Testing the Limits of a Harsh Canadian Winter

2004-10-14

Across Canada, more than five million tonnes of salt are poured onto roads every winter in the war on dangerous driving conditions caused by ice, snow and frigid temperatures. While this measure undoubtedly prevents numerous fatalities and injuries - our vehicles, infrastructure and the environment are casualties of the corrosive ice-melting agent.

Renowned for its viciously cold winters, the Winnipeg-based Industrial Technology Centre (ITC) seems a fitting location from which to launch a new corrosion testing service. ITC will be working in conjunction with the Vehicle Technology Centre to provide corrosion testing results to researchers examining the impact of road salt in order to come up with corrosion prevention solutions that will help limit the damage and related costs of road salt use.

ITC is a special operating agency of Manitoba's Department of Energy, Science and Technology with a mandate to promote economic development within the province. Its services include mechanical testing, calibration, engineering and a virtual reality centre. The ITC is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to provide a range of calibration and mechanical testing[i].

Meeting international laboratory requirements is important to ITC but it is by no means a new concept. June 2004 marked two decades since the lab was first accredited by the SCC.  While ITC's scope of accreditation does not currently include this new area of testing, it is moving in that direction. As with most of the other testing services that it offers, corrosion testing will be based on internationally recognized requirements.

“We've done extensive research on standards to perform corrosion testing,” says Stephen McKendry-Smith, Quality Assurance Manager of ITC. “We're taking a little extra care as we introduce this service because we have this heightened awareness of quality.”

In addition to laboratory accreditation, the ITC applies the more broad-based principles of quality management to its organization. It has been operating in conformance with ISO 9001:1994 requirements since 1999. In March 2004, it upgraded to ISO 9001:2000.[ii] Commitment to this designation – and quality - has far-reaching implications for ITC operations.

“One of the reasons we went for ISO 9001 is to bring the non-accredited services into the same kind of quality and control as our accredited services,” says McKendry-Smith.

In a more competitive market, the combination of ISO registration by an accredited organization and laboratory accreditation has helped ITC get more business. The increased public awareness of quality management systems such as the ISO 9000 series, which emphasize traceability of results and accuracy in reporting, has been an important business asset for ITC.

“In 1984, many people didn't realize the benefits of accredited services. We give people what they need, and what they need is the right number,” says McKendry-Smith.

In addition to the business benefits, he says the ongoing professional development with industry experts is another perk of accreditation. “Every two years, we get a leader in the testing field for a day or two who not only audits us, but gives us an opportunity to pick their brains,” says McKendry-Smith. “It increases our level of knowledge and expertise.”

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[i] The full scope of laboratory accreditation for the Industrial Technology Centre Mechanical Testing and Calibration Laboratories (Accredited Laboratory No. 10) can be found at http://www.scc.ca/scopes/reg010-eng-s.pdf

[ii] ITC was registered to ISO 9001:2000 by SCC accredited registration body QMI (www.qmi.com), Certificate # 025220-01.

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This article first appeared in Volume 31 of CONSENSUS Magazine, 2004.  The information it contains was accurate at the time of publication but has not been updated or revised since, and may not reflect the latest updates on the topic.  If you have specific questions or concerns about the content, please contact the Standards Council of Canada.

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