Communication Standards

Document Type: Policy
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
Distribute To: All Employees

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Purpose

Establish clear communication protocols to ensure information flows efficiently, issues are escalated appropriately, and documentation supports project success.

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Communication Channels by Type

Emergency Communication (Life/Safety)

Response Time: Immediate

Situation	Action
Life-threatening emergency	Call 911 immediately
Serious injury	911, then Safety Director, then PM
Fire/Explosion	911, evacuate, then Safety Director
Environmental spill	911 (if required), Safety Director

Emergency Contacts:

• Safety Director: [PHONE NUMBER]
• Project Manager: [PHONE NUMBER]
• Office Emergency Line: [PHONE NUMBER]

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Urgent Communication (Same-Day Response Required)

Response Time: Within 2 hours

Situation	Primary Contact	Method
Work stoppage	Superintendent	Call/Text
Safety concern (non-emergency)	Foreman → Super → Safety	Call
Major schedule impact	PM/Super	Call
Owner/GC urgent request	PM	Call
Weather shutdown decision	Super → PM	Call

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Standard Communication (Next Business Day)

Response Time: Within 24 hours

Situation	Primary Contact	Method
RFI submission	PM	Email/System
Submittal coordination	PM	Email/System
Schedule updates	PM/Super	Email
Change order requests	PM	Email/System
General coordination	Team	Email

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Routine Communication (Weekly/As Needed)

Response Time: Within 3-5 business days

Situation	Method
Project status updates	Weekly meetings, reports
Non-urgent procurement	Email
HR questions	Email/HR portal
IT support	Helpdesk ticket
Training requests	Email to supervisor

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Communication Methods

Email

Use For:

• Formal documentation
• Detailed information sharing
• Non-urgent requests
• Paper trail needed

Standards:

• Clear subject line with project name/number
• Concise body with action items bolded
• Attachments properly named (ProjectName_Date_Description)
• CC only those who need to know
• Reply within 24 hours (even if just acknowledging)

Email Signature Standard:

[Full Name]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[Phone] | [Email]

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Phone/Text

Use For:

• Urgent matters
• Complex discussions
• Time-sensitive decisions
• When tone matters

Standards:

• Text for quick confirmations
• Call for detailed discussions
• Follow up important calls with email summary
• Voicemail: State name, company, callback number, brief message

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Project Management Software

Use For:

• Daily reports
• Photo documentation
• RFIs and submittals
• Issue tracking
• Time tracking

Standards:

• All field documentation entered daily
• Photos tagged with location and description
• Issues logged immediately when identified
• Status updates entered in real-time

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Meetings

Use For:

• Complex coordination
• Team alignment
• Problem-solving
• Relationship building

Standards:

• Agenda distributed 24 hours in advance
• Start and end on time
• Minutes distributed within 24 hours
• Action items with owners and deadlines

Meeting Types:

Meeting	Frequency	Attendees	Duration
Toolbox Talk	Daily/Weekly	Field Crew	5-15 min
Foreman Meeting	Daily	Foremen, Super	15 min
OAC Meeting	Weekly	Owner, Architect, GC	1-2 hours
Subcontractor Coord	Weekly	Subs, PM, Super	1 hour
Project Review	Monthly	PM, Super, Execs	1-2 hours

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External Communication

With Owners/Clients

• Professional, prompt, and documented
• Single point of contact (usually PM)
• No commitments without PM approval
• Copy PM on all communications

With Architects/Engineers

• Through proper channels (usually PM)
• Use RFI process for design questions
• Document verbal conversations in email
• Never commit to changes without approval

With Subcontractors/Vendors

• Professional and respectful
• Document all agreements in writing
• Use purchase orders for all purchases
• Follow up verbal agreements with email

With Inspectors/Authorities

• Superintendent or PM only
• Be cooperative and professional
• Never argue or obstruct
• Document all interactions

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Documentation Requirements

Everything Important Gets Documented

Event	Documentation Method
Verbal instruction from owner	Confirm in email within 24 hours
Scope change discussed	Change order request submitted
Safety incident	Incident report same day
Weather delay	Daily report notation
Defective material	Photo + email to supplier
Subcontractor issue	Email to sub with PM copied

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Escalation Matrix

Issue Escalation Path

Level 1: Direct Supervisor (Foreman/Lead)
    ↓ (if unresolved in 4 hours)
Level 2: Superintendent/Department Manager
    ↓ (if unresolved in 24 hours)
Level 3: Project Manager/Operations Manager
    ↓ (if unresolved in 48 hours)
Level 4: Executive Leadership

When to Skip Levels

• Safety emergency: Go directly to highest available authority
• Legal/compliance issue: Go to PM and Exec
• Owner conflict: Go to PM immediately
• Harassment/discrimination: Go to HR directly

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Communication Don'ts

❌ Never:

• Discuss project financials with unauthorized parties
• Commit to scope changes verbally without documentation
• Share confidential information
• Use company email for personal business
• Communicate while angry (wait 24 hours)
• Gossip about coworkers, clients, or competitors
• Post project photos on social media without approval

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Related Documents

• Emergency Contact Card
• Meeting Agenda Template
• Email Templates
• RFI Procedure
• Incident Reporting Procedure

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