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What are stop work orders?

Stop work orders are contracts that project owners, government agencies, and inspectors use to put a halt on construction work. If you’re managing a construction project in Idaho and receive a stop work order, it’s important to know what this means and how to deal with it.

Stop work orders are a legal tool

Stop work orders are meant to ensure that safety is being upheld and that the team doesn’t breach the work contract. They are given by government agencies, inspectors, or project owners. A stop work order requires that the project shut down particular operations until the parties agree.

Reasons for stop work orders

An agency or individual can issue this order if anything that doesn’t meet the contract requirements is happening. The construction legal contract states several terms and everyone who is working under this contract can’t breach any of these terms.

Types of stop work orders

There are two main types of stop work orders. The full stop order is a legal statement that says the whole job site must shut down. This means that everyone who’s working needs to leave the site. An agency can issue this for financial, design, or engineering concerns.

The partial stop work order states that a part of the job site must shut down. It allows for other tasks to continue. The agency issues this when there’s a problem with safety, a certain contractor, or a change to an aspect of the design. The team can only conduct basic work to remedy the issue.

When managing or working on a construction project, it’s crucial to understand the contract terms. If you receive a stop work order, comply with what the agency asks you to do. This will make it possible to maintain your project timeline.