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Advertising supplement provided by Portland Cement Association

by Jennifer Grover Prokopy

Key Components of a QA Program

While QA programs are unique from project to project, there are a number of essential elements common to all successful QA efforts. Some of the key elements are typically presented in the general provisions of contract documents, while others—especially those specific to masonry mortar—must be defined explicitly.

As part of any QA program, quality policies set forth minimum standards for all materials in the project. Administrative responsibilities and procedures are established to ensure a smooth flow of information, and records retention procedures keep stored information consistent and easy to manage and locate. Procedures are established for identifying and implementing corrective action as part of quality control.

Getting Specific: QA and Masonry Mortars

In a QA program that monitors use of masonry mortars, procedures for review and approval of submittals must be established.

Submittals (and their subsequent approval) ensure that the specifier’s requirements are met regarding construction materials and procedures.

Mortar submittals should confirm that mortar contains the specified materials, is of the proper mortar type, and conforms to project-specific requirements like color, climate considerations, etc. Each project will require a different level of documentation, testing and sampling. In general, letters from the manufacturer certifying materials, and from the contractor pledging to proportion the materials as specified, are sufficient.

Also key to masonry-specific QA is the establishment of quality control requirements for masonry mortars, as well as responsibility for evaluation of test and inspection reports. (More information on testing is included later in this unit.)

Quality Control as Part of a Quality Assurance Program

While QA is the overall process that helps ensure a successful project, quality control (QC) is a valuable component of that process, one that compares the quality of work with established standards and dictates appropriate action. There are four key components of QC: inspection, testing, evaluation and corrective action.

A “closed loop” approach forms the basis for effective QC. In a closed loop approach, accountability and reporting ensure that every time a project component is inspected or tested, the results are evaluated and, if necessary, corrective action is taken. Plans are modified and the resulting changes in the construction process are carried out, once again evaluating the results to determine if further action is necessary. The same is true for the construction process itself: the QC continues, with communication about each inspected or tested component traveling in a loop until the evaluated results are acceptable.