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February 24, 2009

Benefits of a Written Quality Program

From 1950 onward, W. Edwards Deming (an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer, and consultant) taught top management how to improve design (and thus service), product quality, testing and sales through various methods, including the application of statistical methods (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Today written Quality Programs are an integral part of the Utility, Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace and Pharmaceutical Industries to name a few.

The overall quality of many of the products we use today can be directly attributed to Deming’s philosophy and teachings. If you are a sub-contractor, or looking to be a supplier in one of these industries, this program could help to open the door for you. At a minimum, this program would include areas such as:

Ø      Quality Assurance Program
Ø      Design Control
Ø      Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings
Ø      Document Control
Ø      Control of Purchased Material, Equipment, & Services
Ø      Control of Special Processes
Ø      Inspection
Ø      Test Control
Ø      Control of Measuring & Test Equipment
Ø      Non-Conforming Materials, Parts, & Components
Ø      Corrective Action Plan
Ø      Quality Assurance Records
Ø      Auditing

This program will lead the way in reducing the number of defects, increase performance and raise customer satisfaction. If you do not have one, consider utilizing an audit consultant to assist your team, or perform this for you, so that you can focus on what’s most important to you - your customers.

At Storti Quality Consulting, we take pride in helping our customers use quality management practices to enhance results and increase profits.  If you’d like to talk about Quality, please call us at 215.657.0837, send an email to ralph.storti@storticonsulting.net, or visit our website, www.storticonsulting.net.

Posted by Ralph.Storti at 07:29 PM | | TrackBacks (0)

February 17, 2009

Pre-Job Package Reviews

You receive a work request from your customer. You assemble a job package to perform the work. You forward the job to the assigned crew to complete, as outlined. Part way into the job, you get a call that a permit or drawing is missing, or the material on hand is incorrect. Have you ever experienced this? Have you ever wondered why?

A pre-job package review process will assist in indentify shortcomings, before you start a job; which will help to preclude recurrence in the future. An up-front three-step review process will help to minimize the number of problem jobs. You probably have some form of package review; however if it is not documented, and you are not aware of the potential problems with the job, you will continue to encounter problems.

What is a Pre-Job Package Review Process? Why do I need one? If you can identify and correct problems before stating work, you will save time and money on what would have been wasted on delays of non-reimbursable labor, material and equipment.

Start with a Pre-Survey Review of the job package by your Back Office Staff. This review in part would be of the schedule, prints, permits, material, etc. Next conduct a Pre-Job Inspection by your Superintendent. Ensure that scope of work is identified and ready to begin; then review procedures, inspections and tests for understanding.

Finally turn the job package over to the Foreman for review and final sign-off. If you do not have a documented pre-job package review process, consider utilizing an audit consultant to assist your team, or perform this for you, so that you can focus on what’s most important to you - your customers.
 
At Storti Quality Consulting, we take pride in helping our customers use quality management practices to enhance results and increase profits.  If you’d like to talk about Quality, please call us at 215.657.0837, send an email to ralph.storti@storticonsulting.net, or visit our website, www.storticonsulting.net.

 

 

Posted by Ralph.Storti at 07:33 AM | | TrackBacks (0)

February 10, 2009

What is a Corrective Action………. a Preventive Action?

A Corrective Action (CA) is an action taken to eliminate the cause(s) of an existing non-conformity, defect or other undesirable situation, in order to prevent recurrence.  If left uncorrected, a CA could have a serious affect on safety, quality or operability.

On the other hand, a Preventive Action (PA) is an action taken to eliminate the cause(s) of a potential non-conformity, defect or other undesirable situation in order to prevent occurrence.  Another words identify and fix it before it becomes a problem.

Failures, malfunctions, deficiencies, defective items and non-conformances are but a few examples of Corrective and Preventive Actions that may need to be addressed.  A strong Corrective and Preventive Action Program will help your company get to the next level.  If you have a program, use it.  If not, you need one!

The first step is to have written Corrective and Preventive Action Procedures.  In addition to these procedures, that will outline the entire process, you will need a Corrective Action and Preventive Action Log to track them.  Corrective and Preventive Action Request Forms are required to document the issue at hand.

A Corrective and Preventive Action Request would include the following sections:
1.      Problem Identification.
2.      Evaluation and Proposed Corrective or Preventive Action, as applicable.
3.      Corrective or Preventive Action Review and Approval, as applicable.
4.      Action Taken.
5.      Verification and Closure.

An individual knowledgeable in analytical assessments, using principles of Root Cause Analysis, is essential in making a final determination.  If you do not have a documented process, consider utilizing an audit consultant to assist your team, or perform this for you, so that you can focus on what’s most important to you - your customers.

At Storti Quality Consulting, we take pride in helping our customers use quality management practices to enhance results and increase profits.  If you’d like to talk about Quality, please call us at 215.657.0837, send an email to ralph.storti@storticonsulting.net, or visit our website, www.storticonsulting.net.

Posted by Ralph.Storti at 07:05 AM | | TrackBacks (0)


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