THE APPLIED INSPECTION
NEWSLETTER

Issue No. 93 - May 2002

FROM THE EDITOR

Health & Safety Accreditation
Applied Inspection has been accredited in accordance with the Supplyline 'safecontractor' health and safety standard following an assessment by National Britannia. The certificate is awarded for non destructive testing and inspection.

Supplyline is a health & safety accreditation scheme for contractors. It ensures health & safety risks are minimised and duties under the Health & Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 and associated Regulations are fulfilled. They maintain a register of approved contractors at www.safecontractor.com that is accessed by clients who are looking for organisations who have demonstrated their health & safety competency.

An example of the type of client using Supplyline for their approved contractor list is HSBC Bank plc, Rank Hovis McDougall Ltd, and WS Atkins.

New Premises for Cleckheaton Branch
Bob Theaker and his team will be moving at the end of May to new premises less than one mile from junction 40 of the M1 motorway. Radiation enclosures are currently being constructed.

Quotation

"Brown's sixth budget was about as enterprise friendly as Stalin's sixth five-year plan."

David Smith
Sunday Times, 21 April 2002

PERSONNEL

Congratulations
To Ian Donaldson who passed PCN Ultrasonics (Welds) Level 2, Category 3.1.

Overseas
Leigh Clarke had a successful trip to South Korea. He must have done a good job because the client has invited him back for a further six weeks.

Joke of the Month
A police officer pulls over this guy who's been weaving in and out of the lanes.

He goes up to the guy's window and says, "Sir, I need you to blow into this breathalyzer tube."

The man says, "Sorry, officer, I can't do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that, I'll have a really bad asthma attack."

"Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample."

"I can't do that either. I am a haemophiliac. If I do that, I'll bleed to death."

"Well, then, we need a urine sample."

"I'm sorry, officer, I can't do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that, I'll get really low blood sugar."

"All right, then I need you to come out here and walk this white line."

"I can't do that, officer."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm drunk."

The National Lottery
Dawn Andrews at Holmewood and Keith Dashper at Cleckheaton run the Applied Inspection lottery syndicate. There are currently 33 members who each pay £1.00 per week (stopped at source) which is put on the Saturday lottery. Anyone who is not a member, and who would like to join, should contact Dawn or Keith.

Our winnings to date are as follows:
1995 - £160.00 (40 weeks)
1996 - £297.00 (52 weeks)
1997 - £220.00 (52 weeks)
1998 - £251.00 (52 weeks)
1999 - £290.00 (52 weeks)
2000 - £270.00 (53 weeks)
2001 - £382.00 (52 weeks)
January 2002 - £30.00 (4 weeks)
February 2002 - £10.00 (4 weeks)
2 March 2002 - £50.00
9 March 2002 - £10.00
16 March 2002 - £0.00
23 March 2002 - £0.00
30 March 2002 - £0.00
6 April 2002 - £10.00
13 April 2002 - £20.00
20 April 2002 - £30.00
Any errors in the above list will be corrected as soon as possible.

LEARNING

Tell me and I forget.
Show me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.

QUALITY & TRAINING

Standards and Specifications
ASTM A 703/A 703M - 01b, Standard Specification for Steel Castings, General Requirements, for Pressure-Containing Parts, has superseded ASTM A 703/A 703M - 01a.

NDT Training
The answers to the questions on Visual in last month's NEWSLETTER are as follows:

1) A     2) B      3) D     4) A     

Here are some more questions, this time on Penetrant Testing:

1. Prior to penetrant testing of a previously machined soft metal part, which of the cleaning methods listed below would best remove any smeared metal that could mask discontinuities?

     A. Etching.
     B. Shot peening.
     C. Alkaline cleaning.
     D. Water cleaning with detergents.

2. Water-washable liquid penetrants differ from post-emulsification penetrants in that water-washable penetrants:

     A. Can only be used on aluminum test specimens.
     B. Need not be removed from surfaces prior to development.
     C. Have a soapy base.
     D. Do not need the application of an emulsifier before rinsing.

3. The function of the emulsifier in the post-emulsification penetrant method is to:

     A. More rapidly drive the penetrant into deep, tight cracks.
     B. React with the surface penetrant to make the penetrant water-washable.
     C. Add fluorescent dye or pigment to the penetrant.
     D. Providing a coating to which dry powder developer can adhere.

4. When improper processing causes inspection difficulties, what should the inspector do?

     A. Swab parts with a solvent.
     B. Use a correct bleed-back procedure.
     C. Erase non-relevant fluorescence.
     D. Reprocess the part.

Quality at Applied Inspection
Applied Inspection has a number of statements relating to its position on that subject. They are Vision, Mission, Quality, Training, Health & Safety, Environmental, Equal Opportunities and Alcohol & Drugs.

These statements are contained in the Company Rules booklet, available at each site on the Notice Board, and the Health & Safety booklet, issued to all employees. In addition, from time to time we also publish the statements in the NEWSLETTER. Here is our Vision Statement. We welcome comments and/or suggestions from staff in relation to any company policy statement. Please contact any director or e-mail us through the company web site.

Vision Statement
Applied Inspection aims to be internationally renowned for its supply to industry of first class nondestructive testing (NDT), engineering inspection and consultancy services.

Smoking
What happens when you give up cigarettes?

Within 20 minutes
  • Your blood pressure drops.
  • Your pulse rate drops to normal.
  • The temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal.

After 8 hours
  • The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
  • The oxygen level in your blood increases to normal.

After 24 hours
  • The chances of having a heart attack decrease.

After 48 hours
  • Your nerve ends start re-growing.
  • Your ability to smell and to taste things improves.

After 72 hours
  • Your bronchial tubes begin to relax.
  • Your breathing becomes easier.
  • Your lung capacity increases.

After 2 weeks to 3 months
  • Your circulation improves.
  • Your lung function is improved by 30 per cent.

After 1 to 9 months
  • Coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness, shortness of breath, all improve.
  • The linings of your lungs re-grow normally.
  • Your overall energy is improved.

After 5 years
  • Lung cancer death risk for the average smoker decreases from 137 per 100,000 people to 72, and after 10 years to 12 (which is almost the rate for non-smokers).

After 10 years
  • All pre-cancerous cells have been replaced.
  • Other cancers, such as those of the mouth, throat, bladder, kidney and cervix, are decreased as well.

HEALTH & SAFETY

Working with Lead
Lead in the bloodstream can cause headaches, tiredness, stomach pains, constipation and loss of weight. The human body will absorb the lead that is swallowed. Over a long period of time it is possible that a significant quantity could be ingested if it is not washed from hands prior to smoking, eating, drinking or touching the lips in any way, for instance, biting the finger nails.

Operatives using lead sheets, screens or numbers must wash their hands prior to ingesting any substance. Reminder signs are now erected at strategic locations throughout the laboratories but operatives must remember to wash their hands when working on sites.

CONTACTS

Holmewood, Derbyshire: Tel: 01246 851864 (3 Lines) Fax: 01246 852243
Burton, Staffordshire: Tel: 01283 515163 (3 Lines) Fax: 01283 539729
Cleckheaton, W Yorks: Tel/Fax: 01274 869900
Glasgow, Scotland: Tel/Fax: 0141 3355191
Internet Website: www.appliedinspection.co.uk

Published by: Applied Inspection Ltd., Holmewood, Chesterfield, UK. Editor: D K Thomas 24/04/2002

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