[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR179.7]

[Page 1064-1065]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 
                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 179_SPECIFICATIONS FOR TANK CARS--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart A_Introduction, Approvals and Reports
 
Sec.  179.7  Quality assurance program.

    (a) At a minimum, each tank car facility shall have a quality 
assurance program, approved by AAR, that--
    (1) Ensures the finished product conforms to the requirements of the 
applicable specification and regulations of this subchapter;
    (2) Has the means to detect any nonconformity in the manufacturing, 
repair, inspection, testing, and qualification or maintenance program of 
the tank car; and
    (3) Prevents non-conformities from recurring.
    (b) At a minimum, the quality assurance program must have the 
following elements
    (1) Statement of authority and responsibility for those persons in 
charge of the quality assurance program.
    (2) An organizational chart showing the interrelationship between 
managers, engineers, purchasing, construction, inspection, testing, and 
quality control personnel.
    (3) Procedures to ensure that the latest applicable drawings, design 
calculations, specifications, and instructions

[[Page 1065]]

are used in manufacture, inspection, testing, and repair.
    (4) Procedures to ensure that the fabrication and construction 
materials received are properly identified and documented.
    (5) A description of the manufacturing, repair, inspection, testing, 
and qualification or maintenance program, including the acceptance 
criteria, so that an inspector can identify the characteristics of the 
tank car and the elements to inspect, examine, and test at each point.
    (6) Monitoring and control of processes and product characteristics 
during production.
    (7) Procedures for correction of nonconformities.
    (8) Provisions indicating that the requirements of the AAR 
Specifications for Tank Cars (IBR, see Sec.  171.7 of this subchapter), 
apply.
    (9) Qualification requirements of personnel performing non-
destructive inspections and tests.
    (10) Procedures for evaluating the inspection and test technique 
employed, including the accessibility of the area and the sensitivity 
and reliability of the inspection and test technique and minimum 
detectable crack length.
    (11) Procedures for the periodic calibration and measurement of 
inspection and test equipment.
    (12) A system for the maintenance of records, inspections, tests, 
and the interpretation of inspection and test results.
    (c) Each tank car facility shall ensure that only personnel 
qualified for each non-destructive inspection and test perform that 
particular operation.
    (d) Each tank car facility shall provide written procedures to its 
employees to ensure that the work on the tank car conforms to the 
specification, AAR approval, and owner's acceptance criteria.
    (e) Each tank car facility shall train its employees in accordance 
with subpart H of part 172 of this subchapter on the program and 
procedures specified in paragraph (b) of this section to ensure quality.
    (f) No tank car facility may manufacture, repair, inspect, test, 
qualify or maintain tank cars subject to requirements of this 
subchapter, unless it is operating in conformance with a quality 
assurance program and written procedures required by paragraphs (a) and 
(b) of this section.

[Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49076, Sept. 21, 1995, as amended by Amdt. 179-50, 
61 FR 33255, June 26, 1996; 68 FR 48571, Aug. 14, 2003; 68 FR 75759, 
Dec. 31, 2003]