ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance

ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality AssuranceThe ASME Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) Certification Program provides centralized, independent, third-party certification for quality assurance programs in conformance with the ASME NQA-1 standard, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications. Officially launched three years ago, the NQA-1 Certification Program aims to expand the nuclear industrys supply chain with organizations that are committed to understanding quality and providing first-class nuclear products and services. ASME worked with industry leaders in the field of quality assurance, members from the NQA Standards Committee and its Subcommittees, and the Committee on Nuclear Certification, to develop the NQA-1 Certification Program, which was designed ensure the proper application of the NQA-1 requirements. To receive NQA-1 certification, a companys quali ty assurance program is assessed by a team of trained ASME auditors with an extensive background in quality assurance. Once the team conducts a complete audit and determines that the supplier is implementing its QA program in compliance with the NQA-1 standard, the company will receive an NQA-1 Quality Program Certificate. The NQA-1 Certificate indicates to customers that the certified company has an established nuclear quality assurance culture and that its QA program has been continuously updated to meet the latest edition of the standard.Eighteen months ago, ministerprsident Technology became the first company to complete the NQA-1 Certification program. The company, which is located in Blackfoot, Idaho, specializes in manufacturing for government and the commercial nuclear, pharmaceutical, food processing, and mining and petrochemical industries.Having the certification from ASME has increased our visibility within the nuclear community, including opening doors to gaining access to bids, according to Burke. In addition, having the ASME certification has reduced the time customers spend conducting additional audits by more than half, and cut the size of those audit teams in half. In the past, the first thing an audit team would ask for is to our manual, Burke said. Now, the first thing people want to see is our NQA-1 Certificate. In addition to those benefits, the program has also shown ministerprsident Technology a financial return in the marketplace, according to Sayer. We have been able to secure millions of dollars in contracts based solely on our company having an NQA-1 Certificate, he said. Recently we were awarded a contract because one of the requirements was to be NQA-1 Certified by ASME. Not only has the company seen a benefit in the nuclear arena, the certification from ASME has also benefited Premiere in unexpected ways, including helping the company secure two international contracts in the aerospace and oil and gas markets, Sayer said. Even th ough we have a certification in NQA-1, the two companies felt comfortable that we possessed the knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the NQA-1 standard throughout our shop, he said. NQA-1 certification is available to companies and organizations located throughout the world that have implemented a nuclear quality assurance program in conformance with the ASME NQA-1 Standard (2008 edition and later editions and addenda). Certification is based upon an initial full audit of the program, followed by two interim audits within a three-year certification period to verify that the QA program is being maintained in compliance with the NQA-1 standard. Certification can be renewed at the end of the third year, provided that the company remains in compliance.For more information on ASMEs Nuclear Quality Assurance program, including how to start the certificate application, visit go.asme.org/nqa-1. Chris Mahler, business development manager at ASME, and Joseph Pang of ASMEs Standa rds Certification department, will be discussing the NQA-1 Program at the Energy, Technology and Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) DOE Supplier Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., from June 15 to 18. To learn more about their appearance at the conference, or for information on upcoming conferences, contact Chris Mahler by e-mail at mahlercasme.org.

Study The average workers inbox contains 199 unread emails

Study The average workers inpackung contains 199 unread schmelzglassStudy The average workers inbox contains 199 unread emailsEmails fly into your inbox at all hours of the day and night, making the elusive inbox zero feel even more out of reach.Just how bad is it?Anew report bycloud-based Enterprise Work Management providerWorkfrontfound that US employees average 199 unread or unopened emails taking up space in their inboxes at any given time.Sixty percent of respondents were on board with the idea that the time I have to spend dealing with email is time I could be more productive.Here are just a few of the other findings from the research.People find their emails pretty annoyingFor the report, researchers surveyed 2,001 enterprise U.S. office employees who work at places with a minimum of 500 workers, work with others on assignments, and use a computer for their work.This is how knowledge workers use and feel about emails.A whopping 94% of workers rely on email for work management, with spreadsheets (78%), shared documents (77%), shared networks and/or folders (73%), and handwritten lists (57%) among other popular choices.Excessive emails was found to be the second most chosen thing when it comes to what hinders productivity at 53%, second only to wasteful meetings at 57%.These are among the things people labeled as a big/somewhat of a problem when it comes to emailUsing a lengthy email to relay info that would be better conveyed through face-to-face or a phone call (55%)Following a conversation through lengthy email threads (55%)Getting copied on emails that are notlage relevant to your job (54%)Alex Shootman, CEO of Workfront, commented on the findings in a statement. Our survey confirms that email, used for the wrong purposes, has become a productivity hazard for workers The undeniable fact is there are plenty of issues when it comes to email because email was never intended to manage work, Shootman said.People dont like hearing this jargon at work eitherIf one thing is also clear, its that certain terminology grates on peoples eardrums likenails on a chalkboard.Whilepassive-aggressive work phrases and ridiculous jargonare classic parts of the workplace, the Workfront report also found that certain terms bug people in the office.People thought these were the most overused. Think outside the box was hands-down, the most popular choice at 47%.Synergy and bandwidth both trailed behind in second place at 18%, followed by circle back at 13%, at a high level at 12%, and table this conversation at 8%, among others.Heres what people think work will look like in the futureWhile 95% of respondents in the Workfront report thought that despite advances in AI, there will always be the need for the human touch in the workplace, 88% agreed thatthere are a lot of opportunities for those with the right skills in the automated workforce.But 34% also think that people in their fields will be going head to head with robots, machines and/or AI in the not- so-distant future.Asked about the workplace of the future, 63% said companies will welcome more use of platforms like Slack, social media, Yammer, and other chat apps when it comes to working together, 53% said more than half of employees will work remotely, and 52% said email will fall further out of favor as people use other communication methods.When asked to predict how the office will change five years from now, 61% said that theyll be able to work remotely because of video conference calls, 50% agreed that mobile phones will become your mobile office, and 20% think email wont be a main way to work together anymore.

The First 10 Seconds Will Make or Break Your Resume

The First 10 Seconds Will Make or Break Your ResumeFirst 10 Seconds Make or Break Your ResumeThe First 10 Seconds Will Make or Break Your ResumeLast Tuesday I spent the day in Boston critiquing resumes at the Women for Hire job fair. I met dozens of smart, talented, eminently qualified job seekers and saw a lot of resumes that were NOT passing the 10-second test. Like it or not, hiring authorities typically decide within 10 seconds whether theyll bother to read your resume. Does your resume have an impressive opening that will hook your reader in 10 seconds or less? If not, that may be why its not getting you as many interviews as youd like.Its not easy to advertise and market ourselves, and it seems especially difficult for women, as a post (Why Women Need to Toot Their Own Horn On Their Resumes) on the WorkingGirlblog recently pointed out. But its got to be done.Not sure how to begin? Look at a few magazine ads for inspiration. Like resume writers, ad copywriters have to make their case in a few seconds, otherwise the reader will flip to the next page. A resume that launches right into a dry listing of your work history and job duties is like a shampoo ad with a headline that says, Pyrithione Zinc Water Ammonium Laureth SulfateAll shampoos have pretty much the saatkorn ingredients. And everyone who is applying for a particular job will have pretty much the same qualifications. The secret is to differentiate yourself and target your readers emotions in those first 10 seconds. You need to tell the reader whether youre the shampoo that relieves an itchy scalp and gets rid of embarrassing flakes, or the kind that repairs damaged hair and leaves it silky-smooth. In other words, tell the reader how you will fulfill their (business) needs and solve their (business) problems. To do that, you have to think like the hiring manager. Scrutinize the job posting, the employers web site, and any news you can find about the organization to help identify which business needs to address. Then ask yourself what youre especially good at, and what special skills or accomplishments youve achieved that align with those business needs. Some ideas might beStreamlining inefficient processes,Saving money or time,Improving morale,Making customers happy,Identifying safety hazards,Analyzing cryptic data,Increasing sales,Decreasing errors,Staying under budget, orBeating deadlines.Next, take it one step further by using numbers or percentages wherever possible, or describing any special circumstances surrounding the accomplishments. For exampleDeveloped and implemented safety program that decreased injury rates 12% and lowered annual Workers Compensation premiums by $5,000Maintained aggressive distribution schedule and met 97% of shipping deadlines despite significant damage to facilities and equipment after Hurricane KatrinaThose are the kinds of things that can jump off the page in the first 10 seconds and make you stand out among others with similar backgrounds. Pu t these highlights at the top of the resume, under a heading such as Summary of Qualifications, Professional Summary, Major Accomplishments, Achievements and Qualifications, or whatever makes sense for your situation.Once you hook them with your 10-second summary, then they can read your work history, see your experience, and realize how smart, talented, and eminently qualified you are