Looking back at the 2012 validations to the AGRSS Standard, we can identify areas where some companies have had opportunities to improve their operations. It would be good practice for all Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC)-Registered Companies to review these topics to ensure that these types of errors are not also occurring in their own operations.
The most commonly occurring nonconformities found during 2012 validations were:
- Location didn’t have all the required DOT and/or windshield part number records;
- Location didn’t have all the required adhesive system traceability records;
- A technician did not shake the primer as long as required by the manufacturer; and
- A technician was not available to be validated.
There were also a few nonconformities that occurred at two locations:
- During the validation, the technician didn’t record the windshield part number and/or DOT number. (Once this was because the customer supplied the windshield.);
- A too-short safe-drive-away time was used;
- The primer was not allowed to cure as long as required by the manufacturer.
A few nonconformities were seen at only one location:
- Technician didn’t record the time his urethane was placed in the oven as required by his adhesive system manufacturer;
- Technician didn’t shake his cleaner as required by his adhesive system manufacturer;
- Technician cutting auto glass did not mark the glass as required;
- Technician could not point out windshield DOT and AS number to validator;
- Technician incorrectly responded to a question about installing a windshield with a gasket;
- Technician did not record adhesive system component traceability information (lot numbers) during the validation;
- Technician did not respond correctly to question about installing mechanically fastened glass;
- Technician used products from more than one adhesive system manufacturer during the installation of a single windshield;
- On the day of the validation, the location refused to let the validator conduct the validation;
- Technician planned to use expired product;
- Location did not have the materials to do validation, since the company’s urethane gun broke;
- Location did not have a vehicle available for the validation, since the vehicle scheduled for the validation had to be sent to a body shop; and
- Technician recorded the lot number for a different batch of material than the batch he used.
When one or more nonconformities, such as the ones described above, are found during a validation, the location is allowed approximately six weeks to make corrections. The validators then verify that the location has corrected the issue(s). If so, the location is issued a Compliance After Corrective Action report to demonstrate their accomplishment. The AGSC’s goal is to help all locations become compliant to the AGRSS standard.
The AGSC is sharing these improvement opportunities with all AGSC-Registered Companies as part of its overall strategy for improvement of all locations. In this way, all locations can determine for themselves whether improvement can be made within their own organizations. Orion is proud to be part of this continual improvement process and to help improve safety on America’s roads.