Section 1 General

1.1.1  Quality Assurance Scheme. Clasifications Register's (hereinafter referred to as 'LR') Quality Assurance requirements for the hull construction of ships are defined as follows:

• Quality Assurance. All activities and functions concerned with the attainment of quality including documentary evidence to confirm that such attainment is met.
• Quality system. The organisation structure, responsibilities, activities, resources and events laid down by Management that together provide organised procedures (from which data and other records are generated) and methods of implementation to ensure the capability of the shipyard to meet quality requirements.
• Quality programme. A documented set of activities, resources and events serving to implement the quality system of an organisation.
• Quality plan. A document derived from the quality programme setting out the specific quality practices, special processes, resources and activities relevant to a particular ship or series of sister ships. This document will also indicate the stages at which, as a minimum, direct survey and/or system monitoring will be carried out by the Classification Surveyor.
• Quality control. The operational techniques and activities used to measure and regulate the quality of hull construction to the required level.
• Inspection. The process of measuring, examining, testing, gauging or otherwise comparing the item with the approved drawings and the shipyard's written standards including those which have been agreed by LR for the purposes of classification of the specific ship type concerned.
• Assessment. The initial comprehensive review of the shipyard's quality systems, prior to the granting of approval, to establish that all the requirements of these Rules have been met.
• Audit. A documented activity aimed at verifying by examination and evaluation that the applicable elements of the quality programme continue to be effectively implemented.
• Hold point. A defined stage of manufacture beyond which the work must not proceed until the inspection has been carried out by all the relevant personnel.
• System monitoring. The act of checking, on a regular basis, the applicable processes, activities and associated documentation that the Shipbuilder's quality system continues to operate as defined in the quality programme.
• Special process. A process where some aspects of the required quality cannot be assured by subsequent inspection of the processed material alone. Manufacturing special processes include welding, forming and the application of protective treatments. Inspection and testing processes classified as special processes include non-destructive examination and pressure and leak testing.

1.2.1 This Chapter specifies the minimum Quality System requirements for a shipyard to construct ships under LR's Quality Assurance Scheme.

1.2.2 For the purposes of this Chapter of the Rules, hull construction comprises the hull structure; containment systems, including those which are independent of the main hull structure; appendages; superstructures; deckhouses; and closing appliances all as required by the Rules.

1.2.3 Although the requirements of this Scheme are, in general, for steel ships of all welded construction, other materials for use in hull construction will be considered.