Quality assurance is important to ensure safety critical systems meet design specifications and manufacturer recommendations. It involves 5 key steps: 1) preparing strict specifications for materials and standards, 2) carefully selecting vendors by assessing capabilities and safety records, 3) conducting technical reviews by experienced personnel, 4) developing quality assurance plans including drawings and documentation, and 5) conducting audits to examine objective evidence and verify quality systems are properly developed and implemented.

1. QUALITY
ASSURANCE
FIRST STEP TO AVOID LOOP HOLE IN SAFETY
CRITICAL SYSTEMS

2. Quality Assurance
Background:
Quality assurance (QA) is important for new facilities and revisions or repairs
to existing facilities to ensure that “facility which is going to be installed is
suitable for process applications”.
Target:
Quality assurance (QA) targets “safety critical equipments which handles
hazardous materials is consistent with design specifications and
manufacturer’s recommendations”.

3. Quality Assurance
Requirements for QA:
Guidelines & requirements for quality assurance are as follows:
1. Specification preparation
2. Vendor / Supplier and Contractor Selection
3. Technical Review
4. Drawings and documentation
5. Auditing

4. Quality Assurance
1. Specification Preparation:
 Specifications are mandatory and are to be strictly followed and they
shall not be treated merely as guidelines.
 Proper Materials of Construction are selected.
 The specifications must be based on applicable Codes / Standards
 Purchase order Identifies the Specifications, Product must comply with.

5. Quality Assurance
2. Vendor / Supplier and Contractor Selection:
While selecting the vendor must consider the following:,
 Personally Assess the Vendor’s Capabilities
 Vendor understands the requirements given in for Purchase Order
Specifications and Inspection Requirements
 Vendor / Contractor Technical Capability and Safety Records

6. Quality Assurance
3. Technical Reviews:
Reviews shall be performed to:
• Avoid any design or judgment error by ordering person.
• Assess soundness of design.
Functional Reviews to be carried out by Experienced Personnel of various
sections such as: Inspection, Process, Operation, Safety and Maintenance.

7. Quality Assurance
4. Drawing and Documentation:
Once a QA plan (purchase order, inspection briefs, quality hold points etc.) for
Safety Critical Equipment is developed, it shall be made part of PSI package
for equipment maintenance, repairs or replacements.
5. Auditing:
 Audits are conducted to examine and evaluate the objective evidence in
order to verify that elements of a quality system have been developed,
documented and implemented under Quality Assurance (QA) regime.