THE APPLIED INSPECTION
NEWSLETTER

Issue No. 110 - October 2003

FROM THE EDITOR

Quality Policy, Objectives and Targets

In this month's NEWSLETTER we have published a revised Quality Policy and also our quality objectives and targets. All staff need to understand the policy, objectives and targets of the company. Any comments or queries should be addressed to John Morris at Chesterfield or James Bailey at Burton, or any director.

Joke of the Month

John the idiot is in the pub showing off a flask he's bought in the sales. "It's a thermos flask," he says, "It keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold." That's great," says his friend, "What have you got in it at the moment?" John replies, "Two cups of coffee and an ice cream!"

Daily Mirror

PERSONNEL

Congratulations
Congratulations to Jamie Bacon and his wife Kelly. They were married at St. Leonard's church, Dinnington, South Yorkshire, on Saturday 6 September, 2003, and flew to Las Vegas on the following Wednesday for their honeymoon. We wish Jamie and Kelly a long and happy marriage.

Congratulations to Phil and Jackie Johnstone. Jackie gave birth to a baby boy, Scott James, on 11 September. He weighed in at 7lb 10oz.

More Congratulations
To Gail Sanderson who passed PCN Level II Penetrant Testing (General) in September. Welcome
To Jordan Barnett who started at Burton during September. Goodbye
To Ben Wright and Hayley Brown. We wish them well for the future.

The National Lottery
Dawn Andrews at Holmewood and Keith Dashper at Ossett 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)
2002 - £330.00 (52 weeks)
January to June 2003 - £90.00 (26 weeks)
July - £30.00 (4 weeks)
2 August - £10.00
9 August - £10.00
16 August - £10.00
23 August - £0.00
30 August - £0.00
6 September - £0.00
13 September - £10.00
20 September - £0.00
Any errors in the above list will be corrected as soon as possible.

QUALITY & TRAINING

Standards and Specifications
ISO 17636 (First edition 2003-09-15) - Non-destructive testing of welds - Radiographic testing of fusion-welded joints, has superseded ISO 1106-1: 1984, ISO 1106-2: 1985 and ISO 1106-3: 1984 which are now withdrawn.

BS EN ISO 10012: 2003 - Measurement management systems - Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment, has been amended by AMD14611 (Corrigendum No. 1).

NIGHT OUT IN SHEFFIELD

SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER 2003

MEET AT BAR 69 AT 7.15 PM

PLEASE RING KELLY, STEVE OR IVAN AT CHESTERFIELD IF YOU WANT ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, OR JUST TURN UP AT BAR 69 AT THE DATE AND TIME ABOVE FOR A GOOD NIGHT OUT.

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

1) A     2) D      3) C     4) C     

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

1. The reference holes required to produce a 3 mm FBH DAC are:

     A. Flat-bottomed holes.
     B. Concave-surface holes.
     C. Convex-surface holes.
     D. Conical-shaped holes.

2. The gradual loss of sonic energy as the ultrasonic vibrations travel through the material is referred to as:

     A. Reflection.
     B. Refraction.
     C. Reproducibility.
     D. Attenuation.

3. A term used to describe numerous small indications on the cathode ray tube screen resulting from test part structure, numerous small discontinuities, or both is often referred to as:

     A. Multiple back reflections.
     B. Multiple front reflections.
     C. Grass level or hash.
     D. Resonance.

4. When testing a plate, increasing the frequency of an ultrasonic longitudinal wave will result in:

     A. An increase in its velocity.
     B. A decrease in its velocity.
     C. No change in its velocity.
     D. A reversal in its velocity.

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 Quality Policy Statement, along with the company's quality objectives and targets. 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.

One-line philosophy

Fashion: for those incapable of making their own decisions.

Daily Mail

Quality Policy Statement
It is the aim of the company to provide a service compliant with requirements and of the highest possible quality, with particular emphasis on:

  1. Standard of operator competence, qualification and certification.
  2. Calibration of equipment and instruments.
  3. Standard and accuracy of reporting.
  4. Punctuality.
  5. Setting and meeting realistic turn-round dates.
  6. Continually improving the effectiveness of our quality management system, our processes and the services we offer.
  7. Meeting all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements

Only operators who meet the training, qualification and certification requirements of the company's training manual shall carry out non-destructive tests.

The quality policy shall be communicated, and explained when necessary, to all company employees through induction training, newsletters, memos and the company Website.

The quality policy and quality objectives shall be reviewed at least annually at management review meetings.

Quality Objectives
  1. Supply competent operators who are appropriately qualified and certificated, to fulfil customer requirements.
  2. Provide operators with functioning, calibrated equipment and instruments.
  3. Provide operators with adequate training in use of supplied equipment and instruments.
  4. Present accurate and understandable reports to customers.
  5. Complete laboratory NDT processes and return components to customers in realistic turnaround times.
  6. Continuously monitor and improve the effectiveness of the QMS, processes and services, and meet or exceed the set targets.
  7. Meet all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements.

Targets
  1. Reduce the number of supply failures due to lack of resources.
  2. Increase the level of customer satisfaction by 1.0% (Measured by Customer Satisfaction Index) by end 2005.
  3. Reduce the number of complaints.
  4. Reduce the number of unaccepted quotations rejected due to anything other than price.
  5. Achieve zero non-compliance when monitoring to procedure no. AI/PCN/1.
  6. Reduce number of non-conformities raised as a result of quality audits of QMS.
  7. Achieve zero reports returned by customer for correction.
  8. Reduce average time taken by customers to pay invoices.
  9. Meet all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements.

HEALTH & SAFETY

'Figure of 8' Heating Elements
A minor fire occurred recently on an offshore facility (not an Applied Inspection operation) when the 'figure of 8' heating element (Poker) used to heat the developer solution was left switched on and not immersed in fluid. The incident was caused by the Radiographer's attention being distracted by a telephone call at the time when he was removing the heater element from the developer tank, and he subsequently left the darkroom leaving the element switched on and on the floor adjacent to a plastic waste bin. Radiographers using the 'figure of 8' heating elements must be aware of these hazards and take care to immerse the element in fluid before switching on the power supply, and ensure the power supply is switched off prior to removal from the fluid.

CONTACTS

Holmewood, Derbyshire: Tel: 01246 851864 (4 Lines) Fax: 01246 852243
Burton, Staffordshire: Tel: 01283 515163 (4 Lines) Fax: 01283 539729
Ossett, W Yorks: Tel/Fax: 01924 270006 (2 lines)
Glasgow, Scotland: Tel/Fax: 0141 3355191
Internet Website: www.appliedinspection.co.uk

Published by: Applied Inspection Ltd., Holmewood, Chesterfield, UK. Editor: D K Thomas 22/09/2003

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