Construction foreman
Encyclopedia
A construction foreman is the worker or tradesman
who is in charge of a construction
crew. While traditionally this role has been assumed by a senior male worker, the title in the modern sense is gender non-specific in intent. Normally the foreman is a construction worker
with many years of experience in a particular trade
who is charged with organizing the overall construction of a particular project. Typically the foreman is a person with specialist knowledge of a given trade who has moved into the position and is now focused on an overall management of all trades rather than any particular specialized group.
A good foreman is said by many engineers
to be the keystone of their projects. Foremen are best understood as Project Managers who have come to that position after experience as a construction worker, as opposed to an individual who has followed a professional project management development program (for example a Lean Six Sigma
Certificate).
Specifically, a foreman may train employees under his or her supervision, ensure appropriate use of equipment by employees, communicate progress on the project to a supervisor and maintain the employee schedule. Foremen may also arrange for materials to be at the construction site and evaluate plans for each construction job.
Tradesman
This article is about the skilled manual worker meaning of the term; for other uses see Tradesperson .A tradesman is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft. Economically and socially, a tradesman's status is considered between a laborer and a professional, with a high degree of both...
who is in charge of a construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
crew. While traditionally this role has been assumed by a senior male worker, the title in the modern sense is gender non-specific in intent. Normally the foreman is a construction worker
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
with many years of experience in a particular trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
who is charged with organizing the overall construction of a particular project. Typically the foreman is a person with specialist knowledge of a given trade who has moved into the position and is now focused on an overall management of all trades rather than any particular specialized group.
A good foreman is said by many engineers
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
to be the keystone of their projects. Foremen are best understood as Project Managers who have come to that position after experience as a construction worker, as opposed to an individual who has followed a professional project management development program (for example a Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma
In recent years, some practitioners have combined Six Sigma ideas with lean manufacturing to yield a methodology named Lean Six Sigma. Lean manufacturing – addressing process flow and waste issues – and Six Sigma, with its focus on variation and design, are viewed as complementary disciplines in...
Certificate).
Specifically, a foreman may train employees under his or her supervision, ensure appropriate use of equipment by employees, communicate progress on the project to a supervisor and maintain the employee schedule. Foremen may also arrange for materials to be at the construction site and evaluate plans for each construction job.