It is not only in Nigeria that you have building collapse!

KILN -- Officials have identified the construction worker who was killed in an accident Tuesday morning at the old Jourdan River Steamer restaurant property on Mississippi 603.

Coroner Jim Faulk said Gary Berthelot, 54, was killed when a section of flooring collapsed about 7:30 a.m.

"Berthelot was standing underneath as the other workers were pouring the concrete," he said.

Hancock County Chief Deputy Don Bass said workers tried to rescue Berthelot but his injuries from the initial collapse were too severe.

"They tried to dig him out of the rubble as fast as they could," Bass said. "By the time they got him out, he was already deceased."

Officials said workers were pouring concrete on a raised deck that would overlook 5,300 square feet of a dining area.

Berthelot was the president of Berthelot Design/Construction Inc., which has been overseeing the rebuilding of the restaurant.

The restaurant had been closed since 2012, when it received severe structural damage during Hurricane Isaac. The original building had subsequently been razed to make way for construction of a new restaurant, raised on piers to avoid the Jourdan River's frequent flooding.

SunHerald.com will update this story as more information becomes available.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/09/08/6403502_contractor-killed-in-construction.html?rh=1&sp-tk=13A422F34B05D406DCAB1388A8A24DD837332BB0AADC62981D8125D833871CFB33C50426C6A0C42B7BAF079E1A34FA143F4285C167AA2A6C322E4C8D734EB3D2CD6B92A2E796091DE289F8E1034EAE914717B54BA423E733C219DC4A4241077A0F012A9006001493B7828896665C2867D80C4E1B7A7B81B62BC2F45CD62939BFEDCF2674#storylink=cpy

Oga Beulah, I guess Barry must be a "Computer Scientist turned builder" for the structure to have failed and collapsed on him. His 30 years hands-on experience on construction couldn't save him.

I can only imagine if Barry is a Nigerian Builder!

I liked your post because You said the truth.

brabus:
Oga Beulah, I guess Barry must be a "Computer Scientist turned builder" for the structure to have failed and collapse on him. His 30 years hands-on experience on construction couldn't save him.

I can only imagine if Barry is a Nigerian Builder!

I liked your post because You said the truth.

I thought you will learn BUT you chose not too

Barry was not a computer scientist and he paid dearly for it. In any civilised environment, your 'license' will be withdrawn and you will be sanctioned! Do you know the meaning of GROSS NEGLIGENCE and the consequences?

Are you QUALIFIED to supervise a building job? In your case you are not making innocent makes. You are doing jobs above your competency. Instead of seeking to acquire the requisite training or focusing on your area of strength, you are getting into terrain which is way beyond your knowledge areas without getting the required professionals to help you.

Instead of thinking about my suggestion of focusing on project management and getting the right professionals to work with you, you went on your usual defensive mode and trying to deflect issues.

Oga Beulah09,

We are not fighting here. You've made your point that "Even the most qualified builder can fail" We are all prone to errors.

Barry is qualified but maybe oversight (which most likely in this case) caused him the great error. That doesn't mean he's not a great builder.

Whether a Nigerian or Americana, Qualified/Ceritified or a rookie, Urban man or a villager, we are all prone to error.

brabus:
Oga Beulah09,

We are not fighting here. You've made your point that "Even the most qualified builder can fail" We are all prone to errors.

Barry is qualified but maybe oversight (which is impossible) caused him the great error. That doesn't mean he's not a great builder.

Whether a Nigerian or Americana, Qualified/Ceritified or a rookie, Urban man or a villager, we are all prone to error.

Fighting on a faceless forum? No way.

There is a difference between errors, incompetence and gross negligence.

Failure to acquire the right competencies will DESTROY all the leverage you have with your other skills! It does not take time for someone to acquire a 'reputation' if it is not true!

This is what I always tell people I mentor. Mistakes can be tolerated at the early state of your career. After sometimes, you will pay dearly for it. At which point it is also difficult to acquire the required skills and competencies.

You have gone as far as your 'packaging' skills can help you. Set up your company as a Project Management company. In which case your role is that of a managing the project. Get competent professionals to work with you especially a structural engineer! Someone that will understand the implications of your actions (or in actions) especially when making design changes. It is funny how people make changes during construction without following the management of change procedure.

If you can, read the book WHAT WENT WRONG by TREVOR KLETZ. It is not about building but will expose you to management of projects/operations and things to look out for. It is more about process safety but the lessons can be applied across board.

Oga Beulah09,

I've vowed not to discuss my private business here on Nairaland. But for the records, I never ran a team-of-me.

Inside my 22sqm office space, I have the following people worked for me.

1. Admin Manager - Over 15 years experience as a Branch Manager in First Bank and Ecobank Plc

2. Operations Manager - HND Estate Management

3. Site Supervisor I - MSc

4. Site Supervisor II - OND Business Admin with over 7 years of experience working on mega construction projects nationwide.

5. Architect - Bsc Architecture

6. Field Officer (Contract) - with years of experience on multiple residential estates in Lekki Lagos.

7. Other Contract Officers - Store Keeper, Van Driver, Truck Driver


_______

The business is still very young and we can not afford an in-house Structural/Civil/Mechanical Engineers yet so what we do is to engage them on contracts and also adviced our clients to engage a Consultant. We've had a number of our clients who have complied with this instruction.

The detached duplex project that we did in Diamond Estate had all the consultants (Mechanical/Electrical/Structural) checking our projects prior to major work. They were paid to do so by the client.

A builder doesn't necessarily have to double as a skipper and a striker at the same time before he can be declared competent.

________
I'll find time to get the book you recommended.

I am talking about technical professional. Get a civil/Structural engineer. While experience is important, you need to be sure that it is good and relevant experience. You need to be sure that the person is able to offer something that will help your company not just doing routines.

It is a friendly counsel that you dont have to take.

It is obvious that things are not working well! Not sure there is any other 'builder' with as much negative publicity. Admitting that there is a 'problem' is the first step towards improvement!

brabus:
Oga Beulah09,

I've vowed not to discuss my private business here on Nairaland. But for the records, I never ran a team-of-me.

Inside my 22sqm office space, I have the following people worked for me.

1. Admin Manager - Over 15 years experience as a Branch Manager in First Bank and Ecobank Plc

2. Operations Manager - HND Estate Management

3. Site Supervisor I - MSc

4. Site Supervisor II - OND Business Admin with over 7 years of experience working on mega construction projects nationwide.

5. Architect - Bsc Architecture

6. Field Officer (Contract) - with years of experience on multiple residential estates in Lekki Lagos.

7. Other Contract Officers - Store Keeper, Van Driver, Truck Driver


_______

The business is still very young and we can not afford an in-house Structural/Civil/Mechanical Engineers yet so what we do is to engage them on contracts and also adviced our clients to engage a Consultant. We've had a number of our clients who have complied with this instruction.



A builder doesn't necessarily have to double as a skipper and a striker at the same time before he can be declared competent.

________
I'll find time to get the book you recommended.

Beulah09:
I am talking about technical professional. Get a civil/Structural engineer. While experience is important, you need to be sure that it is good and relevant experience. You need to be sure that the person is able to offer something that will help your company not just doing routines.

It is a friendly counsel that you dont have to take.

It is obvious that things are not working well! Not sure there is any other 'builder' with as much negative publicity. Admitting that there is a 'problem' is the first step towards improvement!

Exactly my point here! It's never about the technical expertise or structural failure. It has to do with contract management most of the times. Doing what was agreed on paper.

Can we take this to private if you have a few minute of chat? Trust me, I won't waste your productive time.

+2348023429122 Whatsapp

This guy is here again, has an office full of scam artist, see thier job specification below.

1. Admin Manager - Bosun himself, judge/jury/executioner. Writing fradulent contracts, lower material prices but excessively inflated quantity.

2. Operations Manager - Lol, I find this funny.

3. Site Supervisor I - All of them of decamped now... we know what happens. Partners in crime.

4. Site Supervisor II - Lol. same as above.

5. Architect - I asked to speak to architect, but apparently he's faceless. He grabs building plans meant for other houses, rubs off the name/put the name of another client and then prints it off. Classic brabus.

6. Field Officer (Contract) - Mans the van which is used to steal materials from site to site, then offers it to clients at cheap prices. So beware, you might be buying stolen goods.

7. Other Contract Officers - Store Keeper, Van Driver, Truck Driver - Yes, I personally know these people. They parked a van near my site, and were loading it with my iron rods and cements. When challanged, he asked me to call a scientist to verify the amount of cement he has used.

Can put together all the posts on the above to backup my claim.

@Beulah09, Do you have idea where I can get the Book? I've read some great reviews of the book. I'm in Lagos.

Thanks.