Section 4 Requirements of Parts 1 and 2 of the Scheme

4.1.1 The requirements of this Section are applicable to shipyards seeking approval under Parts 1 and 2 of the Scheme.

4.2.1 A policy statement, signed by the chief executive of the shipyard concerned, confirming the full commitment of all levels of personnel in the shipyard to the implementation and sustained operation of quality assurance methods is to be included in the Quality Manual.

4.3.1 Personnel responsible for functions affecting quality are to have defined responsibility and authority to identify, control and evaluate quality.

4.4.1 The Shipbuilder is to appoint a Management Representative, who is to be independent of other functions unless specifically agreed otherwise by LR, and who is to have the necessary authority and responsibility for ensuring that the requirements of the Scheme are complied with.

4.4.2 The Management Representative is to have the authority to stop production if serious quality problems arise.

4.5.1 The Shipbuilder is to utilise quality control and testing personnel whose performance and continued freedom of influence from production pressures is to be systematically confirmed by the Management Representative.

4.6.1 Sufficient resources shall be provided by the shipyard to enable the requirements identified by the Quality Management System to be effectively implemented.

4.7.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain an effective Quality Management System that will ensure and demonstrate that materials and consumables used, and working processes employed, conform to the requirements for hull construction.

4.7.2  Quality Manual. The basic documentation is to be in the form of a Quality Manual which sets out the general quality policies and which references the detailed procedures, standards, etc. and includes the requirements of Pt 3, Ch 15, 4.2 Policy statement to Pt 3, Ch 15, 4.24 Sub-contracted personnel, services and components and, where appropriate, Pt 3, Ch 15, 5.1 Quality System procedures to Pt 3, Ch 15, 5.10 Sub-contracted personnel, services and components.

4.7.3  Procedures. The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain an adequate and defined control of the hull construction process comprising:

1. defined and documented controls, processes, procedures, tolerances, acceptance/rejection criteria and workmanship standards; and

2. the provision of Quality Plans for each ship or series of sister ships for the processes and procedures for manufacture, inspection and testing involved from receipt of material through to completion of the hull construction process.

4.7.4  Work instructions. The Shipbuilder is to develop and maintain clear and complete documented work instructions for the processes and standards involved in the construction of the hull. Such instructions are to provide directions to various levels of personnel.

4.8.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish that the requirements of all applicable Regulations are clearly specified and agreed with the Owner/Classification Society/Regulatory Authority. These Regulations are to be made available for all functions that require them and their suitability is to be reviewed.

4.8.2 The Shipbuilder is to establish a design verification procedure to ensure that the regulatory requirements have been incorporated into the design output.

4.9.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain a procedure for the submission to the Classification Society and other regulatory bodies of all the necessary drawings required for approval sufficiently early and in such a manner that the requirements of the Classification Society and other regulatory bodies can be included in the design before construction commences. This procedure is to include a provision which ensures that all amendments to approved drawings are incorporated in the working drawings and that design revisions are re-submitted for approval.

4.10.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish a procedure to ensure that:

1. valid drawings, specifications, procedures, work instructions and other documentation necessary for each phase of the fabrication process are prepared;

2. all necessary documents and data are made readily available at all appropriate work, testing and inspection locations;

3. all amended drawings and changes to documentation are processed in a timely manner to ensure inclusion in the production process;

4. records are maintained of amendments and changes to documentation; and

5. provision is made for the prompt removal or immediate identification of all superseded drawings and documentation throughout the shipyard.

4.11.1 The Shipbuilder is to maintain purchasing documents containing a clear description of the materials ordered for use in hull construction and the standards to which material must conform, and the identification and certification requirements.

4.11.2 For the requirements for receiving inspection of purchased items see Pt 3, Ch 15, 4.15 Control of inspection and testing.

4.12.1 The Shipbuilder is to have procedures for the inspection, storage and maintenance of Owner supplied materials and equipment.

4.13.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish and maintain a procedure to ensure that materials and consumables used in the hull construction process are identified (by colour-coding and/or marking as appropriate) from arrival at the shipyard through to erection in such a way as to enable the type and grade to be readily recognised. The procedure is to ensure that the Shipbuilder has the ability to identify material in the completed vessel and ensure traceability to the mill sheets.

4.14.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain suitable procedures to ensure that fabrication and construction operations are carried out under controlled conditions. Controlled conditions are to include:

1. clearly documented work instructions defining material treatment, marking, cutting, forming, sub-assembly, assembly, erection, fitting of closing appliances, use of fabrication aids and associated fit-up, weld preparation, welding and dimensional control procedures;

2. criteria for workmanship and manufacturing tolerances. These are to be documented in a clear manner and made available to the appropriate workforce, and are to include acceptance/rejection criteria; and

3. documented instructions for the control of equipment and machines used in fabrication. These are to be made available to the appropriate workforce and supplied to individuals where necessary.

4.14.2 The Shipbuilder is to establish and control welding, non-destructive examination and painting which are part of the fabrication system, the equipment used in such processes and the environment in which they are employed. Operators of these special processes are to be properly qualified. Details of these processes are to be included in the relevant Quality Plans.

4.14.3 A list of approved welding procedures is to be maintained and made available to relevant personnel. Records of the results of testing for approval are also to be maintained. Lists of appropriately qualified welders are to be maintained. Procedures for distribution and recycling of welding consumables are to be implemented.

4.14.4 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain adequate maintenance schedules and standards for all equipment associated with the hull construction process.

4.15.1 The Shipbuilder is to be responsible for ensuring that all incoming plates, sections, castings, components, fabrications and consumables and other materials used in the hull construction process are inspected or otherwise verified as conforming to purchase order requirements.

4.15.2 The Shipbuilder is to provide an inspection system at suitable stages of the fabrication process from the material delivery to the completion of hull construction. The inspection system is to confirm and record the inspections carried out.

4.16.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish and maintain a system for identifying the inspection status of structural components at appropriate stages of the fabrication process. This may include the direct marking of components. Records of inspection and measurements are to be identifiable to components to which they refer and be readily accessible to production and inspection personnel and to Classification Surveyors.

4.17.1 The Shipbuilder is to be responsible for the control, calibration, and maintenance of the inspection, measuring and test equipment used in the fabrication and non-destructive examination of the hull structure.

4.17.2 The calibration system is to allow traceability back to appropriate National Standards. Where these do not exist the basis of calibration is to be defined.

4.18.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish and define procedures to provide for:

1. the clear identification and segregation from production areas of all plates, sections, castings, components, fabrications, consumables and other materials which do not conform to the agreed specification; and

2. the initiation of authorised corrective or alternative action.

4.19.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish and maintain a procedure to control handling and preservation processes for both the material used in fabrication and the structural components at all stages of the fabrication process. This procedure is to ensure conformance to specified requirements and established standards.

4.19.2 Welding consumables are to be stored, handled and recycled according to maker's recommendations.

4.20.1 The Shipbuilder is to develop and maintain records that demonstrate achievement of the required quality and the effective operation of the Quality System. Records demonstrating sub-contractor achievement of these requirements are to be maintained. These records are to be retained and available for a defined period. These records are to include identification of materials and consumables used in fabrication, the number and class of defects found during fabrication and information regarding corrective action taken. Records of particular processes, e.g. plate surface preparation and priming, marking, cutting, forming, accuracy control, non-destructive examination, audits and all other records pertaining to the operation of the Quality System are also to be maintained.

4.21.1 Internal audits of the performance of all aspects of the systems relating to design, production and testing are to be carried out systematically by appointed staff and recorded under the authority of the Management Representative. These staff members will not normally audit functions for which they are directly responsible.

4.21.2 Using data obtained from the audits and any other available relevant information, management reviews are to take place at specified intervals or more frequently as deemed necessary in order to review the performance of the Quality System.

4.21.3 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain a procedure for corrective application of data feedback from previous construction, including previous ships during the guarantee period.

4.21.4 The Shipbuilder is to establish, document and maintain a procedure to provide for the analysis of departures from manufacturing standards, steel material scrapped, reworked or repaired during the fabrication and construction process in order to detect trends, investigate the cause to determine the action needed to correct the processes and work procedures, or to identify the further training of operators as appropriate.

4.21.5 Agreed improvements to the Quality System are to be implemented within a time scale appropriate to the nature of the improvement.

4.22.1 The Shipbuilder is to establish and maintain a system to identify training needs and ensure that all personnel involved in the fabrication, erection and quality-involved functions have adequate experience, training and qualifications. This requirement extends to sub-contractor personnel working within the shipyard. Records are to be available to the Classification Surveyor.

4.23.1 Any sampling processes used by the Shipbuilder are to be in accordance with specified or Statutory Requirements or to the satisfaction of the Classification Surveyor as applicable.

4.24.1 The requirements of the Scheme are applicable, as appropriate, to all sub-contractor personnel and sub-contracted services operating within the shipyard.

4.24.2 The requirements of the Scheme are not applicable to sub-contractor personnel or sub-contracted services operating at locations outside the shipyard. In these circumstances it will be necessary for inspections to be carried out by the LR Surveyor using conventional survey methods.