NOTES ON SCHEDULES

Notes are generally placed a minimum of 3 inches below the "Revision" block in the right-hand side of the first sheet. The purpose of these notes is to give additional information that clarifies a detail or explains how a certain phase of construction is to be performed. You should read all notes, along with the specifications, while you are planning a project.

WRITTEN SPECIFICATIONS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Upon completing this section, you should be able to interpret written construction specifications.

Because many aspects of construction cannot be shown graphically, even the best prepared construction drawings often inadequately show some portions of a project. For example, how can anyone show on a drawing the quality of workmanship required for the installation of doors and windows? Or, who is responsible for supplying the materials? These are things that can be conveyed only by hand-lettered notes. The standard procedure is to supplement construction drawings with detailed written instructions. These written instructions, called specifications (or more commonly specs), define and limit materials and fabrication to the intent of the engineer or designer.

Usually, it is the responsibility of the design engineer to prepare project specifications. As a Builder, you will be required to read, interpret, and use these in your work as a crew leader or supervisor. You must be familiar with the various types of federal, military, and nongovernmental reference specifications used in preparing project specs. When assisting the engineer in preparing or using specifications, you also need to be familiar with the general format and terminology used.

NAVFAC SPECIFICATIONS

NAVFAC specifications are prepared by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFACENGCOM), which sets standards for all construction work performed under its jurisdiction. This includes work performed by the Seabees. There are three types of NAVFAC specifications.

NAVFACENGCOM Guide Specifications

NAVFACENGCOM guide specifications (NFGS) are the primary basis for preparing specifications for construction projects. These specifications define and establish minimum criteria for construction, materials, and workmanship and must be used as guidance in the preparation of project specifications. Each of these guide specifications (of which there are more than 300) has been written to encompass a wide variety of different materials, construction methods, and circumstances. They must also be tailored to suit the work actually required by the specific project.

To better explain this, let's look at figure 2-19, which is a page taken from a NAVFACENGCOM guide specification.     In this figure, you can see that there are two paragraphs numbered 3.2.1. This indicates that the spec writer must choose the paragraph that best suits the particular project for which he is writing the specification. The capital letters I and J in the right-hand margin next to those paragraphs refer to footnotes (contained elsewhere in the same guide specification) that the spec writer must follow when selecting the best paragraph. Additionally, you can see that some of the information in figure 2-19 is enclosed in brackets ([]). This indicates other choices that the spec writer must make. Guide specifications should be modified and edited to reflect the latest proven technology, materials, and methods.

EFD Regional Guide Specifications

Engineering Field Division regional guide specifications are used in the same way as the NAVFACENGCOM guide specifications but only in areas under the jurisdiction of an EFD of the Naval Facilities Engineering Field Command. When the spec writer is given a choice between using an EFD regional guide specification or a NAVFACENGCOM guide specification with the same identification number, the writer must use the one that has the most recent date. This is because there can only be one valid guide specification for a particular area at any one time.

Figure 2-19.-Sample page from a NAVFACENGCOM guide specification.

Standard Specifications

Standard specifications are written for a small group of specialized structures that must have uniform construction to meet rigid operational requirements. NAVFAC standard specifications

contain references to federal, military, other command and bureau, and association specifications. NAVFAC standard specifications are referenced or copied in project specifications, and can be modified with the modification noted and referenced. An example of a standard specification with modification is shown below:

"The magazine shall be Arch, Type 1, conforming to specifications S-M8E, except that all concrete shall be class F-1."

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