GEOSYNTHETIC INDUSTRIAL WORKS DOCUMENT NO: WI-HQ1-057-

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WORK INSTRUCTION PAGE: 1 of 4
TITLE: RESIN QUALIFICATION PROCESS DATE: 01/05

DEPARTMENT: Quality Control Laboratory

AUTHOR: MM

1. PURPOSE

1.1. This document provides the procedure for the qualification of resin received in railcars.

2. SCOPE

2.1. This document applies to all Quality Control personnel.

3. RELATED DOCUMENTS

3.1. Resin Qualification Binder

3.1.1. Form Q-18, Resin Qualification

3.1.2. REF-Q-067, Internal Specification

3.1.3. REF-Q-069, Resin Overview

3.1.3.1. REF-Q-069.1, Attachment 1, Qualification Tests

3.1.3.2. REF-Q-069.3, Attachment 3, Qualification Limits

3.2. Certificate of Analysis from Supplier

3.3. Form Q-47, Notification of Non-conformance

3.4. Form Q-47a, Q.C. Alert

3.5. WI-HQ1-009, Railcar Collection

3.6. Form HQ-03, Resin Collection and Inspection

4. GENERAL PROCEDURE

4.1. Railcars and gaylord resin will be collected within 24 hours after they have been received.

4.1.1. Resin from railcars is collected according to WI-HQ1-009.

4.2. After the resin has been collected, the QC technician will mark a certificate of analysis
with INTEST. The QC Technician will update the railcar board.

4.3. Testing will be done on all resin samples brought to the QC Lab.

4.3.1. Any testing that fails the internal test limits will be retested immediately.

4.4. A QC Technician will qualify the resin based on the test results and internal spec.

4.5. A QC Technician will verify the resin based on the test results and the internal spec.

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4.5.1. If a resin is found not to meet the internal specifications, the technician will notify
the QC Lab Manager immediately. The QC Lab Manager will notify the
Manufacturing Manager immediately.

4.6. The QC Technician who verifies the resin will mark the certificate of analysis as
APPROVED. The technician will initial and date the certificate of analysis.

4.7. The QC Technician will update the railcar board with the approved cert.

5. PROCEDURES

5.1. Shipping and Receiving will e-mail the Quality Certification Coordinator, the QC Lab
Manager and the QA Specialist prior to railcars being spotted at Serrot.

5.2. Two copies of the Certificates of Analysis for the resin will be obtained from the Quality
Certification Coordinator. The Certificates of Analysis will be made available for the
technicians prior to the railcars being spotted. They will be placed in the appropriate bin.

5.3. A note will be put in the lab notebook alerting the Technicians that railcars are expected.

5.4. Production will notify the QC Lab when railcars have arrived.

5.5. The QC Technicians will collect the railcars and bring the samples to the Lab for testing.
The resin will be placed in the appropriate location.

5.5.1. Railcars will be collected per WI-HQ1-009.

5.6. Form HQ-03 (Railcar Collection and Inspection) will be filled out for each railcar collected.
This form will be given to the QC Lab Manager or placed in his or her in-box upon return
from the collection of the railcars.

5.7. Once the resin has been brought back to the lab, the QC Technician will mark one of the
certs for each railcar as INTEST. They will initial and date the certs. The other copy of
the cert will be clipped to the resin qualification sheet.

5.8. The QC Technician will update the railcar board in the Shipping and Receiving office.

5.8.1. Certificates of Analysis will be placed in the slot that coincides with the location of
the railcars on the board.

5.8.1.1. Certs that are already in place will be moved according to the position of
the railcars.

5.8.1.2. Certs for railcars that are no longer on the tracks will be removed and
discarded.

5.9. The resin will be tested within 24 hours, depending on the amount of railcars received.

5.10. The QC Technician will obtain the appropriate resin qualification form (Form Q-18). The
Technician will complete the following information: Railcar #, Lot # for the resin and the
Internal Batch #.

5.10.1. Testing will be conducted per REF-Q-069.1, Attachment 1 to the Resin Overview
(REF-Q-069).

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TITLE: RESIN QUALIFICATION PROCESS DATE: 01/05

5.10.2. Each resin will have a resin qualification sheet specific to that resin. Testing to
be completed will be in WHITE while testing that is NOT required will be in
GRAY.

5.10.3. The internal specification is on the resin qualification sheet. The internal
specification is also available as a separate document (REF-Q-067).

5.11. Standard test procedures will be followed for the retesting of the resin. Standard test
sheets will be used to record the actual test results. The final results will be recorded on
Form Q-18.

5.12. The technician(s) will initial and date in the space provided next to the compartment

5.12.1. Any resin that fails to meet the internal specifications for any test or any
compartment will be retested immediately upon obtaining the failing result.

5.12.2. A Q.C. Alert (Form Q-47a) will be given to the shift foreman to let them know a
problem has been found and a retest is currently being done.

5.12.3. If the retest also fails to meet the internal specification, the QC Technician will
notify the QC Lab Manager immediately. The QC Lab Manager will notify the
Manufacturing Manager immediately.

5.12.4. The QC Technician will issue a Notice of Non-conformance (Form Q-47) to the
Shift Foreman alerting them that the railcar in question should be considered ON
HOLD until the Manufacturing Manager makes a decision on the resin.

5.12.5. Testing for that railcar will be completed.

5.13. The Technician that completes the final testing for that railcar will qualify the resin.

5.13.1. To qualify the resin, the Technician will make sure all testing has been completed
for that railcar, the results should be spot checked for mathematical errors and
checked against the internal specification.

5.14. If the results are found to be satisfactory, the technician will sign and date the bottom of
the resin qualification sheet where it says “Qualified By:”.

5.15. The resin qualification sheet and all test sheets will be placed back in the bin for
verification.

5.16. Another technician will verify the resin. The same process will be followed as was for
qualification.

5.17. If the resin is found to be satisfactory, the technician will sign and date the bottom of the
resin qualification sheet where it says “Verified By:”.

5.17.1. NOTE: If the resin is found to fail the internal specifications for any or all testing
on any or all compartments:

5.17.1.1. Notify the QC Lab Manager immediately. The QC Lab Manager

will notify the Manufacturing Manager immediately.

5.17.1.2. The QC Technician will mark the resin qualification sheet as

FAIL under the “Resin Status”.

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TITLE: RESIN QUALIFICATION PROCESS DATE: 01/05

5.17.1.3. A Notice of Non-conformance will be issued to the Shift Foreman

to alert them that a railcar failed to meet the internal specifications and
that this railcar should be considered ON HOLD until the Manufacturing
Manager makes a decision on the resin.

5.17.1.4. After the Manufacturing Manager has made a decision, he or she

will initial and date the resin qualification sheet as APPROVED or
REJECTED.

5.17.1.5. The QC Technician will mark the Certificate of Analysis as

APPROVED or REJECTED, initial and date the cert and update the
railcar board located in the Shipping and Receiving office. The old cert
will be discarded.

5.18. The QC Technician will mark the Certificate of Analysis as APPROVED, initial and date
the cert, and update the railcar board located in the shipping and Receiving office. The
old cert will be discarded.

5.19. All results (including retests) will be given to the QC Lab Manager.

5.20. The completed Forms Q-18 and HQ-03 will be given to the Quality Certification
Coordinator to be filed in the appropriate binders. The database will be updated.

5.21. Actual test results will be placed in a file folder labeled with the lot number of the resin
and filed for future reference.

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