Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 46
46
condition ratings, with ±1 condition state being a common Germany
value (see Table G12).
In Germany, QC is a matter for the individual states. The fed-
Benchmarks in Quality Assurance Reviews eral ministry has no direct involvement. Bridge data and the
use of the bridge management system are monitored by
DOTs that perform QA reviews of samples of bridge inspection BASt. When errors in data are apparent, the federal ministry
reports can track accuracy of condition ratings as a benchmark is notified and the state is asked to resolve the errors.
of program quality. Various aspects of program compliance,
such as timely completion of inspection reports, completion by South Africa
staff of refresher training, and up-to-date bridge lists each might
serve as a measure of program quality. Most DOTs include In South Africa, QC is performed by inspection consultants.
these aspects in QA reviews. Few DOTs reported the use of any Typically, the degree-extent-relevancy component ratings
of these as benchmarks (see Table G13). and inspectors' notes are compared with supporting pho-
tographs. Inspection data are entered into SANRAL's bridge
Disqualification of Inspection Program Staff management system by consultants. Printouts of these data
must be reviewed and signed by inspectors. In addition, the
Fifteen of 32 DOTs reported on grounds for disqualification
bridge management system performs automated checks of
of inspection program personnel. Common concerns in-
inspection data.
cluded timely completion of work (4 DOTs), accuracy and
consistency of inspection findings (10 DOTs), and inade-
quate response to QA advice for improvement to perfor- Sweden
mance (3 DOTs) (see Table G14).
Sweden uses standard inspection forms and the existing
Six DOTs allow requalification of team leaders after re- bridge record to guide inspectors and to ensure that all
training. Remedies for poor performance, short of disqualifi- needed inspection tasks are completed. There is no indepen-
cation, include additional training, counseling or coaching, dent review of inspection reports.
and further quality review (18 DOTs). Poor performance can
affect career advancement of DOT personnel and selection of United Kingdom
inspection consultants (11 DOTs) (see Table G15).
Contract provisions for inspection services address some as-
QUALITY PROGRAMS--FOREIGN PRACTICE pects of QC. Supervising engineers must sign inspection
reports. Maintenance agents are required to have third-party
Denmark review of inspection reports. Timely completion of reports,
accuracy and completeness of bridge data, and provision of
QC activities in Denmark include: adequate equipment to inspectors are all aspects that may be
tracked as measures of contract performance.
· Review of all Principal inspection field reports by a peer
bridge inspector. In addition, the administrator for the Structure Management
· Review of data entry by experienced data personnel and Information System, the Highway Agency's bridge manage-
verification by the bridge inspector. ment system, makes spot checks on bridge data. Inspection
· Comparison of field measurements over several inspec- reports that have errors are returned to the maintenance agent
tion cycles. and ultimately the supervising engineer for the inspection.
· Automated checks within the bridge database system. Serious or persistent errors are recognized as poor service by the
· Automated alerts for missing data as reports are generated. contractor, and these could influence future contract awards.
Finland
Quality Assurance
Finnra uses automated checks in its bridge database for QC
of inspection data. There are no other checks. Instead, Finnra Among the nations included in this synthesis, QA usually
emphasizes QA by inspector certification and training. entails training and workshops. Denmark, Finland, and
Germany all conduct annual workshops for bridge inspec-
Consultants to Finnra must propose and implement inspec- tors, and all of these workshops include field inspections.
tion quality programs. These plans differ among consultants. Denmark and Germany use field work to recalibrate inspec-
tors. Finland collects quantitative measures of accuracy of
France condition ratings and evaluates the performance of individ-
ual inspectors. In South Africa, SANRAL's QA is a program
France implements ISO 9000 to direct its QC program. ISO of independent reinspection of 2% of bridge inspections per
9000 is a set of standards for quality management published year. Sweden has no periodic QA program, but instead relies
by the International Organization for Standardization. on contract supervision to ensure consistent work among
OCR for page 47
47
consultants. In the United Kingdom, the detailed inspections TABLE 76
that are made in preparation for repair projects are viewed as NUMBER OF FINNISH
QC INSPECTIONS IN 2005
verification of previous inspection reports. These offer a
measure of inspection quality. No. of No. of Control
Inspected Bridges Inspections
1100 2
Denmark 101300 3
>300 4
In Denmark, each bridge inspector is required to complete a
QA review every year. Over a two-day period, teams inspect
a number of selected bridges. Results are compared team by South Africa
team, and the differences are discussed. Each year, different
bridges are selected for this exercise. The outcomes of the South Africa performs two activities for QA. First, when a con-
reviews can include further training for inspectors, improve- sultant starts a contract for inspection services, SANRAL con-
ments to inspection procedures, or improvements to Danbro ducts an inspection workshop to calibrate all inspectors. The
software. The Directorate views each Special inspection as a workshop and a briefing on inspection methods are mandatory
verification of conditions and previous inspection reports. for all inspectors who will participate in the contract.
Special inspections are done as needed. There is no sampling
of bridges for QA review at a regular interval. Second, verification inspections are done for 2% of Prin-
cipal inspections each year by senior bridge inspectors. If
Finland many and/or large discrepancies are found, a new Principal
inspection may be ordered.
Finnra holds an Advanced Training Day each year at which
certified inspectors participate in general inspections of two A third, though informal, type of QC is a product of the
bridges. These two bridges are also inspected by a select contract award process. As groups of bridges pass from one
group of Finnra personnel. Inspection data from individual in- inspection firm to another, inspections by the new firm offer
spectors are compared with Finnra results. Deviations are a verification of previous work. QA can affect the tender
computed and quantitative measures of the accuracy of the in- process. Evidence of negligence in consultant work is
spectors' work are obtained. Finnra sets limits on permissible grounds for disqualification for further work.
deviations, allowing larger deviations for evaluation of indi-
vidual defects and smaller deviations in the overall evaluation QA efforts do not evaluate or track individual inspectors.
of a bridge. Finnra central administration tracks the quality of This too is a product of the tender process: there is no per-
the inspection program with the quantitative measures. manent inspection staff.
Inspection results are discussed with inspectors. The con-
Sweden
trol inspections are used, in part, as refresher training for
inspectors. The quality of work at advanced training days
In Sweden there is informal QA for inspection consultants.
affects awards of inspection contracts. Repeated, large devi-
SRA staff acquires knowledge of consultants' competence
ations by an inspector can result in the loss of certification.
during the course of inspection contract work. Firms that do
not meet SRA expectations do not obtain further contracts for
Similar control inspections are made within Finnra regions
inspection services.
as well. The number of control inspections for a region depends
on the number of bridges inspected in the past year (Table 76).
United Kingdom
Germany
In the United Kingdom, specific programs for QA are the
In Germany, continuing training for bridge inspectors occurs responsibility of the maintenance contractor. The Highways
at annual federal conferences conducted by BMVBS and Agency views the detailed inspections in preparation for
lasting 2 or 3 days. Discussions at each conference focus on repair projects as a verification of conditions at bridges.
interesting bridges, as well as problems and new develop-
ments in bridge inspection. One day is spent in field obser- Bridge data records stored as part of SIMS, the bridge
vations of structures. The conference is held in a different management system, have been collected for about 5 years.
state each year. Some states require attendance at the confer- The Highways Agency will engage a contractor to undertake
ence by their inspectors, whereas other states either do not re- a records health check for existing data.
quire attendance, or require attendance in only some years.
Bridge data quality is considered in continuing develop-
Other QA procedures, such as sampling of bridges and ment of SIMS. Here, the Highways Agency works coopera-
independent verification of inspection findings, are not tively as one member of a users group made up of agencies
performed. using the bridge management system.
