GOALS The  goals  of  the  QA  program  are  to  protect personnel from hazardous conditions, increase the time between equipment failure, and ensure the proper repair of failed equipment. The goals of the QA program are intended to improve equipment reliability, safety of personnel, and configuration control. Achievement of these goals will ultimately enhance the readiness of ship and shore installations. There is a wide range of ship types and classes in the fleet, and there are equipment differences   within   ship   classes.   This   complicates maintenance  support  and  increases  the  need  for  a formalized  program  that  will  provide  a  high  degree  of confidence  that  overhaul,  installations,  repairs,  and material will consistently meet conformance standards. THE QA LINK TO MAINTENANCE What  does  QA  have  to  do  with  repair  work? Accomplishment of repairs and alterations according to technical   specifications   has   been   a   long-standing requirement  in  U.S.  Navy  ships.  Ultimate  responsibility to ensure this requirement is met rests with the person performing the maintenance. To do the job, a worker must be 1.  properly  trained, 2.  provided  with  correct  tools  and  parts, 3. familiar with the applicable technical manuals and plans, and 4.  adequately  supervised. These elements continue to be the primary means of assuring that maintenance is performed correctly. As a supervisor, you can readily see where you fit in. Once the need for maintenance is identified, you must  consider  QA  requirements  concurrently  with  the planning and performing of that maintenance. Technical specifications  will  come  from  a  variety  of  sources,  and determining  which  specifications  apply  to  the  particular job will be the most difficult part of your planning effort. Once you make that determination, the maintenance objective becomes two-fold: 1. Ensure that the maintenance effort meets all specifications. 2.  Ensure  that  the  documentation  is  complete, accurate,  and  auditable. If you consider the philosophy of QA, you will find it is unique in that it does not recognize degrees of success. Quality assurance is a pass-fail process! In our educational system, a student who is 95 percent correct in answering exam questions walks home with straight A’s. By contrast, if one of your workers is not 95 percent correct in meeting maintenance standards, he or she has not only failed miserably, but has guaranteed that the work must be redone. This will cost you additional time, effort,  and  money.  It  is  vital  that  you  approach maintenance planning from the standpoint of first-time quality. THE QUALITY ASSURANCE ORGANIZATION The QA program for naval forces is organized into different  levels  of  responsibility.  For  example,  the COMNAVSURFPAC QA program is organized into the following  levels  of  responsibility:  type  commander, readiness support group/area maintenance coordinator, and the IMAs. The QA program for the submarine force is  organized  into  four  levels  of  responsibility-type commander, group and squadron commanders, IMA commanding   officers,   and   ship   commanding officer/officers in charge. The QA program for Naval Surface Force for the Atlantic Fleet is organized into five levels   of   responsibility–force   commander,   audits, squadron  commanders,  IMAs,  and  force  ships. The  QA  program  organization  (Navy)  begins  with the commanders in chief of the fleets,  who  provide  the basic  QA  program  organization  responsibilities  and guidelines. The  type  commanders  (TYCOMs)  provide instruction,   policy,   and   overall   direction   for implementation  and  operation  of  the  force  QA  program. Type commanders have a force QA officer assigned to administer the force QA program. The commanding officers (COs) are responsible to the force commander for QA in the maintenance and repair   of   their   ships.   The   CO   is   responsible   for organizing and implementing a QA program within the ship to carry out the provisions of the TYCOM’s QA manual.  Quality  assurance  is  a  collateral  duty assignment  except  where  the  manpower  authorization provides  QA  billets. The CO ensures that all repair actions performed by ship’s force conform to provisions of the QA manual as well as to other pertinent technical requirements. (Level I certified ships maintain continuity of Level I [nuclear and  non-nuclear]  certification  during  the  operating cycle and assure that all repair actions performed within Level I boundaries are completed and documented as set forth by the QA manual.) 6-3