When you put up a building, the process of commissioning or building turnover from the contractor to the owner is as complex as any ritual. The architect creates a punch list where, if everything is complete and punched, the building will be considered to be complete and final payments will be made. After the work, items on the punch list are completed, and the building completion is declared by all parties. The contractor gets paid according to the contract (a small amount might be held for some period). If there is no agreement then a court declares completion!

A punch list process is very useful for completing the last segments of a project (though it is sometimes the toughest to complete). In maintenance shutdowns the end point may be hard to discern because the project is in reality a series of unrelated work orders. Everyone is running around trying to cram in as much work as possible. Usually the shutdown is over at a particular time, whatever is done or not done. Good language in the activity list will forestall many of the problems.

Copyright 2005, Industrial Press, Inc., New York, NY