SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that the
chemistry laboratory in its Applied Technology Services (ATS)
organization has achieved International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) 17025 accreditation.
PG&E is among the first energy companies to earn this accreditation,
awarded by the independent, internationally recognized American
Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), and an acknowledgement
that the chemistry laboratory demonstrates technical competence and the
ability to produce precise and accurate test data.
“ISO 17025 is the single most recognized standard for calibration and
testing laboratories around the world, so this is an outstanding
achievement and a reflection of the commitment to excellence of our
chemistry lab employees. Their work is preventive in nature, so for
example, when they do tests on a transformer, they look for indicators
of any potential issues. If they find any, we take corrective action to
keep the transformer in sound operating condition, ensuring that we
provide customers with safe and reliable service every day,” said Pat
Hogan, senior vice president of Electric Operations at PG&E.
Accredited test methods include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
combustible gases in dielectric oil, reflecting the large amount of work
the ATS laboratory manages for electric transformer repair yards and
Power Generation asset management programs. During the accreditation
journey, the ATS chemistry laboratory realized numerous workflow and
cost efficiencies while producing a high quality product. The endeavor
took considerable work and commitment, utilized the company’s Corrective
Action Program (CAP) process, and was ultimately made easier thanks to
stringent quality assurance requirements already in place.
The ATS organization in San Ramon supports all PG&E lines of business,
and follows the quality management system that was implemented to
support the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, PG&E’s nuclear power plant in
Avila Beach.
Prior to pursuing accreditation, the chemistry laboratory performed a
self-assessment against the 66-page A2LA checklist that outlines each
ISO 17025 requirement.
PG&E documented how it met each ISO 17025 requirement, and where it
identified gaps, it initiated an issue in CAP to document the
deficiency. The company then put corrective actions in place prior to
requesting that A2LA perform their official onsite assessment of its
program.
Closing these gaps offered the laboratory the opportunity to improve and
standardize processes and positioned ATS laboratories to add additional
test and calibration services to its scope of accreditation.
In May, assessors conducted a thorough evaluation of all factors in the
laboratory that affect the production of test data including the
technical competence of staff; the validity and appropriateness of test
methods; the traceability of measurements and calibrations to national
standards; the suitability, calibration and maintenance of test
equipment; and the handling and transportation of test items, among
others.
“The chemistry lab did exceedingly well with only a handful of minor
deficiencies noted, which were quickly remedied through our corrective
action program. CAP is an integral part of our safety culture at PG&E,
and it was instrumental in our success in achieving this accreditation,”
Hogan said.
All PG&E employees have access to CAP and are encouraged to submit any
item that improves the safe, reliable, efficient and compliant operation
of its business.
Moving forward, this accreditation enables the ATS chemistry lab to make
continuous improvements of its quality management system, to reduce
costs and to create efficiency by ensuring that all staff follows superb
and continually evolving work procedures.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San
Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of
the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company