”It's 60 cm deep, but...” Severe Compaction and a Deep Bow Caused by "Over-Excavation" (From the God of Construction)
I work as an engineer for a local government. This incident began with a terrifying phone call: ”It’s 60 cm too deep.” In this article, I’ll share my experience with this “60 cm over-excavation” incident, covering: (1) what happened, (2) the actions taken by the local government, (3) my thoughts during the response, and (4) lessons learned from this experience…
After being run over by a bulldozer, everyone—the general contractor, the subcontractor, the sub-subcontractor, and the sub-subcontractor’s employees—filed a lawsuit. Then, the negligence of ”a certain person” came to light (from the God of Construction).
At a landfill construction site on the grounds of a former coal mine in Fukuoka Prefecture, X, a construction equipment operator, was run over by a bulldozer and injured. X filed a lawsuit against the person who operated the bulldozer, the sub-subcontractor to which that person belonged, as well as the general contractor and other subcontractors. X, who is not a legal expert, sued all parties involved…
The Depth of Construction Photography, as Explained by a “Negative Retouching Expert”: How to Avoid Churning Out “Useless” Photos on Site (From the God of Construction)
Almost everyone who works on a construction site has probably taken some kind of photo there at some point. These days, everyone carries a smartphone, so you can take photos anytime, anywhere. However, when it comes to “official documentary photos of a construction site,” that’s a different story. Without the proper care and consideration, …
It’s Already 2026, Yet ”80% of Communication Is Still by Phone and Fax”: The “Three Barriers” Hindering Digital Transformation in Local Government Construction (From “The God of Construction”)
The term “Construction DX” has been bandied about for quite some time now, but how does it actually feel to those working on the front lines? “In the end, they still tell us to submit it on paper,” “The system is hard to use”… I can almost hear those complaints. The Japan Construction Management Software Industry Association (J-COMSI)…
Words Engineers Should Never Say (From the God of Construction)
A Phrase I Absolutely Never Want to Use As an engineer, there’s one phrase I absolutely never want to use. That phrase is “It’s impossible.” How do you handle unreasonable requests? A request that seems unreasonable to us may be exactly what the other party is hoping for. Impossible…
The Construction Industry Is Not Taking the Labor Shortage Seriously Enough (From the God of Construction)
The Construction Industry Has Long Been Engaged in a War for Talent The construction industry has been facing a labor shortage for quite some time. Not only major construction companies and construction consultants, but also local governments and independent administrative agencies are desperately focusing their efforts on recruiting and retaining construction engineers and other professionals. They poach talent, only to have their own talent poached in return; they outmaneuver others, only to be outmaneuvered themselves…
How Will AI Transform the Construction Industry? (From the God of Construction)
The construction industry is currently at a historic turning point. Artificial intelligence, a new force, has begun to quietly permeate this industry, which has relied on human hands and experience for thousands of years. Its impact is already evident in measurable ways—shorter construction schedules, reduced costs, and improved safety. However, this technology…
Excellent construction management disappears from the job site... (From the God of Construction)
Don’t Send Top Construction Managers to the Job Site. In this article, I’ll discuss how general contractors will work in the near future. Some of you may hear this and think, “That’s impossible.” But please take a calm look at the trends of the times. Think about what’s happening in other industries. And then…
”Top-Secret Tips” You Can Use in Mid-Career Hiring Interviews for Construction Project Management (From the God of Construction)
Useful Ideas for Mid-Career Hiring I heard from a friend who works at a mid-sized general contractor that the company is looking to hire two or three construction managers through mid-career recruitment. Even before considering what kind of candidates they’re looking for, it’s unclear whether they’ll even receive any applications. However, despite the shortage of technical professionals, they can’t just hire just anyone…