field-reference

Field Reference Skill

Overview

The Field Reference skill is the plugin's standalone construction knowledge base — practical field data that a superintendent needs when they don't have a spec book in hand. It contains the numbers, tolerances, rules of thumb, and decision frameworks that drive daily field decisions.

This skill is NOT a document extraction tool (that's document-intelligence). It's a knowledge base — the kind of information an experienced superintendent carries in their head.

Reference Document Index

Reference Document	What It Covers	When to Use
references/equipment-selection-guide.md	Excavators, dozers, cranes, loaders, compactors, pumps, generators, lifts — sizing rules, selection decision trees, rental specs, mobilization, production rate tables, hauling capacity, fleet balancing	Superintendent asks about equipment sizing, crane capacity, production rates, truck fleet sizing, or what machine to use for a task
references/concrete-field-operations.md	Slump ranges, air entrainment, cold/hot weather protocols, cylinder testing, pour cards, ACI 301/318 field requirements, common defects	Any concrete-related question: placement, testing, weather protection, mix design interpretation
references/advanced-concrete-guide.md	Post-tensioning, tilt-up, precast, mass concrete, architectural concrete, self-consolidating concrete, fiber-reinforced, underwater placement	Advanced concrete operations beyond standard CIP: specialty pours, PT stressing, tilt-up erection, precast connections
references/structural-steel-field-guide.md	Bolt torque (A325/A490), installation methods, erection tolerances, connections, weld inspection, piece mark tracking	Steel erection, bolt-up, inspection, connection type identification
references/earthwork-compaction-guide.md	Compaction standards by location, Proctor tests, moisture control, proof rolling, nuclear gauge, soil classification, swell/shrinkage	Earthwork operations, fill placement, subgrade prep, compaction testing
references/bmp-field-guide.md	Silt fence specs, inlet protection, stabilized entrance, concrete washout, erosion control by slope, SWPPP compliance, maintenance	Stormwater management, erosion control, SWPPP inspections, BMP installation/maintenance
references/mep-coordination-guide.md	Ceiling cavity depths, pipe sleeves, fire-stopping, electrical clearances, plumbing slopes, HVAC duct sizing, trade sequencing, ductwork/piping/electrical installation standards	MEP rough-in coordination, trade sequencing, above-ceiling work, code clearances, system installation verification
references/fire-protection-field-guide.md	Sprinkler spacing/coverage, fire-rated assemblies, penetration fire-stopping, standpipes, fire alarm systems, smoke control, emergency power integration, fire pump testing	Fire protection installation verification, fire-rated wall inspections, device spacing checks, alarm system commissioning
references/building-envelope-guide.md	Foundation waterproofing, roofing systems (TPO/EPDM/built-up/metal), flashing, rough openings, air/vapor barriers	Waterproofing, roofing, window/door installation, building envelope continuity
references/site-logistics-guide.md	Crane placement, material staging, temporary power, dewatering, dust control, traffic control, temporary fencing	Site setup, logistics planning, temporary facilities, environmental controls
references/formwork-shoring-guide.md	ACI 347 formwork design, formwork types (plywood, aluminum, engineered), shoring loads, reshoring, stripping times, inspection checklists	Formwork selection, shoring design verification, stripping time determination, multi-story reshoring
references/scaffolding-guide.md	Frame, system, tube-and-clamp, mast climbing, suspended scaffolds — load capacity, OSHA 1926.450-454, erection/inspection, tag system	Scaffold erection oversight, daily inspections, load capacity verification, competent person duties
references/masonry-field-guide.md	CMU types/sizes/grades, mortar types (M/S/N/O), bond patterns, grouting, rebar placement, brick veneer, stone anchoring, cold/hot weather masonry	Masonry installation, mortar selection, grouting operations, veneer systems, weather protection
references/waterproofing-systems-guide.md	Below-grade systems (bentonite, spray, sheet, crystalline), traffic coatings, plaza decks, joint sealants, air/vapor barriers, water testing	Waterproofing system selection, installation verification, leak testing, sealant selection
references/underground-utilities-guide.md	Water, sanitary, storm, gas, electric, telecom — trench specs, bedding/backfill (ASTM D2321), pipe materials, pressure testing, crossings	Utility installation, trench excavation, pipe bedding, pressure testing, utility crossings and separations
references/paving-flatwork-guide.md	Asphalt (HMA types, lift thickness, temperature, compaction), concrete flatwork (finishing, joints, FF/FL), ADA accessibility, curb/gutter	Paving operations, concrete flatwork finishing, joint layout, ADA compliance, seasonal restrictions
references/crane-lift-planning-guide.md	Lift Director responsibilities, critical lift criteria, pre-lift planning, rigging hardware/capacity, signal person requirements, crane inspections, multi-crane lifts	Lift planning, critical lift documentation, rigging selection, crane inspection verification, signal person coordination
references/construction-surveying-guide.md	Benchmark establishment, control networks, layout procedures (total station, GPS/RTK), staking, elevation verification, as-built surveys	Survey layout verification, benchmark checks, cut/fill calculations, as-built documentation, survey error resolution
references/temporary-facilities-guide.md	Temporary power (load calc, distribution, GFCI), temp water, heating/cooling, winter protection, dewatering systems, temporary enclosures	Temporary facility planning, winter protection, temp power sizing, dewatering selection, enclosure requirements
references/multi-story-coordination-guide.md	Floor-by-floor sequencing, vertical transportation, tower crane logistics, material hoisting, concrete pumping for high-rise, multi-trade stacking	Multi-story building coordination, vertical logistics, floor cycle planning, high-rise operations
references/cross-trade-coordination-guide.md	Pre-installation meetings, above-ceiling coordination, slab penetration management, sequence of operations, trade stacking rules, conflict resolution	Trade coordination meetings, above-ceiling rough-in sequencing, penetration layout, trade conflict resolution

How Other Skills/Commands Use This Skill

Integration Pattern

When another command or skill needs field reference knowledge, it should read the relevant reference document from this skill. The lookup table above maps topics to files.

Example integrations:

Calling Command/Skill	When	Which Reference to Read
/morning-brief	Surfacing today's activities with QC reminders	concrete-field-operations.md, structural-steel-field-guide.md (based on today's scheduled work)
/morning-brief	Weather threshold enrichment	concrete-field-operations.md (cold/hot weather), bmp-field-guide.md (rain triggers)
/daily-report	Enriching work descriptions with proper trade language	concrete-field-operations.md, structural-steel-field-guide.md, earthwork-compaction-guide.md
/look-ahead	Sequencing and constraint analysis	mep-coordination-guide.md (trade sequence), site-logistics-guide.md (crane/staging)
report-qa	Validating report accuracy against field standards	Any reference matching the day's work types
/log (intake-chatbot)	Enriching field observations with technical context	Based on observation topic
/process-docs	Cross-referencing extracted specs against field standards	concrete-field-operations.md (verify spec values), earthwork-compaction-guide.md (compaction reqs)

Conversational Queries

The superintendent can ask field reference questions at any time without running a command:

• "What size excavator do I need for a 12-foot trench?"
• "What's the cold weather concrete protocol?"
• "A325 bolt torque for 3/4 inch?"
• "Silt fence post spacing?"
• "Minimum sprinkler head distance from wall?"
• "Trade sequence for above-ceiling rough-in?"
• "Compaction requirement under footings?"

When Claude receives these questions, it should read the appropriate reference document and provide the specific answer with the source data.

Maintenance Notes

• These references contain industry-standard data (ACI, AISC, NFPA, OSHA, EPA standards). They should be updated when code editions change.
• Project-specific requirements (from specs, geotech, etc.) always override these general references. The reference docs note this where applicable.
• The references are intentionally practical, not academic — they focus on what a superintendent needs to know in the field, not exhaustive code commentary.