Avoiding Jobsite Staging Errors

By Nick Fryer, Contributing Author

Construction delays can stem from a complex web of issues. Sometimes they’re caused by external pressures, such as policy changes or labor shortages, which can contribute to budget cuts. Oftentimes, however, projects are slowed because of what is or isn’t happening on-site.
 
Jobsite staging errors are a common cause of project delays and increased expenses, and yet many teams are not acting proactively to solve these challenges. 

To avoid jobsite staging mistakes, construction teams need a smart logistics strategy that will help them avoid pitfalls that damage budgets and alter timelines. 

Jobsite staging doesn’t just shape where equipment and materials get stored. It also affects the overall workflow. Done poorly, it can lead to several issues that quietly drain construction budgets:

• Lost productivity: Anyone who has wasted time on a badly arranged site, searching for materials, will know how much it can slow things down.
• Delivery issues: Staging errors can also interrupt logistics by blocking entry routes or making it difficult to tell where deliveries must go.
• Damaged materials: How materials are stored on a jobsite impacts their risk of being damaged or lost. If items are placed in a high-traffic zone, they can get harmed. If they’re dumped too far from view, though, they may get stolen. Having to replace items is expensive. It can also cause massive delays, especially with the materials shortages already delaying so many construction projects
• Safety hazards: Workers' comp claims, OSHA fines, and other expenses that come with safety incidents on jobsites have forced many to take these risks more seriously. If everyone is wearing the right gear and following safety protocols, it doesn’t make up for the unnecessary risks that a poorly staged site can pose.
• Equipment inefficiency: If a jobsite hasn’t been staged to allow for equipment to get through easily, it can quickly lead to inefficient fuel usage and time delays. For example, an excavator that has to do multiple turns to get around a pile of materials every time it passes that zone doesn’t just slow down tasks, it also eats at the fuel budget.

Jobsite staging can affect the order in which tasks are done on a site and the quality of materials. Damage and interruptions can quickly degrade how well tasks are performed and, in turn, lead to more reworkings (and delays) at the end of a project.

How One Staging Error Can Derail an Entire Project

Construction sites are connected. It’s why one mistake can have such far-reaching consequences. Bad staging that blocks an access route for a day might not seem like a big deal, but it can lead to deliveries being delayed, construction vehicles getting stuck and the whole schedule being thrown off as a result.
 
Most of the aforementioned issues can cause similar ripple effects. Where materials are placed on a jobsite critically impacts how easily those materials can be accessed and how efficiently the workflow operates. Staging can either be the cause of chaos, or it can prevent it.

Staging Pitfalls

Here are common staging pitfalls to which construction sites tend to fall victim:

Not Using Logistics Efficiently: Construction managers will often complain that the reason staging is all over the place is because there’s “too much stuff” on site. That alone can be solved through more efficient logistics practices. By scheduling deliveries properly and working with logistics partners on temporary storage options, teams can ease how much that has to be kept on site and enact better staging.

“Put it Anywhere”: This mentality is what lands construction teams with misplaced items or haphazardly positioned ones. There’s no rhyme or reason to the staging. It’s just a scattered mess.
 
Centralizing Everything in One Zone: Some argue that a centralized zone keeps things organized as everything is easily found in one place. The problem is that this often leads to piles of disorganized items and can make finding specific materials increasingly difficult as a project goes on.
 
Staging Without a Schedule: A construction schedule guides what gets used and when. Ignoring that when staging is what results in materials that are needed every day being positioned far from the daily work, and the materials that won’t be touched until the end, somehow in the most prime position.
 
Ignoring Site Conditions: Materials stacked precariously on slopes, delicate items left in high-traffic areas, and staging materials where they are exposed to the weather are all classic signs that the site conditions have not been considered.
 
No Flow: Vehicles and workers are having to go back and forth. More time is spent searching for materials than is spent using them. These seemingly small delays indicate a lack of flow that usually stems from staging errors.

Logistics Overload

Staging controls where materials go on a jobsite, but logistics is what directs when those materials arrive. A scheduling breakdown on the logistics side of things can make staging much more difficult. Materials that arrive too soon can cause congestion, as there may not be room to store them. Late deliveries, however, can leave crews waiting and tasks delayed so that materials and equipment sit idle for longer than intended.
 
Jobsites also need to be restaged as construction progresses. If logistics falls behind schedule, this can delay restaging efforts and complicate them. Poor communication between logistics and construction crews can cause similar headaches.
 
The way to mitigate these issues is by integrating logistics into the scheduling on a jobsite and then making that schedule an integral part of how staging is planned. This, followed by weekly check-ins, can make the relationship between logistics and construction far more harmonious. Logistics can propel projects forward.

Blueprints for Smarter Staging

Jobsite staging can make or break a construction site. Here’s how to ensure it makes workflows more efficient:

Divide Zones According to Schedule: To support sequential tasks and easy access, different zones should be demarcated depending on when materials will be used during a project. This should also include a zone that is specifically for items that are used almost daily. The layout of these zones, not just the content, needs to match the construction schedule for total efficiency.
 
Keep Access Open: Staging should not block exit paths or major lanes needed by equipment. Logistics deliveries need to be able to get in easily, and room made for construction vehicles to operate.
 
Designate “No-Staging” Zones: This can be especially helpful for open access, as it ensures that high-traffic areas are kept free and clear.
 
Create Flow: Prioritize and fit staging around workflow. Teams shouldn’t have to stop and look for materials every day or worry about maneuvering around them.
 
Use Signage: Flags and signs need to be used to indicate what goes where so that no one wastes time searching for materials.
 
Plan for Weather and Ground Conditions: Plan for soft ground or areas that might be exposed to heavy rain.

Putting Logistics at the Core of Efficiency

Good staging can’t function without good logistics. How and when materials are delivered determine what has to be kept on site, and for how long. By putting logistics at the core of construction planning and staging, jobsites can operate much more efficiently.

Simply aligning staging plans with a reliable logistics schedule can prevent sites from being overwhelmed with materials and make organizing things into zones that much easier. Logistics are also what keep materials steadily flowing in so that there’s less risk of shortages and subsequent delays.
 
As important as staging is for keeping a construction project running smoothly, logistics works right alongside it. Neither can be ignored when tight schedules and budgets are on the line.

Nick Fryer is the vice president of marketing at Sheer Logistics.