Driving Innovation & Quality Management

Workscope

Altrad Quality Services presently holds a frame agreement and several contracts that supports the UK Government in its nuclear sector. The frame agreement, an important contract is part of the Government NDA, PPP framework and supports several companies in the delegation. This framework calls for harmonized standards as per the contract requirements ensuring design specifications are met and adhered to through the procurement to operational delivery.

Altrad Quality Services supports and understands the importance of several factors included in the award of this work. With a historical tenure in the nuclear industry supply chain and already working with the government in the MOD sector the key elements of this contract are confidentiality, security, and safe working practices. The capability of working in the nuclear sector required strong professional and technical capabilities and qualifications to support this work.

The nature of the work required covered all aspects of manufacture and maintenance in the industry from the quality management system through to training at the start / end of the process. It was particularly important to mentor the supply chain to ensure that quality escapes were not only identified up front by reduced as part on an ongoing program. Learning from experience (LFE) had to be passed back into the system and a process was required for this and had to be proven and recorded for further benefit. Learnings from cross sector industries were requested to be developed where appropriate.

With the Nuclear industry requirements going to span more than a generation there was a high requirement to work on development of the following inside the contract:

• Training and mentoring
• Welding development
• Engineering support development
• Nuclear R&D support

The work areas covered in this framework covers for the following:

• Nuclear Decommissioning Program and Projects
• Civil Nuclear Projects
• Supply Chain Quality Services
• Nuclear Transportation Support
• Other Confidential Projects as required

The workscope called for three focus areas in this framework:

• Auditing – required for vendor and supply chain, reviews, and selection
• Third Party Inspection – required for review of all orders in the supply chain
• Expediting – required to ensure all work is being delivered against important project schedules
• Training / Mentoring – required to support the next generation and their journey through the Nuclear energy  

The process for all would cover the following:

• The services
• Evaluation of personnel
• Security passes and backgrounds checks
• Reporting
• Records filing and information storage
• Contract Meeting Requirements

There is a reasonable amount of equipment and focus areas needed in a nuclear type project. The types of equipment all require several types of inspection and therefore it is important that standardised processes and reporting takes place with high levels of communication. The list of equipment below is not complete but demonstrates the varying types of requirements from storage and transport to utility support and operational requirements. All are particularly key areas in the nuclear industry and on nuclear sites. In addition to this is the development of all these types of equipment for future efficient and safer use.  

• 3m and 6m cubed self-shielding boxes for safe transport and storage of nuclear waste
• Melter Crucible
• Hepa Filters
• Horizontal Shield Doors Equipment
• Location and utility support cranes
• SEP 1 machine (electrical inspections)
• Robots, Tools, Racks, Robot Recovery and Ancillary Equipment
• Gate FED & Main Incoming Gate FED
• Cell lighting units
• Encast Plates
• Interface IC Amplifier
• ION Chamber Detector
• AGR 500L Waste Storage Drum
• Plug Valves

Solution

Altrad Quality Services has several industry recognised partners that we have developed relationships over the years, with specific focus and support to special pieces of work when required. These partnerships have become true relationship builders for us based on capabilities, trust, and areas for collaboration to the benefits of our clients.  

For supporting this framework we work with the following partners in key support functions:

1. NSAN – providing support in training and Nuclear understanding for development in the industry
2. Altrad Quality Services’ own internal SQEP process for identifying, vetting and training Inspectors
3. TWI – Accessible to support development of new welding processes in the Nuclear industry
4. RDI – development of Remote Digital Inspection

Our client was aware that Altrad Quality Services provide global support to our customers where needed we already have in-depth and working knowledge on many of the supply chain companies and vendors being used in todays’ procurement world. We have ongoing assignments in Nuclear and this contract requires specific security controls and high levels of training. Our inspectors constantly work to the highest security, safety, and technical levels. Altrad Quality Services has vested in their training and this is representative of the work we deliver.  

Altrad Quality Services works across all control elements required by government type contracts:

• Security clearance of our personnel
• Quality Management Systems ISO9001, ISO19443, ISO17020, ISO/TS 22163
• Safety Programs / Reviews / Participation (QHSAS18001 / ISO14001)
• Supply Chain contract reviews against customer requirements
• Document control
• Material tracking & traceability
• All forms of production / manufacture
• Inspection & testing
• Calibration of inspection, measuring & test equipment
• Witness and review of FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) testing
• Control of non-conforming products and quality escapes
• Handling, storage, safe packaging, marking and delivery
• Training across all processes
• Provision of a secure database for documentation and reports  

Our Pathway System and Maps locator tool allows our QS (Quality Services) Co-ordinator to locate the best qualified inspector in the closest location to the vendor or works site for the client. This tool removes the client need to mobilise one of their own inspectors usually with travel involved, or spend the time searching and qualifying the correct level of inspection resource and process.  

Results & Benefits

Some key contracts were awarded in the nuclear sector to Altrad Quality Services over the last 15 years. Over the years Altrad Quality Services has contributed in supporting a Nuclear Safety Culture, and ensuring that the quality of manufactured products in the Nuclear supply chain meets exacting requirements.

Altrad Quality Services has worked and developed inspectors over several areas and obtaining security clearances for a number of regular inspector’s, shows the repeat cycles built on trust and understanding of the fundamental requirements needed in the sector.

Going forward Altrad Quality Services is developing the Remote Digital Inspection process (RDI) to enhance and allow visibility for key stakeholders from a distance, at the same time as providing valuable and operational support technology for operations by reducing the need for people travelling excessively. This has proven very supportive through the COVID era where business continuity was essential.

The driving benefits to support this frame agreement are:

• Altrad Quality Services assigned locally based inspectors to for this frame agreement in the UK and Europe
• Altrad Quality Services works with a number of security cleared and approved inspectors
• This provided reduced travel and costs to the client and reducing the carbon footprint in the process
• Altrad Quality Services provided the necessary metallurgy requirements and exposure of Welding Solutions through our strategic partnerships to support this framework
• Altrad Quality Services provided access to our client in our Pathway system which has a date base of regulations, procedures and standards that can be referenced, are applicable to manufacturing, and welding industries
• With our global support from one office, Altrad Quality Services interlinked the process with a high skill set approach and continuity mind set
• Altrad Quality Services can provide future support and mitigation through our Remote Digital Inspection (RDI) capability, further essential support for our client in this important sector