resistant helmets cover the entire head, meaning they’re rated for impact on all sides rather than the top half of the skull. In addition, the ratchet strap design ensures the helmet stays in place during a fall whereas traditional hard hats come off during a trip or fall. 

With case studies and overall incidents across the construction industry, upgrading our hard hats was a necessary, proactive move to show our associates how much we care. In fact, we are one of the first construction companies in the Kansas City area to utilize these new helmets, proving that we put innovation and advancement at the center of all we do. 

For the best construction company for occupied job sites, turn to McCownGordon Construction

At McCownGordon, our team of builders and engineers maintain a customer-focused mentality, allowing us to outperform even your highest expectations. Dedicated to promoting integrity, performance and relationships, it’s our people and values that truly make the difference. 

Our customers aren’t simply another project; they’re an extension of our team and community. Together, we don’t just build—we bring creative visions to life. From first thought to final nail, we deliver quality work to ensure our builds stand above the rest. 

We have three regional offices around the Midwest—Kansas City, Manhattan and Wichita. Call us at 888-304-4929 or use our free online quote tool to start building today. 

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