General foreman
A general foreman, sometimes also known as a site supervisor or construction works manager, is responsible for general management, organisational and operational control of a construction site.
The role of general foreman differs from that of a site foreman in that they must have an overall understanding of the different construction disciplines in order to organise all site teams, inspect their work and control the overall job. By contrast, a site foreman generally oversees the work of one or two teams rather than multiple disciplines.
As well as being in overall control of the construction site’s operational activities, the general foreman is often responsible for placing material orders, coordinating health and safety inspections, providing safety briefings, and so on.
On some projects, the general foreman may be in sole control of the site, whereas on larger and more complex projects they may work alongside a project manager and/or site manager. In these circumstances, the site manager may take some of the responsibilities for material ordering and health and safety inspections, as there are more working gangs and disciplines on site which require the general foreman’s operational control.
A general foreman must have several years of site experience, and generally progresses up from being a site foreman working across a number of different disciplines. They should have an excellent knowledge of materials handling and the internal procedures of their organisation.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Tackle the decline in Welsh electrical apprenticeships
ECA calls on political parties 100 days to the Senedd elections.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.
What they are, how they work and why they are popular in many countries.
Plastic, recycling and its symbol
Student competition winning, M.C.Esher inspired Möbius strip design symbolising continuity within a finite entity.
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.