ISO 9000 Quality Standards in Construction

There is risk involved in any construction project. A contractor's quality assurance system is essential in preventing problems and the reoccurrence of problems. This system ensures consistent quality for the contractor's clients. An evaluation of the quality systems of 15 construction contractors in Saudi Arabia is discussed here. The evaluation was performed against the ISO 9000 standard. The contractors' quality systems vary in complexity, ranging from an informal inspection and test system to a comprehensive system. The ISO 9000 clauses most often complied with are those dealing with (1) inspection and test status; (2) inspection and testing; (3) control of nonconformance product; and (4) handling, storage, and preservation. The clauses least complied with concern (1) design control; (2) internal auditing; (3) training; and (4) statistical techniques. Documentation of a quality system is scarce for the majority of the contractors.