Do it right. First time. Every time.
With a motto that exhorts everyone at the project to do it right, first time, every time, it is only natural for B&F IC’s Teaching Hospital in Mauritius to win L&T Construction’s coveted Quality Award – 2023. It is a matter of great pride for Project Director, Tasin Mohamad, and his team, who day in and day out face the challenges of constructing on a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, thousands of miles away from home. They have, however, stuck to their guns, even when ravaged by the pandemic, and have come through with flying colours. This is certainly a well-deserved reward for some exemplary work.
Tasin Mohamad
Project Director
As per our initial plans, we were to perform the works using expatriate Indian Workers. However, since the border remained closed for 8 months, our task was to train the local workforce to understand the L&T formworks system and at least complete up to the raft before the Indian workers were allowed to enter the island and take over.
Awarded in December 2020, the project scope involves structure, finishing, landscape, MEP including lifts, paramedical services, & maintaining major systems for 3 years including DLP.
Challenges & triumphs
Even as construction began, the team was faced with the first major threat to their well-laid plans, posed by COVID-19. “As per our initial plans, we were to perform the works using expatriate Indian workers,” explains Tasin; “however, due to the circumstances we were forced to engage locally available resources, and since the border remained closed for 8 months, our task was to train the local workforce to understand the L&T formworks system and at least complete up to the raft before the Indian workers were allowed to enter the island and take over.” More than 20,000 manhours of training has been imparted to these local workmen to upgrade their skills to suit the L&T requirements and achieve the desired results.
Ensuring material quality at the entry of country itself
Being an island, the major mode of material import is by sea, and as QA/QC In-charge, K V Hariprasath, explains, it is an arduous process. “Materials entering the port are initially screened by the Mauritius Standard Bureau & Laboratory before being allowed into the country,” he elaborates. “For instance, when importing cement or steel reinforcements from various parts of the globe, these must comply with the BS EN codes before they are sent to the end user. In addition to this, the test certificates are checked before sending to the respective customers, an additional inspection to ensure quality.”
K V Hariprasath
QA/QC In-charge
When importing cement or steel reinforcements from various parts of the globe, these must comply with the BS EN codes before they are sent to the end user. In addition to this, the test certificates are checked before sending to the respective customers, an additional inspection to ensure quality.
Proving that quality is not an act, but a habit
There is nothing extraordinary that the team has done or are doing, but they are managing all the right things, well reflected in their high level of quality, which is not expensive but priceless.
Mr. Rajamanickam Punithan, Head – Civil, recollects, “To ensure the quality of the workmen being sourced from India, every one of them is screened online by the Section In-charges before issuing work permits from India. This is mandatory for an international project.”
Apart from implementing and fulfilling the Quality Management Systems as per PQP requirements from Day One of the project, the team has ensured Workmen Quality Inductions for every new workman, conducts weekly Quality walkdowns along with the Quality Committee team, convenes management review meetings, has established a Quality Park, has adopted best practices, and more. E Tamilmani, Project Control & Planning, picks up the story: “We do mock-ups for all new activities, have kick-off meetings with our vendors before starting work, and conduct regular staff and workmen training sessions.”
E Tamilmani
Project Control & Planning
We do mock-ups for all new activities, have kick-off meetings with our vendors before starting work, and conduct regular staff and workmen training sessions.
Prathap Sanker, MEP In-charge, says, “We ensure that all Material Inspection Reports (MIRs) are cleared by the customer and TDS approvals are in place for all MEP, civil, & finishing works before placing orders for a specialized agency or material.” On the digital front, the team uses the digital quality tool, CONQUER app, for activity checklists, pour cards, NCRs & observations, quality walkdowns, and for collecting customer and executive feedback.
The Teaching Hospital Project team’s success is certainly the result of teamwork, their high-quality standards a triumph of sustained focus on Quality driven from the top. Tasin and his team have every reason to feel proud of their achievement, and with 92% of the project completed, success is just round the corner.