As a third party independent quality assurance inspection
company, Mr Holder views MDR’s role in the industry is to stay
on top of these risks, and more importantly to problem-solve
for companies whose assets may be in breach of safety and
environmental laws and regulations.
When competing on a global stage, MDR’s turnkey capabilities
were an attribute in their recent engagement to perform third
party inspection, testing and certification on the construction
of a gas plant in India for an Australian client. Instead of hiring
local subcontractors for the job, MDR quality assurance inspectors
were employed for the duration of the contract. Mr Holder said
“
The client’s major consideration in awarding the tender to MDR
was the local knowledge of the Australian codes, standards and
specifications as well as the backup for inspection services, non-
destructive testing and the continued inspection service after the
plant was commissioned in Western Australia.”
For this tender MDR were competing against internationally
renowned companies with thousands of staff and multi-million
dollar backing.
“
I believe we were awarded the contract because of the high
standard of work our inspectors provide, as well as being focused
on hiring experienced people who have a detailed knowledge
of Australian safety and inspection standards. MDR’s structure
for this and all projects ensures inspectors
doing the work remain in direct contact with
the client, even after the commissioning
phase is completed.”
Mr Holder said consistency was key in
a field where subcontracting was common,
and having staff on board for the length of
the project allowed accountability within
MDR’s structure.
“
Growing from a sole operator
consultancy to a multi service employer
with a client list that includes BHP Billiton,
Delkor Global, Coogee Chemicals, BP Oil
and Phillips Petroleum, and having
multinational companies recognise that a
WA-based business can provide the same
services as a large international organisation,
means I have achieved what I set out to do
when I started MDR,” said Mr Holder.
Gary Holder
Managing Director
MDR Certification Engineers
Inspection of a tank base in Kwinana
MDR assures site standards are met
Mooring berths in Port Hedland
Gary Holder, Managing Director of MDR Certification Engineers,
understands the relationship between quality standards and a
good reputation. In his view the resources industry recognises the
importance of maintaining a favourable status in the industrial
community, and knows that failure to do so can be very costly.
“
Poor maintenance and quality assurance standards means
getting on the wrong side of WorkSafe and government auditors
which can have a real impact on site performance in so many
ways,” Mr Holder told
Minesite.
He also pointed out worst-case scenarios where poor quality
standards have meant the loss of assets, as we saw with the
Varanus Island gas explosion that cost Western Australia’s
economy an estimated $3 billion in 2008 and caused $60 million
in damage to the Apache-operated plant. Globally, the collapse of
a garment factory in Pakistan where 1,100 people lost their lives
was likewise attributed to poor building standards and the lack
of safety inspections and assessments.
“
Manufacturing overseas presents valuable savings in project
costs, however this can be a root cause of future operational
downtime if quality assurance and inspection regimes are not
controlled during the fabrication stage,” Mr Holder said. “The
production downtime always mitigates any savings that were
made during the fabrication process.”
Such failures can be reduced, he noted, through quality
inspection and auditing, while the implementation of risk-based
inspection procedures can reduce shutdown and maintenance
costs on plant and equipment.
Minesite 2013
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