What is Standard Operating Procedure
Definition of Standard Operating Procedure in Construction
The SOP, standard operating procedure is the management guide that the contractor, subcontractors, architects or any other entity involved in the construction project will follow. The SOP will describe all of the means and methods that will be used on the construction project, to manage, supervise and construct the project. In many cases, the SOP is a required submittal to be issued by the contractor for review and approval by the architect and the owner. On some projects the SOP for each individual scope item is required to be submitted and approved, prior to the actual performance of the work on the site. In other instances, the SOP is required to be presented, if there is a special safety issues on the project, such as the grading of a contaminated landfill, or the installation of utility lines through a high density urban environment. SOP is used throughout the construction industry for many different applications, however, it is important that all contractors are aware that their SOP may be called into play and required to be submitted for approval. It is always practical to ensure that legally the companies SOP is coordinated with the companies contracts and legal proceedings to ensure that there are no discrepancies as the project advances.