2012 URISA Track, How to Conduct Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Work within a Quality Assurance Quality Control (QA/QC) Program, Mark Zellman

www.fugroconsultants.com www.fugroconsultants.com

Fugro Consultants, Inc.

Mark Zellman, PG, GISP

21 September 2012

Conducting GIS Work Within a

Nuclear Safety-Related Quality

Assurance Quality Control

(QA/QC) Program

GIS in the Rockies 2012

www.fugroconsultants.com

INTRODUCTION

Fugro Consultants, Inc. (FCL)

– FCL is a division of FUGRO.

– Global company which focuses on

geologic and geotechnical related

projects – including siting studies

and hazard analysis for nuclear

power plants

– The FCL QA/QC program was

developed to meet U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission (NRC)

requirements for our work in the

nuclear power industry


WHAT IS QA/QC

Quality Assurance (QA) is an objective review which takes place through a system of external

and independent audit procedures. The QA review is conducted by a third party to assess the

effectiveness of the QC program and the quality, completeness, accuracy, and precision of a

product.

Quality Control (QC) is a system of routine technical activities implemented to measure and

control the quality of a product as it is being compiled. QC procedures include technical reviews,

accuracy checks, and the use of approved standardized procedures.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) Quality assurance (QA) comprises all planned and systematic actions that are necessary to provide

adequate confidence that a structure, system, or component will perform satisfactorily in service.

Attributes of a QA program include procedures, recordkeeping, inspections, corrective actions, and

audits.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews and inspects QA programs and their

implementation for nuclear steam system suppliers; architect-engineering firms; suppliers of safety-

related and commercial-grade products and services; calibration and testing laboratories; and holders of

NRC construction permits, operating licenses, and combined licenses in quality-related areas. In

conducting these inspections, the NRC's objective is to determine whether licensees and their

contractors are meeting the agency's requirements. In particular, the NRC reviews the QA programs for

commercial nuclear power plants. In addition, for operating nuclear power plants, the NRC reviews any

changes that reduce previous commitments to the plant’s QA program (U.S. NRC, 2012)


WHY USE QA/QC?

To ensure that high quality and accurate information is being produced for

the design of vital infrastructure.


VC Summer NPP – Units 2 & 3


VC Summer NPP – Unit 2 Excavation


VC Summer NPP – Unit 2 Excavation


OVERALL QA/QC PROGRAM STRUCTURE

QA/QC Manual • Establishes QA/QC program

• Applies to multiple projects

• Overseen by QA/QC manager *

*

Software

Control

GIS

Documents

GIS EXPERT

Insert Your

Name Here

• QA/QC Manual sub-sections which

directly apply to GIS work

• Written with input from GIS staff


GIS QA/QC PROCEDURE DOCUMENT

GIS Procedure Document (Sub-section of the QA/QC Manual)

– Responsibilities / Roles

• Project Manager, GIS Supervisor, Preparer, Verifier

– Process

• Folder Structure

• GIS Documents / File Naming

• Metadata

• Verification of GIS Documents

• Revision Tracking

• Final Data Delivery

– Records / Documentation

• GIS Request Form, Data Tracking Sheets, GIS Verification Sheet,

etc…


GIS TASK WORFLOW

Project

Manager

GIS

Request

GIS

Supervisor

GIS

Preparer

GIS

Verifier

GIS Task/s

Task

Complete?

Yes/No

Delivery of

Product

Task

Assignment

Yes No


Software validation is governed by two documents…

– Commercial Grade Dedication Plan • Commercial-grade dedication is a process by which a commercial-grade item (CGI) is

designated for use as a basic component. This acceptance process is undertaken to

provide reasonable assurance that a CGI to be used as a basic component will perform

its intended safety function and, in this respect, is deemed equivalent to an item

designed and manufactured under a 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, quality assurance

program. This assurance is achieved by identifying the critical characteristics of the item

and verifying their acceptability by inspections, tests, or analyses by the purchaser or

third-party dedicating entity. (U.S. NRC, 2012)

SOFTWARE VALIDATION

– Software Installation and Checkout Plan

• User manual

• Verification of installation and results

• Tests the software to ensure results

are reproducible and performs as

expected


SOFTWARE VALIDATION CONTINUED…

To meet the NRC software validation requirements FCL has performed

software validation on an as-needed basis

– Involves developing methods to test that the software creates reliable

and reproducible results.

ESRI Products:

– ESRI has performed and prepared V&V documents; they are available

for a large cost. As a result FCL has developed our own V&V for ESRI

software.

When to conduct V&V

– Anytime the software code changes (OS or software updates)


DOCUMENTATION

Documentation is necessary to track the assignment of tasks, data sources,

data processing steps, and other aspects of GIS work

Detailed documentation is crucial

Plan ahead for tracking and storing documentation

In short: QA/QC = Documentation


After the release of Rev-0 report

Prior to release of Rev-0 report

REVISIONS TO GIS DOCUMENTS

File 1_RevA EDIT

PROCESS File 1_RevB

File 1_Rev0 EDIT

PROCESS File 1_Rev1

EDIT

PROCESS File 1_RevC*

EDIT

PROCESS File 1_Rev2**

*Each “Rev” is labeled with an increasing letter value

**Each “Rev” is labeled with an increasing number value

The process applies to both GIS data files and map documents


DATA

How you search for and obtain data will probably be

affected

Data sources should be scrutinized

– Acceptable sources

– Unacceptable sources

Process of downloading and documenting the data

source

– Screen capture

– Entry into project notes

– Add to tracking sheet

Field data

– Process for handling data collected in the field

– Versioning – preliminary borings, as-built

borings, etc.

www.joesdata.com

Joe’s Page of GIS Data

Map Data

Vector Data

Map of the Day

Funny Cat Pix

Joe’s Bio


WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

Training – project specific QA/QC training

Software

– Potential limitations on software use

– Updates and upgrades need consideration

GIS work

– Documentation and paperwork

– Organized system to file the documentation

– Structured work flow process

– Working within established work roles

– Data mining considerations – where can I get data?


OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

File and map naming conventions

Time and cost increase


CONCLUSION

QA/QC program development is a long and rigorous process

Internal audits are very helpful

Working under a QA/QC plan will affect the way you collect data, handle

data, and perform work

It is important to stay active with documentation – DON’T FALL BEHIND

Software validation could pose a challenge

Communication with others involved is very important

QA/QC programs deliver reliable and well-documented information

Practices from an implemented QA/QC program will influence your regular

style of work in a positive way

– Lessons learned, and processes developed for documents/data created

under a safety-related process can and should influence how non-

safety-related documents/data are created.


REFERENCES

U.S. NRC, 2012, Commercial Grade Dedication, http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-

reactors/oversight/quality-assurance/vendor-insp/comm-grade-dedication.html (Date Accessed:

17 Sept 2012)

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/oversight/quality-assurance/vendor-insp/comm-grade-dedication.html











www.fugroconsultants.com www.fugroconsultants.com

Thank You