The American Petroleum Institute Quality Registrar (APIQR) is reviewing all scope statements to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 Conformity assessment. APIQR will do this in three phases:

• Phase 1 – Review existing scope statements and update those with grammar errors and vague and/or non-auditable activities/products.
• Phase 2 –Validate facility scope statements in audit reports that are currently under review.
• Phase 3 – Review scope statements for all Registrants during their next surveillance or recertification audit.

API will issue updated certificates to organizations with scope statements that are modified during this process.  This process will be managed entirely by APIQR—no …

Freer Consulting’s Carrie Salters published “Empowering Employee Ideas: Turning Sour Grapes Into Fine Wine” in this month’s issue of Compliance and Ethics Professional (CEP) Magazine. Her article discusses issues and solutions in management for organizations with safety, quality, or environmental management systems implementing change.

If you would like to know more about how Freer Consulting can help you with safety, quality, or environmental management systems, contact us at 206-285-9044 or info@freerconsulting.com.…

If you’re an owner or operator of an underground storage tank (UST) in Washington, you’re no doubt aware of the requirement to test your tank’s cathodic protection (CP) system every three years to ensure that it’s functioning properly.

You may not, however, be aware of the required testing cycle should you need to refit or repair your CP system. According to Washington state regulations, a CP system must be tested immediately following the repair and once again within six months of the repair. If the CP system passes both tests, owners and operators may then resume the testing cycle …

Owning a distillery can produce significant carbon emissions and waste. From coal-generated electricity and plastic cups to airline travel and freight shipments, nearly everything used to run a distillery can negatively impact the environment. Fortunately, for every decision you make for your distillery, there is a greener alternative.

Distiller’s Magazine has a great article about how to create a more sustainable distillery breaking down this huge endeavor into more manageable chunks. Implementations such as using a utility green pricing program to convert to a renewable electricity source or partnering with a carbon-offset company to counteract the unavoidable carbon emissions distilleries …

Freer Consulting recently took over the management of a “Regulatory Database” for a key maritime transportation client. This database tracks the expiration of important licenses and certifications for the company’s vessels. The maritime regulatory ecosystem is vast, with diverse state, Federal, and international authorities requiring certificates that expire on different dates and can have different renewal intervals. Non-compliance with these requirements can lead to heavy penalties, problems with insurability, or even the inability to legally operate a vessel. A past-due certification can also indicate that vessel surveys and inspections are behind, increasing the risk of health, safety, and environmental incidents.…