DPPM COURSEWORK 2019/2020 ACADEMIC

YEAR

MODULE: PROJECT QUALITY MANAGEMENT

STUDENT: AGABA BIRUNGI CLAIRE

Date: 22/11/2020
 QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN (QAMP)
1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Commitment to Quality

Since Global Conveyors Logistics Company was formed, it has a strong commitment to
quality. The company is dedicated to achieving technical and management excellence and to
delivering professional environmental and engineering services that meet or exceed our
clients’ needs. Our Quality Assurance (QA) Program has evolved in response to client needs
an evolving state of the practice and concerns regarding liability.

The Quality Management Plan (QAMP) describes the company’s QA Program, which is
based on four principles: client satisfaction, employee participation, problem prevention and
continuous quality improvement. These principles are discussed below and embodied in our
corporate quality vision.

1.2 QA Program Principles

The company QA Program establishes minimum quality standards for performance and
procedures for assuring that our clients receive quality service. The QA Program requires the
participation of employees at every level. It encourages Project Managers and technical staff
to take pride in their work and responsibility for ensuring that the work is done correctly the
first time.

1.2.1 Client Satisfaction

Client satisfaction is achieved when the company meets or exceeds the expectations of the
client. Quality standards are typically established for each project based on the client’s
industry of business practice, regulatory requirements affecting the industry and project, and
the professional standard of care. In addition to the technical aspects of a project, the Project
Managers concentrate their management efforts on responsiveness, timely delivery, and cost
effectiveness. A proactive approach to the client’s needs and expectations is the key to client
satisfaction. The project manager is the primary point of contact: The Company Project
Managers are urged to work closely with their clients to assess client needs and receive
feedback on project performance.

1.2.2 Employee Participation

Global Conveyors Logistics Company recognizes the value of having its employees at all
levels participate in the QA program. Opportunities are continuously sought for encouraging
employees to improve the quality of their work. The Managing Director encourages
participative management by soliciting input from project managers and staff before issuing
company policies and procedures.

1.2.3 Problem Prevention

Through its QA Program, OIL reduces the potential for problems to occur. The procedures in
the company’s QA Program are, therefore, based on the principles of problem prevention,
liability reduction, risk management, and loss prevention.

The steps necessary to assure the quality of the company work products and services are
summarized below:

 Making sure the work performed will satisfy the client’s objectives;
 Perform work correctly the first time;
 Have all work checked;
 Modify work processes to reduce or eliminate future errors; and
 Demonstrate that the QC procedures have been followed through QC review
signatures and QA audits.

1.2.4 Continuous Quality Improvement

The final principle of company’s QA Program is continuous quality improvement. The QA

Program advocates systematic planning, implementing, assessing, and correction in an
incremental process that result in a net long–term improvement. Continuous implementation
of activities designed to achieve this principle results in higher value to our clients over time.

1.3 Quality Assurance Program Components Global Conveyors Logistics Company

QA Program consists of the following related components, summarized below:

 Assignment of Responsibilities – The Company designates personnel with the

responsibility and authority to implement the QA Program. Roles and authorities are
clearly defined. All staff levels have responsibilities under the program.
 Training and Development – Quality awareness seminars are part of the company’s
employee training program. Topics covered include project planning, QC procedures,
client relationships, liability issues, and loss prevention. In addition, training on the
 fundamentals of project management problem/loss prevention is available to project
managers.
 Written Policies and Guidance – The Company maintains written guidance including
procedures for many commonly performed work activities. These documents serve to
assist project managers and staff to provide a quality of service that meets or exceeds
the standards of practice.
 Quality Control Review – The company projects are assigned a QC reviewer
responsible for assuring that project processes and documents have been properly
reviewed by qualified professionals. Problems are communicated to the Project
Manager and corrected.
 Quality Assurance Audits – The projects are subjected to unannounced audits to
assure project procedures including QC review are followed at all times.
 Work Progress Analysis – Where a need for improvement is identified, company staff
will analyze the problem and develop ways to improve management and project
systems. Efforts to simplify work processes, while maintaining high quality
standards, are ongoing.
 Change Management – Recommended quality improvement measures identified by
work process analysis are communicated to company staff.

1.4 QAMP Objectives

The QA Program described in this QAMP is designed to monitor the effectiveness of the
company’s engineering and environmental data collection operations; report preparation; and
the design, construction, operation, and monitoring of engineered systems. Where necessary,
the QA Program is designed to corrective actions are required.

This QAMP was developed to achieve three primary objectives.

1. It defines company’s QA Program. The QAMP is designed to be responsive to the

client and lead agency quality standards, while addressing industry standards
2. It is a “bridging document” between company’s QA policy, our procedures and
guidelines, standards operating procedures (SOPs), and project Quality Control (QC)
procedures.
3. It establishes a framework for planning and implementing the company projects so
that quality standards of the client and relevant regulatory agencies are met.
To assure that OIL’s QA Program remains adequate for the type of work being performed by
OIL, this QAMP and attached QA documents will be reviewed annually by the company’s
QA Manager.

1.5 QAMP Scope and Organization

The scope of the plan encompasses the QA aspects of company’s science and engineering
operations.

The manual follows a three –part format used by ANSI/ASQ-E 2014 for quality Assurance of
Environmental Programs:

 Quality Management System – Common QA Program elements, regardless of the

type of project, are described in Section 2.
 Data Acquisition and Management Program elements related to planning,
implementing, and assessing operations to collect, analyze, and evaluate physical,
chemical, biological, geological, ecological, and engineering data, are described in
Section 3.
 Design, Construction, and Operation of Engineered Systems Program elements that
pertain to the design, construction, and operation of engineered processes or systems
are described in Section 4.

2. QUALLITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

2.1 General

Implementation of any quality program requires a management system available to all Project
Managers, regardless of the client, project type or phase of project operations. Elements of
this system include:

 Management commitment;
 Management organization;
 Written policies, procedure and guidance;
 Personnel qualifications, development and training;
 Project management;
 Subcontractor management;
 Document control and records management;
 Computer hardware and software systems;
  Work processes and systems;
 Quality control review; and
 Management assessment

This section describes these key elements of the company’s Quality Management Systems.
Some of these elements are addressed in more detail in Sections 3 and 4 as they pertain to
project execution.

2.2 Management Commitment

OIL management is committed to the principles and practices of its QA Program at the
highest level. Senior management recognizes and accepts its responsibility to identify the
quality requirements that will meet client needs and expectations and create the business and
professional environment where all employees take responsibility for the quality of their
work. The company’s QA Program focuses on preventing quality problems.

2.3 Management Organization and Responsibilities

The QA management system is independent of the company administrative and project

management systems: it received its authority directly from the Managing District.

The following sections describe QA personal roles and responsibilities.

2.3.1 Managing Director

The Managing Director is ultimately responsible for all quality –related functions. The
Managing Director’s QA responsibilities are to:

 Authorize the issuance of the QA Policy

 Direct the implementation of QA objectives, plans, and policies;
 Approve the issuance of this QAMP;
 Appoint the Quality Assurance Officer who directs the QA Program; and
 Approve the QA implementation strategy

2.3.2 Quality Assurance Officer

The QA Officer manages the QA Program and is responsible for the technical quality of all
work products in the company and the development and maintenance of a sufficient level of
technical resources to support the company’s quality objectives. The QA Officer reports to
the Managing Director and has the authority to halt the transmittal of any product that in his
or her opinion is not consistent with the Company’s quality of loss prevention standards. The
QA Officer’s primary duties are to:

 Provide a central point of responsibility for assessing company-wide technical

strengths, needs and direction in order to maintain a consistent Company-wide quality
of work that meets or exceeds the current standard of practice;
 Develop the Company-wide QA Policy and QAMP;
 Coordinate QA training;
 Provide guidance to the QC Reviewers in carrying out QC-related functions;
 Inform project personnel of QA policies, procedures, and other guidance documents;
 Schedule and/or conduct quality awareness seminars for project personnel;
 Assist in preparation of Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) or review QAPPs,
to become familiar with the QA activities at the project level and to understand the
lines of communication between the QC Reviewer (described below), the QA officer,
and the Project Manager (described below). These lines of communication are
necessary for the QA Officer to be informed of the project’s QC activities and to
effectively work with the QC reviewer to address QA concerns in a timely manner;
 Audit selected company projects and monitor general compliance with the QA Policy;
 Advise Project Managers of deficiencies based on peer reviews or audits and identify
corrective action needs. Review the effectiveness of the QA Program with the
Managing Director; and
 Maintain corporate/office QA files, including any audit and QA Program progress
reports.

2.3.3 Project Manager

Each company projects is directed by a Project Manager who has overall responsibility for
the project, including client liaison, planning document preparation, technical quality of work
performed, data acquisition, report preparation, and presentations, as well as budget and
schedule management.
The Project Manager is also responsible for determining that staffs assigned to the project
understand and comply with the QC procedures that apply to their activities. The Project
Manager’s QA –related responsibilities are to:
  Review and approve project controlling documents, including QAPPs, Work Plans,
Sampling Plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and contract documents;
 Select additional technical reviewers with the project QC Reviewer, if needed;
 Communicate with the client for feedback on service satisfaction;
 Ensure that project deliverables and activities are in accordance with project
controlling documents;
 Respond to corrective action requests and assure that deficiencies are corrected in a
timely manner; and
 Communicate with the project QC Reviewer on quality issues.

2.3.4 Project Quality Control Reviewer

At a minimum, a QC Reviewer is assigned to each project. The QC Reviewer has overall

responsibility for all project QA issues. The QC Reviewer reports to the Project Manager,
but also maintains a direct communication link and reporting relationship with the QA
Officer on quality-related matters. Any audits performed by the QC Reviewer are circulated
to the Project Manager and QA Officer. As well, any non-conformance with QC procedures
identified by the QC Reviewer reports to the Project Manager and QA Officer, along with
recommended corrective measures and timeframes for implementation. Progress on
resolving a non-conformance is shared with the Project Manager and QA Officer. The QC
Reviewer’s responsibilities are to:

 Work with the Project Manager to select additional QC reviewers or qualified

professionals to check design documents, as appropriate, to assure compliance with
all applicable Standard Operating Procedures;
 Review validation of field and subcontractor laboratory data with respect to QC
Criteria;
 Review and approve all project QA documents;
 Conduct project QA audits of field operations and subcontracted laboratories;
 Review project documents;
 Communicate review comments to project team members;
  Develop, with the Project Manager, corrective actions when appropriate; and
 Follow up to assure planned corrective actions have been completed.

2.3.5 Task Manager

A Task Manager is a professional responsible for a particular project task. The Task
Manager’s responsibilities are to:

 Prepare project technical memoranda for the project task(s);

 Oversee data collection and analysis and determine that appropriate procedures are
employed;
 Prepare reports or report sections related to the project task(s);
 Ensure that all task deliverables are in accordance with project controlling documents;
Correct deficiencies and nonconformities identified for the project task(s);
 Keep the Project Manager and QC Reviewer informed of project requirements and
changes in requirements; and
 Coordinate technical review requirements with the Project Manager and QC
Reviewer.

2.4 Project Management

The Project Manager is the primary link between OIL and its clients and is responsible for
furnishing the client a work product or service that meets the functional, technical, cost, and
schedule requirements of the project. The Project Manager is assisted by technical staff, the
designated QC Reviewer, and other Technical Reviewers.

Global Conveyors Logistics Company recognize the importance of strong project

management skills and their applications. The company’s project management training
activities provide Project Managers with tools to help perform effectively through all stages
of a project. The training is designed to hone their interpersonal, time management, business,
and communication skills, help them be responsive to clients, manage budgets and schedules,
lead project teams, and meet the desired quality standards of the work.
2.5 Subcontractor Management

Requirements to ensure adequate quality of sub-contractor products or services are included

or referenced in company’s procurement documents; these include bid requests, purchase
orders, and contracts. Changes to a procurement document are subject to the degree of
control used in preparing the original document.

Procurement documents state applicable requirements for technical performance, quality,

acceptability and documentation, as follows:

Technical Performance:

 General requirements (scope of work);

 Appropriate codes and standards;
 Material composition, or physical/chemical requirements;
 Quantity and scheduling requirements;
 Work procedures;
 Testing and calibration requirements;
 Performance and accept/reject criteria; and
 Reporting requirements

Quality – Quality requirements that a subcontractor must satisfy depend on the purpose of
the procurement, the degree of contractor independence, and client requirements. The right
to stop work for significant quality problems shall be clearly stated in all contract documents.
The control of purchased items and services will include procurement source evaluation and
selection and subcontractor performance control, including inspections and audits where
appropriate.

Acceptability – Purchased items or services are controlled by invoking appropriate quality-

related requirements and elements of this QAMP. To verify acceptability, the procurement
documents will provide for company access to subcontractor facilities, work areas, and
records.
Documentation- The contract shall specify company’s rights and procedures the sub-
contractor must follow for preparation, control, and retention of documentation.
Subcontractor submittals of nonconformance, work progress, and results will be specified in
the procurement documents.

2.6 Document Control and Records Management

Documents developed and used by the company personal, subcontractors, and vendors to
describe work processes and/or specify work activities are controlled in accordance with the
contract and other policies.
These policies and procedures address general requirements for the preparation, review and
approval, and issuance and revision of documents.
Project-specific procedures for preparing and approving documents are established by
Project Managers and distributed to all project personnel.

A document is considered a completed record when it has finished full processing and is
logged into the project file index. Completed project records shall be maintained in a secure
location to facilitate irretrievability and provide protection from deterioration. Documents to
be controlled include those documents and/or computer-generated records that specify project
requirements such as:

 Proposals;
 Contract and subcontracts;
 Purchase orders;
 Cost estimates;
 Work plans, instructions and procedures;
 Calculations;
 Data quality standards;
 Technical reports;
 Drawing and specifications
 Inspection and test reports;
 Correspondence; and
 Invoices and related backup.
The Project Manager is responsible for project document control. This responsibility
includes establishing a records management system to control both printed paper copies and
documents and data stored in electronic media. The records management system shall
address procedures and responsibilities for the preparation, review and approval, collection,
custody and control, indexing, filing, distribution, safe storage, maintenance, retrieval, and
retention/destruction of company and project records. Written records management and
document control procedures shall also be furnished by OIL sub consultants, subcontractors,
and vendors.

2.7 Work Processes and Systems

OIL projects are planned, implemented, and monitored following procedures described in this
QAMP.
Project planning is conducted using established project management procedures and, where
applicable, the Data Quality (DQO) process as defined by EPA and interpreted by Project
Managers. Planning procedures are designed to ensure that the project scope of work will
achieve the client’s objective. Planning will be performed by the OIL Project Manager and
Technical Reviewer before detailed work plans is developed. This planning effort will
determine the type and quality of data needed to characterize environmental processes or
conditions.
Planning will include the development of design criteria prior to design of any engineered
system.
The DQO process is used where appropriate to identify specific data or interpretive
requirements and the level of QA commensurate with the intended use of the data.

OIL projects shall be implemented in accordance with written project documents (work plan,
plans, procedures, specifications, drawings) and the contract and implemented in a sequence
consistent with the project schedule.

SOPs are available or are developed and implemented for some routine, standardized, or
specialized operations that is repetitive and requires consistent controls. The Project
Manager will assure that requisite project SOPs are established prior to initiation of field or
design work, and that these SOPs are followed. SOPs that specify technical requirements
will be reviewed for adequacy by technically qualified personnel prior to use.

The work process will be monitored using: inspections, tests, QC reviews, peer reviews, and
audits.
Persons conducting QC reviews shall be technically qualified and shall have previously
received training to perform QC reviews. The QC reviewer must:

 Identify quality problems where present;

 Propose corrective actions as appropriate;

 Confirm that corrective actions have been implemented as necessary;

 Report to management (Project Manager and QA Officer) the nature of quality

problems, proposed corrective action (s), and effectiveness of solution implemented;
and

 Control non-conforming or deficient work until quality problems are resolved and
provide information to all OIL employees to assure future studies/investigations,
designs, or construction projects are satisfactorily performed.

2.8 Quality Control Review

All OIL work products are required to undergo formal QC review in accordance with the
company’s General Checking and Review Procedure SOP. Each QC review shall address:

 Project scope and objectives:

 Report outline;
 Data collection rationale;
 Data collection methods;
 Factual conclusions/findings;
 Opinions and recommendations;
 Technical reviews and professional registrations;
 Standard of practice; and
 The client’s perspective

3.1.1 DATA ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT (DAM)

3.2 General
The initial phase of the company project typically entails the acquisition, interpretation,
and management of data. Data may be needed to characterize site conditions for planning
purposes, for engineering design and construction, or to identify the nature and extent of
chemicals of concern that require appropriate remedial action.

3.3 Planning and Scoping

As a general rule, all company projects involving the generation, acquisition, and use of
data must be planned prior to data collection. The foundation for the planning and
scoping process is the development of project DAM. DAMs are specific statements
developed by the key data users and those responsible for activities affecting data quality
(e.g. owners, federal, state, and local regulatory agencies) to specify the type, quantity,
and quality of data needed to support site characterization conclusions and other project
objectives. The DAM process and any associated planning activities shall be documented
to ensure that staff performing data acquisition activities is aware of and have agreed to
the project data quality requirements.

The DAM process consists of the seven basic steps described below;

Step 1: State the Problem

The scope, objectives, requirements, and activities associated with a program or task are
defined.
A statement of the specific problem to be addressed or the question to be answered is
typically required. Additional scope definition activities include identifying members of
the scoping team and specifying resources available to address the problem.
Step 2: Identify the Decision

The Key decisions to be made that require the collection of data are identified. The key
decision for a particular phase or stage of a project is defined, as well as alternative
actions that may be taken based on the results of the investigation. Any relationships
between the key decisions and other associated or subsequent decisions are identified.

Step 3: Identify the Inputs to the Decision

The data needed to make or support decisions are identified. The sources of all data are
identified. Methods used to assess or manipulate collected data to arrive at project
decisions are described.

Step 4: Define the Study Boundaries

The spatial and temporal boundaries of the data acquisition activity are defined. These
boundaries ensure that the approach incorporates the time periods in which the data shall
be acquired, areas that shall be sampled, and the time period to which the results shall
apply. This step includes defining the geographic areas for field investigations, the
population of interest, and the scale of decision making the time frame for the decision,
the timing of sample collection, and any constraints on sampling or analysis.

Step 5: Develop a Decision Rule

A logical decision rule is formulated that defines conditions that would cause the
decision-maker to choose among alternative actions. First, the statistical parameter that
specifies the characteristic or attribute that the decision-maker needs to know about the
population or problem is defined. Next, the action level for the decision is defined.

Step 6: Specify Tolerable Limits on Decision Errors

The decision-maker’s acceptance limits on decision errors are specified in order to

establish appropriate limits for uncertainty in the data. Activities include the following:
  Establishing a possible range for each parameter of interest by estimating its upper
and lower bounds;

 Defining types of decision errors and identifying the potential consequences of

each;
 Defining a range of possible parameter values where the consequences of decision
errors are relatively minor; and
 Assigning a range probability values to points above and below an action level
that define the acceptable probability for the occurrence of decision errors.

Step 7: Optimize the Design

Evaluate information or data obtained from the previous steps and generate alternative data
collection designs. Choose the most resource-effective design that meets all DAMs.

3.3 Data Collection Systems Design

Once project objectives or DAMs have been established, the project data collection system
can be designed. The data collection system is designed to identify the most effective and
efficient approaches to sampling and analysis that will satisfy project DAMs. The data
collection design process includes identification of the following:
 Personnel requirements and qualifications;

 Specifications for field sampling events;

 Health and safety considerations;

 Sample handling and custody;

 Selection of analytical methods;

 Analytical instrumentation requirements;

  Specification of calibration and performance evaluation samples for analytical
methods;

 Data reduction, validation, and verification methods;

 Specification of methods for evaluating data and assessing limitations on data use;

 Specification of statistical methods;

 Data reporting requirements; and

 Required QC activities and oversight needs

By following the data collection design process, data can be traced to sampling and analytical
procedures, performance standards, and measuring equipment.

3.4 Planning Documents

The data collection system design and other project criteria and parameters are specified in
project planning documents. These documents are reviewed and approved by the Project
and, as appropriate, Task Managers, as well as designated QC Reviewers. The QC Reviewer
shall be appointed individuals who were not involved in the design of the data collection
system. Any design or procedure changes are subject to the same review and approval
process as the original documents.

Different clients will have different requirements for planning documents. The general intent
of the planning documents is to communicate the scope and procedures for intended activities
so that these procedures can be reviewed and validated.

3.4.1 Work Plan

A Work Plan presents the structural design for a project and the strategy to be followed for
completing the project. In a stepwise fashion, duties are identified and described, and
milestones for their accomplishment are established. The resources to be used in the course
of work are elaborated upon.

Project personnel, including the Project Manager and QC Reviewer, are identified, along with
their respective responsibilities and anticipated levels of effort. Lines of interaction between
the staff are outlined. In addition, the plan specifies material resources to be used, including
laboratory and field equipment and computer software systems (e.g., programs, information
databases, communication network).

3.4.2 Quality Assurance Project Plan

The QAPP is a written, comprehensive QA guidance document for a specific project. It

presents, in specific terms, the policies, organization, objectives, functional activities, and
QA/QC activities designed to achieve DAMs. Under EPA guidelines, the QAPP comprises
16 elements as follows:

 Title page;

 Table of Contents;

 Project Description;

 Project Organization and Responsibility;

 Precision, Accuracy, Representativeness, Completeness, and Comparability (PARCC)

Data Quality Objectives;

 Sampling Procedures;

 Sample Custody and Documentation;

 Calibration Procedure and Frequency;

 Analytical Procedures;
  Data Reduction, Validation, and Reporting

 Internal Quality Control Checks

 Performance and System Audits;

 Preventive Maintenance;

 Specific Routine Procedures to Assess Data Precision, Accuracy, and Completeness;

 Corrective Actions; and

 QA Reports to Management

In addition, an analytical laboratory that is contracted by the project must maintain a current
QA Plan and hold a current certification from the National Environmental Management
Authority (NEMA), or equivalent.

For multi-year projects, the QAPP will be reviewed annually for relevance and adequacy with
the above-stated elements. Annual reviews will be documented following the conditions in
the certificate.

3.4.3 Health and Safety Plan (HASP)

Global Conveyors Logistics Company administer a health and safety program for its
employees in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Act. Site – specific HASPs
are generated for each project and provide detailed health and safety information and
guidelines for a project. A Site Safety Officer is assigned for each sampling operation and is
responsible for implementing the HASP.

3.5 Implementation of Data Acquisition Activities

Data acquisition activities are to be implemented according to project planning documents
and procedures for sample custody, calibration, internal QC, document Control, preventive
maintenance, and procurement control. Project planning documents may include procedures
or standards for each of these controls. If planning documents do not contain such
procedures, the following minimum quality requirements for these procedures shall be met.

3.5.1 Sample Custody

Sample custody procedures are to be followed throughout sample collection, preservation,

handling, packaging, shipping, storage, analysis, and ultimate disposal. The purpose of these
procedures is to maintain sample integrity, to prevent damage, loss, deterioration, cross
contamination and interferences, and to properly dispose of post-analysis sample materials.

3.5.2 Calibration Procedures

All tools, gauges, instruments, and other sampling, measuring, and test equipment used to
gather, generate or measure environmental and engineering data shall be calibrated by
subcontract laboratories or OIL project personnel. These items shall be calibrated at specific
intervals to maintain accuracy and reproducibility within specified limits as defined by
manufacturer specifications. Records of all calibration and maintenance activities shall be
maintained. Equipment shall be calibrated using certified equipment and/or standards that
are traceable to nationally recognized performance standards such as the National Bureau of
Standards, if such standards exist.

3.5.3 Internal Quality Control procedures

Internal QC procedures and checks shall be used throughout the company projects and shall
include inspections and acceptance testing. The QC checks shall include:

 Collection and analysis of QC samples for field and laboratory operations;

 Active involvement by Project Managers and QA personnel; and

  Use of document control procedures.

3.5.3.1 QC Samples

Field quality control samples consist of trip blanks, field blanks, equipment blanks, duplicate
samples, and matrix spike/matrix spike duplicate samples. Laboratory QC samples include
method blanks, reagent/preparation blanks, calibration standards, internal standards, surrogate
standards, lab duplicates/replicates, and laboratory control samples. The specific QC samples
to be collected for each project and the frequency of collection are defined during Project and
specified in project planning documents.

3.5.3.2 Project and Quality Assurance Management

Project and quality assurance management for data operations shall be consistent with general
quality management procedures described in section 2 of this QAMP. QA responsibilities are
delegated by the project manager through the QC Reviewer.

3.5.3.3Document Control

Document control for data acquisition activities shall be consistent with document control
and record management procedures described in section 2.6 of this QAMP

3.5.4Preventive Maintenance

A preventive maintenance program shall be established for each data acquisition activity to
ensure that field and laboratory equipment are maintained according to the specific
procedures provided by the manufacturer so that the required sensitivity, accuracy,
completeness, representativeness, comparability, and precision are achieved.

For projects involving field and/or laboratory work, preventive maintenance procedures and
schedules for laboratory and/or field equipment shall be described in the QAPP. If
maintenance procedures are simply referenced in the QAPP, the complete procedure shall be
readily available to the field or laboratory staff using the equipment.
3.5.5 Procurement Control

Control over the procurement of purchased items and services shall be consistent with the
subcontractor procurement procedures described in section 2.5, Subcontractor Management.
Subcontractors are subject to the same procurement requirements as company Verification of
subcontractor procurement procedures involves the performance of field QC checks,
receiving inspections, field inspections, verification tests, sub-contractors documentation
reviews and onsite source audits.

3.6 Assessment of Data Usability

All acquired data shall be managed, distributed, and preserved in order to substantive and
document that the data are of known quality, are properly maintained, and meet the intended
project usability and objectives. Technical data, including field data and the results of
laboratory sample analyses, are tracked and validated. A project data storage and information
system will be developed for each project, as applicable, to facilitate and manage data for
tracking, data calculations, and data transfer to various forms, reports, and storage systems.

3.6.1 Data Reduction

Reduction of field measurement data and laboratory measurement data will be performed in
accordance with project data validation procedures that specify the required documentation
and technical criteria necessary to produce valid data. Laboratory data must be:
 Quantitative and statistically significant in relation to the standards analytical methods
or procedures employed; and
 Satisfactory for custody and document control.
Field measurement data must meet document control.
 Complete documentation of sampling location, time, and personnel;
 Satisfactory documentation of field activities; and
 Correct sampling methods.
3.6.2 Data Validation

Field measurement data validation procedures include reviewing the raw data and supporting
document generated during the field investigation. Data validation is performed to meet the
project’s intended data uses by checking the procedures used in the field and comparing the
data to previous measurements.

Laboratory measurement data validation procedures are under the direction of the laboratory
QA coordinator. The objective is to review the analytical data to ensure that the results for
investigative and QC samples meet method-specified criteria prior to submittal to the
company. The laboratory QA coordinator is responsible for assessing data quality and
advising appropriate laboratory supervisors and OIL’s Project Manager of any data that are
unacceptable or that may be unreliable for use.

Global Conveyors Logistics Company shall perform independent data validation of data
generated. The level of effort and level of details to which data will be validated will be in
conformance with client requirements and project objectives. The procedure for performing
validation includes at a minimum the following:
 Compiling a list of investigative samples;
 Compiling a list of QC samples;
 Reviewing the laboratory analytical procedures and instrument performance criteria;
 Evaluating the completeness and integrity of the data;
 Preparing a data summary; and
 Reviewing the data summary for potential data quality problems.

Global Conveyors Logistics Company data validation shall be performed by identified

personnel qualified and experienced in laboratory data validation.

Field and laboratory measurement data will be validated where appropriate according to EPA
functional guidelines or using other appropriate criteria such as method-specific statements of
work or protocols.
Data are qualified according to the intended use of the data based on the performance criteria
originally established during the DAM process. The data qualifies shall be consistent with
method or project-specific statement of work. Data qualifiers shall be attached to the data
whenever they appear in hard copy or computerized form to ensure that data users are aware
of the limitations and quality of the data.

3.6.3 Data Reporting

Documents are prepared and distributed which summarize the field activities and the results
of all data collected. These reports include the following:
 Presentation of results;
 Summaries of field data from field measurement;
 Field location of sampling points;
 Field measurement data logbooks;
 Data validation reports summarizing the validation process used and the specific
results and comments pertaining to a sample or group of samples.

3.6.4 Data Assessment

After the laboratory and field data have been reduced, and reported, the project staff shall
assess the data with respect to the project DAMs. Field and laboratory data are assessed in
terms of precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, and comparability (PARCC).
Precision, accuracy, and completeness are evaluated quantitatively, while representativeness
and comparability are evaluated qualitatively.

The goals of this assessment are:

 To establish site-specific PARCC parameters;
 To use these parameters to develop a database with known limitations of data
usability; and
 To evaluate these limitations relative to the intended uses of the data.
Should the results of these assessments reveal that DAMs are not being met; the Project
Manager shall assess the situation and initiate corrective action as appropriate.
3.7 Performance and System Audits

Activities performed during data acquisition that may affect data quality may be assessed
through audits to verify that the requirements of the QAPP and other planning documents are
implemented as prescribed. Audits include performance evaluation audits and technical
systems audits. Both self- assessments and independent assessments shall be informed. The
assessment results shall be documented, reported to, and reviewed by management. The
purpose of these assessments is to provide management and clients with an ongoing
evaluation of the quality of the results produced by OIL’s data collection activities and to
indicate how well the objectives for a given project are being met.

The QAPP will describe the procedures to be followed in conducting audits, and shall include
an auditing plan and/or checklist. Designated QA audit personnel must be experienced and
knowledgeable about the activities which they are auditing and completely independent of
these specific activities audited. Several different type of audits can be conducted:
management audits, laboratory audits, field audits, and performance evaluation audits.

 Management audits are designed to evaluate whether quality management functions

and responsibilities related to data acquisition and assessment are being performed in
accordance with the QAPP and company QA policy.

 Laboratory audits are performed to verify continuity of personnel, instrumentation,

and quality control requirements. A laboratory audit typically consists of random
data audits and review of laboratory quality control data. The laboratory
documentation normally examined during an audit includes sample receiving, sample
log-in, sample storage, chain of custody, sample preparation and analysis records,
instrument operating records, and any other documentation related to the generation
of analytical data by the laboratory.

 Field audits are performed to evaluate procedures for sample identification, sample
control, chain-of custody, field documentation, sampling operations, sample
preservation, packaging, and shipping.
  Performance evaluation audits are performed periodically to determine the bias of a
total measurement system. These audits typically consist of a performance
evaluation sample that is submitted to and analyzed by the audited laboratory. In
some cases, the laboratory is made aware of the submittal of samples. At other times,
the samples are submitted to the laboratory in such a way that the laboratory is
necessarily unaware it is being audited.
The frequency of these audits and performance evaluations are project-dependent, and are
specified in project-specific QAPPs.

4. DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION OF ENGINEERED SYSTEMS

This section describes QA Program elements that apply to the design, construction, and
operation of engineered systems. These elements shall be applied in conjunction with the
quality management system described in section 2. Engineered systems include those
facilities, structures, processes, mechanical and electrical devices designed by OIL to
protect the environment from pollution or contamination, protect human health and
safety, and improve public infrastructure. QA Program elements include;

 Project planning and scoping;

 Project organization;
 Design phase quality control reviews;
 Construction phase quality control reviews;
 Operations and maintenance procedures;
 Construction inspection and acceptance testing; and
 Corrective actions.

It is the Project Manager’s responsibility to see that the necessary QA documents are
provided to appropriate project staff and that the acceptability of design documents is verified
in a timely manner

4.1 Project Planning and Scoping

Project activities for the design and construction of engineered systems must be planned to
define their implementation sequence and to identify the parties responsible for the overall
quality of the various system elements. A Project Procedures Memorandum (PPM) shall be
prepared that establishes basic management criteria and applicable project QA measures.
The PPM shall include:

 Description of the engineered system to be designed and constructed;

 Design objectives, design criteria. Regulatory requirements, and performance and
quality standards;
 Scope of work and task breakdown structure;
 Work schedule
 Project and task budgets;
 Expected rates of expenditure;
 Project team organization;
 Project requirements for equipment, travel and subsistence, and subcontractors;
 Project review requirements; and
 Quality Assurance Project Plan or Construction Quality Assurance Plan.

The company’s Project Manager is responsible for preparing and distributing the PPM to the
appropriate members of the project team.

Project construction phase activities shall be planned during the preconstruction stage with
regard for quality and safety and to avoid project implementation problems while the project
is still in design. A project Construction Quality Assurance Plan (CQAP) serves to establish
project quality objectives and procedures for loss prevention, quality control, and general
coordination between OIL and the construction contractor. The QQAP includes the QC
requirements of the contract documents, application regulatory codes and requirements, the
company corporate and professional standards, and loss prevention considerations.

4.2 Project Organization

Adherence to project quality control procedures is the responsibility of the Project Manager.
The Project Manager may delegate responsibility for the quality of a design to a QC
Reviewer. The Project Manager may delegate responsibility for construction to a
Construction Services Manager.

4.3 Design Phase Quality Control Reviews

Design phase QC reviews are independent assessments of how engineered designs meet
project planning and scoping requirements. The Project Manager shall select QC Reviewers
for their general knowledge of the technology chosen for the project and for their objectivity
in assessing liability issues. QC reviews shall be scheduled at strategic stages of the project
design, such as after the concept design stage, after preliminary design, and at scheduled
points during the final design phase. The types of QC and technical reviews required on a
design project are described below.

4.3.1 Design Document QC Checking

QC checking of design documents provides reasonable assurance that calculations, data

summaries or tabulations, design diagrams, process flow charts, drawings, cost estimates,
specifications, and material and equipment lists are accurate and consistent with technical
standards, criteria, and tolerances. Checking shall be performed systematically by project
team members in accordance with the General Checking and Review Procedures.

4.3.2 Quality Control Reviews

The designated QC Reviewer in tandem with ongoing QC checking of design documents by

project staff performs quality control reviews. QC reviews of interim designs are formal,
systematic, and critical reviews conducted after various phases of design development have
been completed. The objectives of QC reviews are to identify design irregularities and
anticipate potential design implementation problems, and to initiate appropriate corrective
actions to ensure the final design meets client requirements. A comprehensive approach to
QC reviews shall be taken so that all items pertaining to meeting the needs of our clients are
addressed. Typical components of a QC review for design and/or construction projects shall
include review of;

 Clarity of project scope and objectives;

 Client needs expressed in the design criteria compared with the technical
specifications;
 Validation of the design data collection rationale and methods;
 Factual basis for design, conclusions, and findings;
 Relevance of technical opinions and recommendations to project scope;
 Professional registration verification;
 Conformance with local standards of practice;
 Items pertaining to process specifications and operations service requirements; and
 Presentation of data conclusions and findings and construction contract requirements.
 QC reviews are normally conducted at the conclusion of project development stages, i.e

 10 percent for conceptual design;

 30 and 60 percent for design development, and
 90 percent for final design

4.3.3 Value Engineering Reviews

Value engineering evaluations are performed on the company’s projects at the request of, or
with the agreement of the client. These evaluations involve reviewing alternative design
options of relatively equal quality, with the result being a final design that serves the clients
required function at the lowest possible life cycle cost. These reviews are conducted jointly
with the client in a structured format that involves several distinct phases:

4.4 Construction Phase Quality Control Reviews

Construction phase QC consists of preparatory and follow-up actions that involve review of
construction specifications. Specifications must clearly describe to bidders the scope of
construction work and define the standards for technical performance and quality acceptance.
These standards become the basis for onsite construction QC activities such as construction
observation, inspection, and acceptance testing.

Depending on contract agreements, the company either as the owner’s representative or as the
construction manager performs construction QC. Verification of the design intent and
communication of the contractor’s understanding of the contract requirements and response
by the engineer are made through the submittal review and field clarification order process.

If the company is the site remediation contractor, the prime construction contractor on a
design or design/build contract, a qualified construction manager shall be given the authority,
through the contract documents, to exercise control over the means and methods of
construction. These activities would include; prequalification of subcontractors to perform
the construction work, training, and certification of OIL and subcontractor personnel for
hazardous waste work and for industrial hygiene and safety compliance. Standardized
subcontractor procurement procedures described in Section 2 of this QAMP shall be followed
for hiring qualified subcontractors and equipment vendors for construction. Construction
materials purchasing, transport, storage, and inspection are subjected to more direct QC when
OIL is the prime contractor.
These requirements are documented in various project-specific QC or site management plans.

At construction completion, the design engineer/construction manager shall document the

completed work through preparation of contract record drawings. Results of inspections and
tests are documented in a final construction report to the owner and interested agencies.

4.5 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Procedures

Operations and maintenance (O&M) procedures are prepared by the company for specific
elements of designed engineered systems for environmental remediation. These procedures
are the responsibility of the Project Manager and are normally prepared in three stages.

 Outline at the fifty percent (50%)design development stage;

 Final draft at ninety five percent (95%) final design stage; and
 Final O&M manual at the fifty percent (50%)construction completion stage.

A typical O&M procedures plan addresses the following items:

 Schematic operating diagrams;

 Pre-startup equipment setting;
 Startup procedures;
 Operating modes.
 Shutdown procedures;
 Post-shutdown procedures;
 Emergency operating procedures/contingency plan;
 Preventive maintenance; and
 Spare parts lists.

The O&M procedures shall address system performance when inoperability of the associated
engineered systems could result in loss of monitoring data, decreased treatment capacity or
remediation efficiency, or safety hazard due to the release of contaminants in excess of
established limits.

4.6 Construction Inspection and Acceptance Testing

4.6.1 Procedures/Responsibilities for Inspection and Acceptance Testing

Construction inspection and acceptance testing procedures shall be described in the project
specific CQAP. As a minimum, a project CQAP shall address procedures and
responsibilities for:

 Inspection and acceptance testing of installed systems and subsystem components in

accordance with approved design specifications;
 Verification under field conditions that the installed systems and subsystem
components meet operational performance requirements;
 Tracking of deviations from acceptance criteria and corrective actions and
deficiencies
 Documentation and reporting of inspections and acceptance testing;
 Calibration and control of measuring and test equipment against acceptable and
documented baseline standards.

4.6.2 Procedures for Tracking Inspection and Acceptance Test Results

The CQAP shall describe procedures for tracking the work flow through the various phases,
including inspections and acceptance testing. The QC Reviewer for construction shall
maintain records of all quality control operations, activities, and tests performed for all
project activities, including any of these for suppliers and subcontractors. These records are
maintained as part of the project history file. Records shall include the completed quality
control inspection/test procedures to show evidence that required activities or tests have been
satisfactory performed. Records of quality control activities include:

 Procedures used for quality control inspection/tests;

 Procedures for quality control of any field engineering analyses activities

 The results of inspections or tests or quality control reviews with authorized
signatures;
 Nature and extent of defects and causes of rejection, including corrective actions
taken; and
 Results of quality control audits.

4.6.3 Tracking Deficiencies

Tracking construction non-conformances and corrective actions, including documenting root

cause analysis and measures taken to prevent reoccurrence, is the responsibility of the
company’s Construction Manager. Once corrective actions have been completed, project
records shall reflect actions taken to verify that the resulting work meets project and client
requirements

4.6.4 Field Reporting System

A field reporting system shall be developed to provide feedback of pertinent information on

performance deficiencies for all onsite work activities. The oil Construction Manager is
responsible for ensuring that daily quality control reports are prepared. Standards company
test and inspection forms, together with the daily report, shall be used where appropriate for
all reporting of daily activities. The reporting system shall reflect specific scope of work
requirements and applicable project regulations and be consistent with the project document
control and records management procedures described in Section 2.

4.6.5 Testing Procedures

Field testing procedures in the CQAP shall specify that only approved laboratories shall be
used for operational and/or acceptance testing. Project-specific lists of tests to be performed
for specific items of work shall be described including:

 Test name;
 Approved test standards;
 Frequency and estimated number of required tests;
 Responsible personnel;
 Laboratory certification, if required;
 Test standard or protocol;
 Reference specification.

4.6.6 Calibration and Control of Measuring and Testing Equipment

CQAP procedures shall be established to maintain sufficient control over all measuring and
testing equipment used for operational process monitoring and acceptance. Control shall be
exercised over instruments, field gauges, sensors, and special test equipment to ensure that
the equipment is of the proper type, range and accuracy and is properly calibrated according
to the design specifications and nationally recognized performance standards.
The control of measuring equipment and test equipment and test methods shall take into
account the following factors, as appropriate:

 Correct specification, including range, precision, and serviceability under specified

environmental conditions;
 Initial calibration
 Periodic recalibration, adjustment, and repair to maintain the required accuracy in
use;
 Documentary evidence covering identification of instruments, frequency of
recalibration, calibration status, and procedures for use, handling and storage; and
 Traceability to reference standards of known accuracy and stability

Provisions shall be made to recalibrate equipment found unsatisfactory for acceptance testing
and recertify the equipment to specified tolerances before using for acceptance testing.

4.7 Corrective Actions

A “closed-loop” corrective action system for design and construction work shall be
maintained for each project consistent with the procedures described in section2. Any issue
requiring corrective action also requires verification that the corrective action has
successfully corrected the deficiency. Project mechanisms to suspend or stop deficient
activities and, if necessary, to issue restricted usage letters and labeling for materials
impacted by a corrective action requirement shall be clearly specified in the PPM and CQAP.

The general approach for defining corrective action requirements shall involve:

 Identifying corrective action needs and causes;

 Establishing appropriated corrective action responses; and
 Verifying the timely implementation and effectiveness of the corrective action taken.

In the field, corrective action is initiated by the Project Manager and/or Constriction
Manager. All problems shall be identified and reported. Although corrective action for
deviations from standardized field procedures may not always be required, all deviations
from project planning documents shall be noted in the field logbooks along with the field
team leader’s justification and rationale for the changes.

Corrective actions shall be always implanted when SOPs are not met, when non-
representative conditions are indicated, and/or when specific tasks have not been performed.