Evaluation of Quality Management of Domestic Asbestos Survey and Monitoring Service Providers

국내 석면조사기관의 품질관리 수준에 대한 평가

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality management systems of domestic asbestos survey and monitoring service providers and the relationships with the number of licenses or designations and sales performances. Methods: Data on quality management systems were collected by assessors who were assigned by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) during a pilot evaluation program for designated asbestos survey and monitoring service providers in 2016 using evaluation criteria developed by KOSHA. Basic characteristics, evaluated scores, and sales performance were gathered and statistically analyzed. Results: The median and arithmetic mean of the total scores were 0.64 and 0.66. Evaluation fields that scored highly with the highest percentages were sales performance, installation and availability of equipment, compliance with the mandatory minimum number of airborne samples, laboratory independence, and results of proficiency analytical testing, in that order. Evaluation fields that received low marks with the highest percentages were the training of personnel, blank field samples, calibration of flow rates, preliminary check and visual inspection of the work area prior to the clearance test, and review and approval of final reports, in that order. Comparison of normalized scores between service providers registered for asbestos and other tasks and those designated for only asbestos showed significant differences in their evaluated scores. Sales performance did not show a positive correlation with evaluated scores. Conclusions: The quality management systems of domestic asbestos survey and monitoring service providers were poor. High scores were recorded mostly in evaluation fields related to regulatory requirements. Low scores were recorded mostly in evaluation fields related to documentation and recordkeeping. Considering the low influence of quality on sales performance, the government needs to evaluate the quality management of asbestos survey and monitoring service providers and provide the results to public in order to address their low levels of quality management.

Figure 1. Comparison of evaluated scores between service providers registered for asbestos and other tasks from the Ministry of Employment and Labor or the Ministry of Environment(Group 1) and service providers designated only for asbestos from the Ministry of Employment and Labor(Group 2); (a) total score(p<0.001), (b) management requirements (p=0.001), (c) personnel, facilities, equipments(p<0.001) and (d) quality assurance of works(p<0.001)

Figure 2. Relationship between sales performance and evaluated scores; (a) total sales performance and normalized scores(p=0.227) and (b) sales performance except supervision tasks and normalized scores(p=0.376)

Table 1. General characteristics of evaluated asbestos survey and monitoring service providers

Table 2. Overview of evaluation fields on quality management of asbestos survey and monitoring service providers

Table 3. Summary of results of the pilot evaluation on quality management of asbestos survey and monitoring service providers

Table 4. Evaluation fields that scored grade “A” with the highest percentages

Table 5. Evaluation fields that scored grade “C” with the highest percentages