Although quality management systems have been around for over sixty years, some companies are more serious about quality management than others. This is evidenced by the continued high amount of recalls in various industries. In order to do more than just claim to have a quality management system, it is vital that a company works to empower each worker at every phase of the operation to have a part in making the system better and contribute to it's improvement.
 
Properly training and motivating the workforce becomes a self-fulfilling task. As workers continue to be included in the quality process and receive continued training, they begin to feel more motivated and empowered as an integral part of the operation. When they know their voices and contributions are heard, they then will take a more hands-on approach in making sure that the products and/or services are delivered at the highest quality.
 
Empowered and engaged workers lead to high morale.  This in turn continues to feed and grow throughout the entire company resulting in benefits for the company, the customer, as well as the workers themselves.
 
For more information on how Accupoint Software can manage your API Spec Q1,  API Spec Q2 or ISO 9001 quality system and help to empower your team, contact us today.

Companies relying on the traditional spreadsheet to manage their QMS often find it to be overwhelming to manage as the data volume continues to grow. Those using spreadsheets have to contend with issues like how best to collaborate when working within the same sheet or how to maintain data integrity. Accupoint's quality management system can be advantageous for organizations that want to save time and improve productivity when managing compliance data.

Top advantages of a quality management software solution

Companies are utilizing quality management software to answer the need for a better data management and process analytics. Both management and team members alike recognize the value in being able to better manage large volumes of data in order to improve their process information flow.

Benefits of an Integrated System 

1. Accupoint’s quality management systems can automate your program updates based on parameters set. This means that you don’t have to worry about changing and overhauling your system because the solution evolves as your business needs do.

2. Accupoint improves data integrity. Redundancy of data, entry protocols, system updates and records maintenance can all be done conveniently from within the software solution. Pulling accurate reporting is easiest when information is consolidated and entered uniformly.

3. Detecting emerging trends across different areas of the organization is simplified with Accupoint’s quality management solution. The information is securely stored within the centralized system, which makes all of the data is available for review in real-time. Accessibility to real-time data enables smart, quick decision-making across the board.

4. While spreadsheets can hold a large amount of data, keeping information secure and reliable as data continues to grow presents its share of challenges. Scalable quality manage systems empower teams to seamlessly expand their solutions to accommodate growing customer and regulatory requirements.

5. Accupoint’s solutions offer flexibility in how data is entered. Individuals can choose to enter data traditionally or through other methods such as scanning or geo-tagging. These options facilitate collaboration and reduce error rates among those handling information. 

6. User-friendly methods to track a range of information are an additional advantage to transitioning to Accupoint’s solution family. Tracking training progress, quality standard updates, testing cycles, and auditing results can all be done conveniently through one single user interface.

Cutting costs using accurate real-time data and improved collaboration are the most common reasons for making the switch to an Accupoint quality management software solution. Better reporting, collaboration, data integrity, and analysis become possible with the right system and solution in place.
 
For more information on Accupoint Software or to schedule a platform demonstration, please  visit us at www.accupointsoftware.com.

Over the last decade, worldwide shale production has expanded, producing more than 40 billion cubic feet of dry shale gas per day, according to research from BP. The search for clean alternatives to coal has pushed demand for gas across the globe. Established shale producers may soon need to scale up in order to meet the demands of this growing market.
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In order to ensure their place in this growing market, shale providers should consider the following industry problems and solutions: 

1.  Equipment and technology demands.
By developing advanced drilling technology and techniques small energy companies that wish to take advantage of the healthy shale market and scale up their workflows must pursue similar strategies. Tracking the cost and productivity of old and existing equipment can help companies make informed decisions about what should be upgraded, and when. When it comes to meeting customer expectation, equipment management is paramount, and centralized control of maintenance schedules and downtime tracking ensures that providers will meet production obligations and avoid costly downtime due to equipment failures.

2. Supply chain and vendor management.
Shale industry supply chains differ from those associated with more traditional energy products. Upstream workflow components center on complex infrastructure and require wide degrees of support, including specialized waste management and transportation services. The average shale pad contains more than 20 moving operational parts, all of which must operate together.

Configuring supply chains of this magnitude is no easy task.  Constructing processes on an as-needed basis can institutionalize inefficiencies and cause problems down the road. Communications solutions that push for point of contact cooperation with vendors and suppliers go a long way to developing effective processes that foresee future growth, and management resources that build upon vendor feedback capitalize on provider expertise and promote mutually beneficial relationships.   

3.  Workforce training.
Specialists from a variety of industries must collaborate to get shale extraction sites up and running. From the construction teams to drill operators, these workflows are critical to operations. Companies ramping up their shale operations need to cultivate and expand their talent pools to meet the needs of this industry niche.

In the current employment market, upskilling existing talent maybe the only workable solution. Oil and gas organizations can divert workers from verticals with declining prospects and retrain them for work in shale production teams. This move allows energy firms to boost their shale output without investing immense amounts in hiring and recruitment. Internal solutions that standardize training procedures and ensure constant upkeep of current training demands can weaponize a company’s current employee pool to meet the market and consumer demands.

Together, these strategies can help businesses in the oil and gas industry take advantage of the continued acceleration and intensification of the shale gas revolution.  To find out how Accupoint Software can help maximize your company’s growth potential, please contact us today.

Corrective and preventive actions are important parts of a quality management system (QMS) , but sometimes it can be difficult to tell these two processes apart.

A corrective action deals with a nonconformity that has occurred, and a preventive action addresses the potential for a nonconformity to occur. Section 8.5.2 of the ISO 9000 standard says corrective action eliminates the cause of nonconformities to prevent recurrence, and section 8.5.3 says preventive action determines and eliminates the causes of potential nonconformities to prevent occurrence.  In a nutshell, one deals with what has happened and the other attempts to stop something from happening.

Many auditors recommend using separate procedures and forms to document each type of action. The standard doesn’t say this must be done, but there is a heavy implication that it should be done.

One way to understand these processes is to break down what is required for each one:

Corrective Action Process

• Locate and document the root cause of the nonconformity.
• Audit the system to ensure no other nonconformity could occur. (impact analysis)
• Analyze the effect the nonconformity may have had on a product or service before it was discovered.
• Which may require taking action by either recalling the product, notifying the customer, downgrading or scrapping product.
• Establish thorough follow-up to ensure the correction is effective and recurrence has been prevented.

Preventive Action Process

• Take proactive steps to detect a potential nonconformity before it can occur.
• Use system analysis to create built-in safeguards and process changes to prevent nonconformance.
• Example, use of a failure mode and risk analysis to identify potential deficiencies and create priorities for improvement.

Both corrective and preventive actions require effective communications. In addition, both require clear documentation of actions taken and lessons learned. Documenting, controlling and communicating corrective and preventive actions ensure appropriate action is taken within a reasonable timeframe and the resulting changes are effective.

​For more information on how Accupoint Software can help your organization manage the corrective and preventative action process, please contact us today.

For consumers, product purchase verification is simple. It means opening a package or trying a product to see that what you paid for is what you get. For businesses, the process is much different. Product purchase verification is actually serious business that requires full-time professionals with engineering degrees. The concept is important to consider both for compliance and professional reasons.

The most important component of purchased product verification is actually certifying that the product was delivered. Even a medium sized company has many good coming and going across different warehouses and locations. It is impossible for one person to physically verify every delivery. For that reason, logging every delivery in an accounting or compliance system is crucial. After the delivery is logged, it can be tracked and utilized for production or distribution. Product purchase verification also sets off the accounts payable timeline.

The next most important factor is that the product delivered meets the quality standard expected. Products that have a chemical composition such as LNG, diesel or heating oil require an engineer or chemist to verify that the product is correct. They then log the information into a software or compliance management solution to confirm the quality information.

Lastly, product purchase verification is crucial for safety. The delivered product should be stored and contained in a package that prevents it from harming workers. Additionally, it should not be placed next to any other material that could produce a strong combustible reaction. Again, professional engineers or compliance professionals must work on this process to assure nobody is injured. They log information into an online system and carefully monitor the placement of all products.

Accupoint Software is a leading provider of compliance management tools for the petroleum industry. For more information on solutions to manage purchased product verification,  please contact us today.