Effective Quality Management
Increases the Lifecycle of Protective Coatings
High quality protective coatings for corrosion prevention are a combination of high-performance materials, application expertise, and quality management,
- Coating Material Requirements
- Quality Control Procedures
- Quality Assurance System
“The primary focus of quality management is to meet customer requirements and to strive to exceed customer expectations.”
(ISO International Organization for Standardization https://www.iso.org)
“Quality management (QM): Managing activities and resources of an organization to achieve objectives and prevent nonconformances.
Quality management system (QMS): A formal system that documents the structure, processes, roles, responsibilities and procedures required to achieve effective quality management.” (ASQ American Society for Quality https://asq.org)
The categories of services and list of tasks shown below represent the major components of a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) for large scale, complex projects. Most protective coatings projects won’t require all the tasks shown, but every project will benefit from an efficient QA/QC program. A specific quality management program and scope of work can be created according to individual project details. Please see Contact if more information is needed.
Review of Plans and Specifications
Material Submittals Review
Samples or Mock-ups Evaluation
QA/QC Program Developement
Field Procedures for Inspections
Fabrication Shop Inspections
Pre-Job Meeting Checklist
Information Requests and Clarifications
Inspection and Testing Plan
Inspection Checklists
Inspection Schedule
Non-conformance Procedures and Tracking
Daily Reports
Inspection Reports
Periodic Summary Reports
Formal Technical Reports
Corrective Action Plans
Change Order Review
Pay Application Review
Digital Photographs
Annotate As Built Drawings
Create and Administer Punchlist
Final Project Report
Warranty Procedures and Inspections
Project-Specific Forms
Purpose and Importance of Project-Specific Forms
One of the most important responsibilities of a coatings inspector is to document the results of inspections in a clear, concise, and timely manner. Without timely, formal documentation, many of the details of an inspection may be lost or forgotten. Documenting specific, key items as the work progresses essentially tells the story of the project—what work was done on a given day and work shift, what the work conditions were, whether the work met requirements, what non-conforming work was done and how it was repaired, etc.
This report describes key forms used to document coating work and quality monitoring, lists information that should be recorded on each form, and provides commentary on why documenting coatings work is important for the contractor and the facility owner. In some cases, facility owners do not require the contractor to submit QC documentation for Quality Assurance review and, once the project is done and any quality assurance auditing is completed all the papers or computer files may do nothing more than fill a file cabinet or computer drive. However, in the event of a problem downstream, the documentation can provide key information for resolution of a problem or dispute over workmanship. Documenting the results of inspections can also be a key element in the event of a coating failure that results in arbitration or litigation against the coating contractor.
The most common forms and their typical content appear here as checklists. Use of a checklist will allow development of customized project-specific forms. SSPC’s Quality Control Supervisor (QCS) course further explains how to use various forms and provides practice and examples.
SSPC Development and Use of Quality Control Forms in Coatings Contracting, SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings, Pittsburgh, PA, 2009, www.sspc.org
Resources
This course is designed to provide training in quality management for SSPC-Certified contractor personnel, Technical Quality Managers (TQM), and inspectors employed by SSPCQP 5 inspection firms. It provides an overview of the quality management aspects of surface preparation, paint, coatings, and inspection operations that a Quality Control Supervisor (QCS) needs to know to ensure delivery of a quality product to customers. It is highly recommended that persons attending the QCS course have recent inspection training (SSPC PCI, NBPI or BCI) or equivalent formal training and also have some quality control experience.
Quality systems
QCS qualifications and requirements
Training and qualifications
Technical resources
Quality manuals and procedures
Documentation and data control
Calibration programs
Contract document and specification review
Work plans and process control procedures
Inspection plans
Inspection reports
Internal audits
This course is designed to provide those who understand coating fundamentals with an overview of the principles of planning, awarding, and monitoring the quality of new construction or maintenance painting projects. After completing this training program, students will be familiar with tools to develop effective coating projects and play a more active role in managing painting projects to successful completion.
Identify the key issues in managing a coatings project, including contracts, specifications, coating selection, and the roles of project participants
Analyze and prepare a coating specification through the use of corporate engineering standards
Recognize the cost of corrosion and select materials to mitigate it
Estimate accurately in project cost analysis
Define scheduling requirements, exposure environments, and coating systems for new construction
Conduct facility condition surveys and analyses for maintenance painting
Apply documentation methods during project administration
Recognize coating failures
Identify and comply with relevant environmental regulations
https://www.sspc.org/planning-and-specifying-industrial-coatings-projects-c2
Questions?
Please contact me if you have any questions regarding Quality Management, and if you would like to learn more about the NACE Certified Inspector Program see the Information page.