ISSUE 31

2016 SEPTEMBER

Think
QUALITY!

QUALITY

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QUALITY MINUTE Quality Guru: Phillip Crosby

Quality has
to be caused,
not controlled.
-Phillip Crosby

Phillip Crosby is remembered for developing the theories of zero defects and cost
of nonconformance.
According to him, there are four ABSOLUTES OF QUALITY
Quality is conformance to requirements
Prevention is the way to make quality
Performance standard is zero defects
Cost of quality = price of nonconformity

ACTIVITIES 2016 First Half Audit Analysis and Results

Quality audits were completed on 21 building projects, 8 civil projects and 4 plant projects in the first
half of 2016. The emphasis of our audits continues to be our commitment to ensuring that all projects
have robust quality management systems in place, as well as to minimize quality incidents.

Overall, we have noticed a tick box approach to quality management which should be converted to a
value adding process with active participation of all project members. Following recommendations
should be considered to prevent recurrence. Quality level in each BU is shown in the table to the right.
* Benchmark score was set as 70 points for this year to measure each business units performance however it is not our target score.

2016 AUDIT SCORES

Civil BU (8 PJTs)

70.5

Plant BU (4 PJTs)

69.4

Building BU (21 PJTs) 69.2

Highlights - Repeated findings and Improvement measures

Late closure of NCRs

NCRs should be closed on time as per contractually agreed timeframe

HO/RO support/intervention should be requested in case of long pending NCRs.

No internal audits were conducted

Internal audits should be planned based on contract requirements.

Internal audits should be conducted on all internal departments
Internal audits should also be conducted on subcontractors and suppliers

Main quality management documents are

not approved

Quality deliverables should be submitted within agreed timeframe and approval should be obtained.
Quality plan and procedure templates within the company website should be utilized without fail.

No special process control procedure

Special processes within the project scope of works should be identified and control measures be
established.
Standard procedure for control of special processes should be utilized.

Lack of measures to prevent quality

defects

Each NCRs should be analyzed and root causes should be determined to avoid recurrence of similar
issues.

Quality KPIs are not established

KPIs should be established based on corporate guidance as well as project needs.

No welding control procedure and lack of

control of welding consumables

Welding control procedure should be established and measures such as holding oven, baking oven,
electrodes control must be carried out.

Lack of concrete quality control process

(Repeated cases of honey combs, cracks)

Well designed formwork system with access for vibrators should be set up.
Training of concreting masons, supervisors and engineers is mandatory.

Lack of tightening standards for steel

bolts and bolt receiving/issuing process

Steel structure installation procedure should include the bolt tightening process with clear guidance
on inspection and test activities.

Works not complying with approved

drawings

QC inspectors should check if approved drawings and method statements are used at site prior to
implementation.

Poor management of test specimens

Test samples should be stored as per approved procedures and any unnecessary samples
should be disposed.

Do it right the first time!

Page 1 of 2

Quality Technology Division

BEST PRACTICES High Wall Formwork for Concrete Compaction Access

Recent customer satisfaction survey results shows lower satisfaction rate in some of our projects due to numerous concrete defects.
There are numerous activities invested to improve concrete quality thereby rebuilding customer trust. In order to achieve a sustainable
improvement in quality of construction, we should be focusing on some of the fundamental issues/practices.
The formwork construction should be robust to withstand
concrete pressure as well as water tight to prevent any
slurry leakage. Nevertheless access to consolidate
concrete at various levels is also key to prevent voids
inside the high RC structures.
The following case is a perfect example of formwork
construction with access doors and has produced
desired concrete quality. This methodology can be
implemented in high rise walls or columns with
congested reinforcement arrangement.

Wall formwork system with access doors for concrete compaction

Q. ISSUE Approvals of Welds Without Inspection

Negligence can lead to serious contractual or even legal issues. Recently, a former shipyard inspector was sentenced to 37 months in
prison for lying about the certification of weld inspections on Navy vessels. This inspector had knowingly put his signature and
employee ID number on the record of a pipe joint weld that he had not inspected. He further admitted to knowingly making a false
statement about the certification of ship welds.
This case is a lesson learned for engineers responsible for approving or certifying works. We must exercise due diligence in verifying
works before giving approval. Due to the pace of work on site, there is a tendency to sign documents without regard for their contents.
There are multiple documents that must be signed by QC Inspectors every day, and sometimes it becomes impractical to check those
works properly. Next time when you are requested to sign or certify a work, please ensure the following;
Do the works comply with all relevant contractual and legal requirements?

Have the works been coordinated with associated trades?

Moreover, if you see your subordinate certifying work without inspection, give a reminder of the consequences. This will not only keep
the person from facing future legal issues, but may also protect the company from any damages due to noncomplying works or poor
quality.

LESSON LEARNED Investigation Results on Systems-Engineered Metal Building Collapse in USA

NOTE: The following case study involves a non-Samsung project.
A structural failure investigation was carried out on a systems-engineered metal
building that collapsed on July 27, 2010 at 209 Thermon Dr., San Marcos, TX, USA.
The collapse, which killed one worker and injured another, occurred while the
building was under construction. An OHSA investigation concluded the following:
The collapse occurred because of the lack of temporary bracings in the east-west direction on the north and south sides.
Structural stability of the systems-engineered metal building was not maintained during the erection process.
The contractor failed to follow the erection procedures recommended by the manufacturer of the building,
a copy of which was provided to the contractor.
The AISC manual and OSHA Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry state that structural
stability shall be maintained at all times during the erection process. The company failed to ensure the
stability of the structure during construction as stipulated in the AISC manual and the Safety and Health
Standards for the Construction Industry.

APPRECIATION QA/QC Employee Satisfaction Survey

The survey was concluded and we thank all the participants for their sincere and valuable feedback. We are analyzing the responses
and the results will be shared in our next months bulletin. The details will include satisfaction level among our colleagues and
recommendations made to the concerned teams.

Do it right the first time!

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Quality Technology Division