The way a company treats an employee has a direct effect on the experience clients will have with such a company, says sampling and analytical services provider Umzamo Analytical Services (UAS) CEO Audrey Ndlovu. It follows then that a negative or unproductive company culture will result in negative and unproductive business relations.

This understanding informs UAS’s decision – as an employee- orientated company – to try to strategically align its goals to ensure the prosperity of its employees.

Noting the initiatives that UAS has put in place in order to encourage, support and develop its staff, Ndlovu comments: “As a company, we value and are well aware of the empowering influence that further knowledge has on our staff. “This is why we have initiatives in place that include on-the-job training and off-the-job training in the form of bursaries for further education.”

She describes the on-the-job training as systematic and planned instruction activities usually executed by UAS’s more senior and experienced technicians to promote learning.

Off-the-job training includes enrolling staff in relevant courses with nationally recognised institutions such as NOSA, the South African National Accreditation System (Sanas), and the Occupational Health Service Academy.

“We want our clients not only to perceive us as the best in the industry but also to be able to clearly distinguish us from the rest. “As such, our corporate culture, recruitment policies and the frequent and strategic training of our staff all play a pivotal role in the way our clients perceive us.” She emphasises that the calibre of employees UAS attracts and retains ensures that its services are of the highest quality.

This high-quality service offering is particularly important to its clients in the coal sector, as accurate analysis enables stakeholders at either end of the industry to make sound business decisions, thereby, ensuring long-term success.

Ndlovu explains that the importance of accuracy in coal analysis stems from coal prices being dependent on coal quality. She notes that accurate results ensure that firms sell their coal at the appropriate price to gain maximum profit.

Further, depending on its industry, a company may require coal of a certain specification. Citing coal-burning companies located near populated areas, she explains that these companies are prohibited from producing sulphur above permitted levels. Therefore, it is essential that they know the sulphur content of the coal they are using.

Ndlovu says companies choosing an analytical service provider should note that there are aspects of facilities and testing procedures that point towards the best, most accurate and most verifiable results. When looking for a firm that will provide the best results, she says, there are five key considerations, namely management systems, industry accreditation, industry training for employees, the laboratory information management system (LIMS) employed and high levels of quality control.

Management Systems
Ndlovu stresses that an analysis firm must have a verifiable and auditable management system that clearly defines and controls what it does, how it does it and when it does it. “These management systems are most likely to be dictated by external auditors, ensuring that industry standard processes and procedures are followed and that internal measures are in place.

Industry Accreditation
“The competence of any reputable coal analysis firm in South Africa needs to be regularly benchmarked by external auditors against the highest professional laboratory standard,” Ndlovu states. Accreditation not only requires in-depth and ongoing external auditing but also provides assurance for clients that the laboratory systems are maintained to international standards.

She states that an ISO 17025- accredited laboratory – a laboratory that has demonstrated that it is technically competent and able to produce precise and accurate test and calibration data – is both inclined and obligated to follow procedures in accordance with international standards of analysis.

UAS undergoes yearly external auditing by Sanas to ensure that it is continually following the procedures and guidelines for the methods that it is accredited for and that these procedures are well managed internally. UAS has also been audited by State-owned power utility Eskom as a means of verifying its commitment to following procedure.

Industry Training for Employees
As technical advancements in equipment, instrumentation and methodology occur at a rapid pace, analytical providers need to ensure that their equipment and processes are still relevant and that their employees keep pace with methodologies. This is important as coal companies that rely on analysis results obtained using outdated methods or processes can be adversely affected, particularly in terms of profit, stresses Ndlovu. Cutting-edge equipment is pointless if employees cannot use it correctly, she adds, stating that UAS has several training programmes and initiatives and ensures that staff receive training when needed.

LIMS
An internal LIMS is a vital tool used in coal analysis laboratories for efficient data capturing, management, validation and auditing of results, says Ndlovu. Providers, such as UAS, should work with the latest versions of LIMS software to ensure the most accurate data capturing and calculation of results, thereby eliminating human error.

Quality Control
A set of internal and external blind proficiency programmes must be in place to demonstrate that analysis results are controlled. All equipment and instruments used in each step of the analysis process must be calibrated internally and externally to ensure that they are efficient. In addition to this, adherence to both industry standards and accreditation requirements should be an integral priority, says Ndlovu.