Labor Productivity & Rates Flashcards

A crew installs 200 linear feet of conduit in 8 hours. What is the crew's unit labor rate in man-hours per linear foot?

Answer: 0.04 MH/LF

Unit rate = 8 MH ÷ 200 LF = 0.04 MH/LF.

Which factor most directly reduces labor productivity on high-rise construction projects compared to ground-level work?

Answer: Increased hoist and vertical travel time

Vertical travel time to upper floors significantly reduces the portion of the workday spent on productive installation.

When a project labor agreement (PLA) specifies craft jurisdiction, the primary estimating impact is:

Answer: Restricted task assignments that may require additional craft labor

Jurisdictional work rules under a PLA can prevent multi-tasking, requiring separate craft workers for tasks a single worker might otherwise perform.

An estimator applies a 0.85 productivity factor to a baseline labor unit. If the baseline is 1.20 MH/unit, what is the adjusted rate?

Answer: 1.02 MH/unit

Adjusted rate = 1.20 × 0.85 = 1.02 MH/unit.

The 'learning curve' effect in construction estimating predicts that:

Answer: Unit labor hours decrease as workers repeat the same task

As workers repeat identical tasks, familiarity reduces unit man-hours through the learning curve effect.

A 4-person crew earns a composite wage of $42/hour each. If the crew completes 50 units per day (8 hours), what is the labor cost per unit?

Answer: $26.88/unit

Daily labor cost = 4 workers × $42/hr × 8 hrs = $1,344; cost per unit = $1,344 ÷ 50 units = $26.88/unit.

Shift work premiums are typically applied when workers operate on:

Answer: Second or third shift schedules outside normal day hours

Evening and night shifts commonly carry premium pay (e.g., 10–15%) to compensate for non-standard hours.