The global economy has produced a business environment that is becoming increasingly globalized and commoditized, forcing companies in all industries to look for viable modalities that ensure that they are able to develop and sustain a competitive edge. Indeed, companies in the oil and gas industry have not been able to escape the need to be more competitive, which begins with effectively creating long-term solutions that facilitate an increase in gross profit. Some of the most effective methods for increasing profit are through increasing operational efficiency and the reduction of fixed costs.
Understanding Operational Excellence In its simplest form, operational excellence can be understood as an integral component of organizational leadership that places great emphasis on multiples principles, tools and systems that work toward the sustainable improvement of identifiable central performance metrics. Achieving operational excellence, however, is quite challenging, especially when considering the increased complexity in the area of extreme remote operational environments. One of the most effective approaches that many companies in the petroleum industry are implementing is the complete integration of all processes and assets into an all-inclusive management system. In doing this, the potential for a more effective and efficient operational process, results in improvements to operational costs. Using Methodologies that Keep the Operational Process Connected One thing that we place substantial gravity on is not allowing the complexity of remote environments to foster disconnects between mechanisms and entities that control performance. When it comes to quality management, we integrate more than 64 operational modules into a single seamless, online management system. By connecting all of our client's compliance requirements with one comprehensive solution, we provide a highly detailed perspective of their operational compliance in all key areas. Integrated approaches to asset and operational management initially began with a goal of improving Process Safety Management (PSM) — with the primary focus being on HSE system efficiency. Due to the fact that oil and gas companies often operate in hostile environments, using hazardous materials and processes, it is imperative that these processes are effectively managed with a high level of precision and specificity in order to successfully avoid significant process-related accidents. This need for precision and safety resulted in the development of PSM programs and procedures that are normally housed within an HSE system. Now the idea of integrated processes has been taken to an entirely different level as we work to implement safety and operational efficiency into one single integrated process, through which all variables and components of the operational process can be monitored and managed, even when functioning in extreme and remote environments. Maximize Productivity While safety is always at the forefront of any operational process, we understand that time is money, and when time is being wasted on operational processes, the company is hemorrhaging money. As the nature of operational processes continue to increase in complexity, the ability to manage these processes through multiple mechanisms has become increasingly difficult — making it necessary to develop integrated process applications through which the entire operational system can be effectively managed. When high-paced operations require that API Spec Q1 and/or API Spec Q2 standards be met in multiple processes that are functioning simultaneously, integrating all required standards into one measurement mechanism helps to simplify the compliance and efficiency process. When there are multiple processes that must be managed through separate systems, it is easy to have a disconnect where there are intersecting mechanisms, but integrated solutions help to resolve this issue. We are able to facilitate operational excellence at a level that ensures that our clients are able to develop and sustain a competitive edge as well as maintain quality and safety compliance standards. For more information on how Accupoint Software can help your organization improve operational excellence please contact us today. 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. A service validation is a comprehensive examination meant to confirm that an existing, new or changed service performs as intended. However, when we talk about section 8.5.1 of the ISO 9001:2015 the difference between service/design validation and service/design verification can be confusing.
Service/design validation processes, specifically, are quality control processes that demonstrate product/service consistency, quality, and durability. They ensure that the service/design does what it is intended to do. This aspect of quality management is particularly important in situations “where the resulting output cannot be verified by subsequent monitoring or measurement.” One example of where service/design validation is critical would be a welding process where the strength of each individual weld cannot be tested without damaging the product. These sort of real-world necessities create quite a bind; how do you test without testing? To resolve this, service providers need to create test environments where they can perform their service process, in spaces that duplicate the workspace and conditions where the service will be performed. Once the service environment is duplicated, the tests perform a full check on each step of the service, or creation of the product: You have to perform the service on a test platform, where each step of the service can be examined, measured, and evaluated. In order to achieve this kind of testing, providers should consider adopting practices such as:
Service validation and testing ensures that the service or product delivers the expected outcomes for the customer. In addition to controlling quality, service validation testing provides opportunities to identify ways in which services and products can be improved, and efficiencies can be found. For more information on how Accupoint Software can help your business create and control service/product validation processes, 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. |
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