Evaluation on the Application of Quality Management System in Tanzania Building Construction Projects

Abstract

In today's construction projects, client satisfaction demand require the building team in construction industry to achieve high quality during construction process. This excellence can be achieved with a new style of management of a system that guides the interaction of people, processes and documentation which is referred to as Quality Management System (QMS). The study has evaluated the application of Project Quality Plan (PQP) as one of the implementation strategies of QMS in construction projects. The data was collected by use of questionnaire; interview and document review. Primary data from 32 medium and large scale high rise building construction projects located in Dar es Salaam city were sampled through non-probability sampling. The findings have established that PQP preparation and application in construction building project is done at low key. PQP application only limited to inspection and test plans. Amongst the contributing factors to the low level of PQP application are: frequent revision and change order by the owner, design changes by supervising consultants and lack of knowledge on QMS as a strategic weapon to achieve quality in construction industry. It is therefore recommended that the Tanzania government through construction governing bodies has to play an important and positive role to train on the application of PQP through workshops and seminars to members of the construction building team. It is further recommended that to enhance the application of QMS and facilitate quality services in construction projects, a provisional clause be introduced in conditions of contract.