certification documentation. When filled in, the CWP
documents adherence to specified quality standards.
You must ensure that the CWP is at the job site
during the performance of the task. If the work
procedure requires the simultaneous performance of
procedure steps that are done in different locations, use
locally developed practices to control each step.
Immediately after a job is completed, each assigned
work center and the QAO will review the CWP
documentation to be sure it is complete and correct. If
you and your workers have been doing the assigned
steps as stated, this should not be a problem. Be sure all
verification signature blocks are signed. Make sure all
references, such as tech manuals or drawings, are
returned to the appropriate place.
Levels of Assurance
To provide your customers both repair quality and
quality assurance, you and your maintenance personnel
must understand and appreciate your customers and
their operational environment. This will require that you
give serious thought and consideration to how a
system’s nonperformance may endanger personnel
safety and threaten the ship’s mission. For example, you
will not be aboard the submarine as it does its deep dive
to test hull integrity and your hull packing work. QA is
divided into levels A or C, which are defined in the next
paragraphs. Each level refers to the total of quality
controls, tests, and/or inspections for an individual’s
fabrication or repair work.
. Level A: Assurance provides for the most
stringent or restrictive verification techniques.
This normally will require both quality controls
and test or inspection methods.
l Level C: Assurance provides for minimum or “as
necessary” verification techniques. This
normally will require very little quality control
or tests or inspections.
Departure from Specification
Specifications are engineering requirements such as
type of material, processes, dimensional clearances, and
physical arrangements, by which ship components are
installed, tested, and maintained. Be sure your personnel
maintain all ship systems and components according to
specifications where possible. There are sometimes
situations when you cannot meet specifications. In those
cases, you must control the system or component with
a departure from specification, which must be recorded
and approved.
A departure from specification is a lack of
compliance with an authoritative document, plan,
procedure, or instruction. As a minimum, departures
from specifications are or are not required in the
following situations:
l
l
l
Submit a departure from specification when
maintenance does not comply with technical
documents, drawings, or work procedures that
will not be corrected before the ship gets
underway or puts the equipment in service. An
example is a hydrostatic test made to less than
required pressure.
Submit a departure from specification when
maintenance does not comply with specifications
for “as found” conditions where there is no
previous approval (such as a shipyard waiver),
and the condition will not be corrected before the
ship gets underway. An example is an excessive
leak caused by vibration.
Do not submit a departure from specification for
noncomplying conditions discovered and not
caused by maintenance or a maintenance
attempt. As an example, you need only a CSMP
entry for items that routinely fail and for which
corrective action is planned.
SUPERVISOR’S REPORTING RESPON-
SIBILITIES.– The person who finds a departure has the
responsibility to report it to his supervisor, who must in
turn submit a departure from specification if the
situation calls for it. Stress to all of your workers that
any deviation from specifications must be recorded,
reviewed, and approved by the proper authority. Be alert
for any number of reasons some workers may deviate
from specifications. Sometimes they simply do not
understand the specification requirements, and
sometimes they do not have the skills needed to meet
specifications. At other times there is not enough time
to plan and procure parts; therefore, a worker may make
a temporary emergency repair that does not meet
specifications. Whatever the reason, there are risks in
operating outside specifications. You need to involve the
chain of command in any decision to do so.
REPORTING PROCEDURES.– Who reports a
departure from specification? The QA manual says that
the person who discovers or causes the departure must
initiate the departure from specification. However, does
this mean that each time you cause a departure you
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