What the World Would Be Like If Quality Engineer (QA QC ) Didn’t Exist

Wherever we go, there is also a person or a team that we can consider as the limelight behind a successful project. These are people who work behind the scenes and are oftentimes not given credit.

Do you know anyone who has a big role but the world doesn’t know about it?

Well, let me give you an example: a quality engineer or quality assurance and quality control engineer (QA QC engineer) is one. They have the 7 characters of a quality engineer that you should know or if you are the one, you should maintain these characters.

Many are oblivious of their significant role. In fact, many are unaware that they exist.

Here’s some news for you: Every company has a quality engineer. Yes! Every. Single. One. Know why? Because all of us want to see a quality output in everything. Of course, this doesn’t only refer to products but also to big infrastructures and buildings.

Quality Engineers in Construction

As a matter of fact, construction projects are more delicate, and it needs more competent people to ensure perfect quality. A single mistake will risk the lives of so many people. Not to mention the millions or even billions of cost of damages that will occur when something goes wrong.

Picture that. Whether you are an engineer or not, you will feel angry at the sight of a bridge cut in half with cars and pedestrians under it. You will not be happy to see a home that is poorly built despite its big budget. Even seeing a mere crack on the road will disappoint you as well.

Now, what is my point here?

The point is, everything boils down to quality. If a project is built based on building codes and recommendations with standard high-quality materials, there is a minimal chance of failure.

The result?

Money is saved. Time is saved. Lives are saved. And you get a high-quality structure that can stand for years.

For the first time, it may dawn on you that someone really needs to have the sole function of checking things and making sure that everything is perfect. And yes, you are right- that is the role of a quality engineer.

The functions of a quality engineer may vary from one company to another and from one place to another. But every QA QC engineer has one goal in mind: to achieve a quality project through quality construction process.

So what will happen to the world if there are no quality engineers?

Possibilities that Will Happen Without a Quality Engineer

There are indeed things or people that we can live without. You might not start a day without getting a delicious coffee. You might find it hard to fall asleep at night when your husband or wife is not yet around.

For sure you will agree with me that some things will not be fully achieved when you feel that there is something lacking. Same is true with construction.

A project cannot be started if the team is not complete- from the management side to the construction side. And one important person with a significant role that needs to be part of the team is a quality engineer.

But what if there isn’t one? What will happen?

Let us try to picture a scenario of a construction project without a quality engineer. The things that we will enumerate below has great chances of happening. Scroll down and take a look at some points we have prepared for you.

1. Structures have more risk of collapsing.

Hold on. We are not saying that once a structure collapses, it is the fault of the quality engineer. There are many factors that we need to consider. Apparently, we also need to look into the studies and structural analysis from the structural engineer. What the quality engineer did is to check that everything is followed based on that.

So, what made us think this way?

As we all know, one of the functions of a quality engineer is to make sure that a structure is built with strict compliance with codes, standards, and specifications. If these are not followed, there is a possibility that the structure will not be as sturdy as we hope it will be.

Also, quality materials might not be used anymore since no one is there to check it. If all these are not being observed, then there is a great chance that a building or whatever structure will eventually fail.

But there is more to that.

One of the functions of a QA QC engineer is to ensure that safety requirements are met before, during, and after construction. This way, everyone is safe. No one wants to see any accidents happen which may risk lives.

2. There is no assurance that technical drawings and specifications are religiously followed.

Architects and engineers work together to come up with drawings which will be used as guides in the building process. Apart from the drawings, there are also general notes and specifications that one needs to comply with.

Why is this important?

In everything we do, there is always a manual. Like when you buy a new phone, it comes with an instruction manual. If you buy a board game, there is also a manual too. That way, we will be able to do things based on the goal of the manufacturers who design it.

Hence, in construction, there are drawings that serve as a manual or a guide from the dimensions to the types of materials needed. These should be followed in the actual construction. The quality engineer needs to study the plans before the construction starts and he should make sure that these will be applied in the project.

3. Quality construction and workmanship might not be observed.

Whether you are the owner or you are part of the project, you want to make sure that quality construction and workmanship are achieved. This way, we are ensured that time, money, and effort will not be wasted.

And what else?

Aside from that, the end result will meet the expectations of the owners, the building experts, and even the building officials in the area where you built a structure. All these will not be given proper attention once you do not have a quality engineer.

Another function of a quality engineer is to make sure that potential issues will be eliminated or minimized. Hence, proper recommendations will not be given to correct certain mistakes in the construction process if there is no quality engineer.

4. Greater chances of cheating in terms of quality and quantity of materials in the construction.

Odds are that some contractors might cheat in order to gain more profit. Usually, this happens if the main contractor will hire a subcontractor. Unfortunately, there are contractors who only focus on finishing the project at a given time frame without paying much attention to quality.

Others even use substandard materials just to save on material expenses and gain more money. We cannot deny that this happens in the actual world of construction.

However, this can be avoided if there is someone who can check the type of materials used and how everything goes in the construction process. This is where a quality engineer gets in.

If an expert could easily spot that something is wrong, quality problems can be immediately answered before it causes a bigger problem. Also, materials that do not meet the specifications for the project will not be used.

Can you see the importance of a QA QC engineer now?

5. Certain tests and calibrations will not be performed.

Prior to construction, the quality engineer will determine certain tests that need to be performed to ensure that the project will be successful. Other projects actually do not do any tests anymore. Instead, they just proceed with the construction process without knowing what type of soil they are building a foundation on, without checking the quality of the materials, and so on.

Oftentimes, these things are overlooked especially when the contractor merely focuses on finishing the project on time. With a quality engineer around, all these will be given attention. And this will also ensure that the structure will stand for years since the right materials with the right quantity are used for the project.

To Sum It Up

So there you have it. We have laid down the possibilities of what will happen if there are no quality engineers. Hopefully, this will make you realize that you really need a QA QC engineer for your project.

A quality engineer can give a huge difference in your construction process and the end result.

Do you agree with the points we mentioned above? Or is there something that you want to add? Feel free to leave a comment below.