Nonconformance Report – When to Raise and Avoid?

There was a question from one of the emails I received about Nonconformance Report or NCR. I don’t want to mention the name of a person but what I’m gonna do is to answer it, so everyone should know and you might have the same question as this one.

The crucial thing of having an NCR is that the client might withhold a percentage of money from your billing or contract prize if it will not immediately close. So this will put you always in an alert position and try to avoid the occurrence of such intimidating terms.

I know that we can’t avoid Non-conformance or nonconformity in the construction site but we can literally reduce the numbers if we really apply the quality system and procedures and it is stipulated in the project quality plan of the project.

Now, to extend your knowledge about non-conformance report, here are the questions that I received that are truly worth answering.

1. When is the best timing to raise NCR?

Whether you are a consultant or a quality engineer it could have the same answer to this question. Well, in fact, there is no “timings” on when you will raise a non-conformance report. Nonconformance can happen anytime and can be found at no time-bound because this is simply non-complying to the requirements.

Once a requirement has not been followed then that time a non-conformance can be served to the contractor or subcontractor.

An example of this is “the opening of the door is not as per the drawing” and you found that it is not really complying with the requirement on the drawing then an NCR can then be issued.

2. How to avoid issuing NCR?

There is always nonconformance in each construction and it couldn’t be avoided, perhaps it can only be reduced. It exists because of many possible reasons.

Let’s give an example. The drawing of a column layout is not updated and the construction site operation is unaware that there is a new revision of the drawing. What is being applied on the site is the superseded one then an eventual result will be a nonconformance. To prevent that to happen the quality control engineer will withdraw all of the unstamped or uncontrolled drawings being taken or used with the site crews on site.

3. In what manner is the NCR to be rendered?

If the certain element is identified as nonconforming to the requirements from either specification and approved drawing the quality engineer shall take the documentary photos as evidence and highlight the location onto the drawing. The nonconformance shall be submitted by the quality engineer to the document controller in order to register it to a log.

The document controller shall then send the original copy of the NCR to the responsible stakeholder or subcontractor. If you are a consultant you’ll advise the DC to send it to the main contractor.

In addition to how to avoid nonconformance, the quality engineer shall conduct training to the subcontractor or construction team and disseminate the proper implementation of the works and the compliance of work from the approved method statement. A periodical internal audit will be conducted to ensure the internal quality system or procedures are followed.

The document controlling procedure shall be properly and spiritually implemented to prevent the so-called nonconformance from the occurrence.

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