Welcome to the March edition of the QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment) Newsletter, your go-to source for updates, insights, ISO Auditor Courses, ISO Certification and best practices in ensuring excellence in QHSE standards within our operations in Aberdeen and beyond. As we step into the third month of the year (where did that go!), we continue our unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement. In this issue, we delve into recent developments, share success stories, and highlight key initiatives aimed at further strengthening our QHSE practices. From highlighting noteworthy achievements to offering valuable tips for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, this newsletter serves as a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing as we strive for excellence in all aspects of QHSE management.
CLIENT ISO CERTIFICATION CELEBRATIONS
Three of our clients gained new ISO Certification in February, one still awaiting certificates but another received all 3 ISO 9001/14001/45001, well done to CSignum on this fantastic triple achievement.
Also Scarf for gaining ISO 14001 to add to their previous achievement of ISO 9001. We asked Scarf what this means to the organisation and they said..
“We are delighted to have achieved ISO14001 Environmental Management System certification. This accomplishment highlights our dedication to the environment and sustainability, while demonstrating our commitment to excellence and quality. Scarf has long been dedicated to empowering communities through energy efficiency initiatives, and achieving ISO14001 certification is a testament to our efforts to lead by example. This recognition shows our commitment to maintaining the highest environmental standards as we continue our mission to combat fuel poverty and build a more sustainable future for all.”
Several of our clients have also attained re-certification to their chosen ISO Standards, Congratulations to all concerned, it’s only by continually improving your systems you manage this.
The easiest way to ensure you pass the re-certification ISO audits is by maintaining a strong and robust Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) management system. Regularly review and update your policies, procedures, and documentation to align with ISO standards. Conduct internal audits to identify and address potential non-conformities proactively. Implement corrective actions promptly if any issues are found. Continuously train and engage your staff to ensure they are well-versed in ISO requirements. By consistently adhering to ISO standards and demonstrating a commitment to improvement, you increase your chances of passing the re-certification audits successfully.
Our next ISO Auditor Course is 4th March for ISO 9001/14001/45001 IMS Internal Auditor Course
Followed by 2 private bespoke courses for clients on their site.
Our next ISO 9001 Course is on 8th April.
Please feel free to contact us for a copy of our Training calendar 2024 or to book places.
The environment is not just for the environmentalists…
Following ISO’s (International Organization for Standardization) London Declaration on Climate Change in 2021, we are now starting to see some changes working their way through the various standards.
While ISO 14001, and the 14064 series, are obviously concerned with climate change there are some adjustments to other Management Systems on the way which will require those operating a Quality or H&S Management System to also consider climate change as a relevant factor in not just the design, but also the implementation of such systems.
While the standards to be affected have still to be confirmed they are likely to cover the majority of common business management systems.
It is expected that additional requirements will be added to clauses 4.1 & 4.2, requiring the impact of climate change to be considered by organisations and will be reviewed during surveillance audits.
Organisations will need to integrate climate change aspects within their overall evaluation of risks and opportunities.
These changes are expected to be made to existing standards by early this year and will be included within CB audits immediately after publication.
Areas related to climate change will be treated as OFI’s for the first year.
The aim of this is to make organisations think about the rapidly changing risks arising from climate change for all parties.
HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974
This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
This landmark legislation, enacted on July 1, 1974, has played a pivotal role in shaping the safety landscape for organisations and workers across the United Kingdom.
We will have a special Health & Safety Edition of our Newsletter in July to celebrate this and give some statistics.
Watch this space..
Explaining Clauses…
We often get asked about specific clauses in Management Systems, so we have decided to go over a few in each newsletter edition. If you want to know more about a specific clause, then send us an email and we will include this in our next edition.
ISO 9001 – CLAUSE 5
LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT
This clause introduces the requirement for strong leadership and top management’s commitment.
Top management has to be directly involved in the management system and must ensure that the requirements of the management system, including the policies and objectives, are consistent with the strategic context and direction of your organisation.
You should review your organisation’s existing quality policy to determine whether it is appropriate to the context of the organisation and its purpose, and that there is a commitment to comply with all applicable requirements as well as continually improve the quality management system.
Quality policy
The quality policy is a written statement – normally no longer than one side of a piece of paper – that must make certain commitments and be approved by the senior management team. The policy must be appropriate to the organisation, state a commitment to comply with all requirements of the ISO 9001, be communicated accordingly and reviewed on regular basis. Furthermore, the policy must also commit the organisation to continual improvement in its QMS. The policy is more than just a piece of paper and can be used as a framework for setting quality objectives.
Roles, responsibilities, and authorities
This part of the clause sets out requirements for the organisation to ensure that the responsibilities and authorities are granted, understood, and communicated by all involved parties.
UPDATES
UK GOVT POLICY UPDATE ON CE MARKING. The UK government intends to lay legislation in Spring 2024 to enable businesses to continue to place CE-marked products on the market in Great Britain (GB) for a range of goods. The UK Government will indefinitely recognise current EU requirements, including the CE marking for 21 product regulations. Businesses can also continue to use the UKCA marking to place relevant products on the GB market. See the linked Policy Update document issued in Jan 2024 by the Dept for Business and Trade for more details.
That’s all for this issue of our QHSE Newsletter! We hope you found the information valuable and time well-spent. As always, this newsletter is crafted with the intention of serving our valued followers and subscribers. Your feedback, questions, and concerns are vital to us as we continuously enhance our QHSE practices. Whether you seek clarification on a particular topic, wish to share insights, or want to highlight specific issues related to QHSE, we encourage you to reach out. Together, we can foster a collaborative environment where safety, quality, health, and environmental stewardship are at the forefront of everything we do. Don’t hesitate to get in touch, as your input plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our QHSE initiatives.
Next Month ..
Exciting news about our ISO Auditor Courses and plenty more. If you want to feature in our Newsletter drop us a line with your QHSE Experiences.
