An exploratory analysis of quality management audit findings at a nuclear power station

Abstract

The quality assurance role is an essential function in high risk industries such as the nuclear power industry where process failures can potentially have catastrophic results. As part of mitigating the risk inherent in such industries, the need for reliable quality assurance cannot be over-emphasised. Underpinning a reliable quality assurance function, lies the need for effective identification of risk; as well as effective decision making processes by competent auditors. A nuclear quality assurance (QA) department has noted an increase in the variability of its audit outcomes, which has resulted in the value of the audit process being questioned by various stakeholders. The research endeavoured to: explore and describe the practice amongst auditors when rating audit findings; potentially identify reasons for inconsistencies amongst auditors when rating findings; and provide recommendations to improve both the consistency amongst auditors when rating audit finding and the overall performance of the audit process. An exploratory study using the Delphi technique was adopted to enable multiple iterations of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, mimicking elements of a sequential exploratory strategy.