The following qualities is expected of road pavement supervisor/inspector
1. Honesty
2. Conduct oneself in fair and straightforward manner
3. Maintain composure and make good decisions while under stress
4. Must have keen common sense for making competent decisions
5. Must be frank and sincere in his relationships with people
6. Must be a skilled diplomat, able to handle tough situations without arousing hostility
7. Must be observant and capable of keeping good records
8. He should have minimum of secondary/high school education
9. Some technical study and/or construction experience are helpful
10. Must be able to perform accurate mathematical calculations and be familiar with fundamentals of engineering equations.
11. He should know how to read and understand plans, specifications and other contract documents in order to understand the requirements of the work.
12. Although not responsible for the design of roadways, the supervisor should understand the basic engineering principles involved.
13. He should be familiar with the characteristics of materials and know the principles of materials testing, including the interpretation of test results.
14. The supervisor should keep good and accurate records and reports. Records and reports are used to determine quantities of materials for payment. In regard, they ensure that the contractor is paid for his production and that all the materials are used on the roadway are paid for. Report forms include items such as:
- date,
- location of work,
- weather conditions,
- test results,
- equipment in use,
- idle equipment,
- source of materials and
- production rates etc.
There should also be records of;
- important conversations,
- visitors on site,
- verbal orders received,
- unusual incidents,
- equipment breakdown,
- length of work stoppages,
- number of men and types of equipment affected by work stoppages and
- changes in appearance of materials.
The basis for calculation of materials quantities such as field measurements and truck load weights should be indicated in the supervisor reports as well. It is also necessary to keep photographs which provide a valuable supplement to the written record and reports and should be taken routinely during construction. They should show subject, location, direction from which it is taken and then date.
