NEWS

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

Welcome to our October newsletter! As we step into the Autumn season, we’re excited to share some incredible updates with you, including our participation in World Quality Week. It’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on the importance of quality in everything we do, which aligns closely with the upcoming course we will be delivering in celebration of this global event. We also have some exciting news from Aberdeen regarding energy innovation and a recap of recent training sessions we held for our clients

Aberdeen has recently been named the future home of Great British Energy, the UK’s new state-owned energy company. Announced at the Labour conference in Liverpool by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, this initiative will focus on funding and supporting clean technology and renewable energy projects across the UK. While the company won’t directly supply energy to homes, it will provide critical support for new and small renewable energy ventures.

This exciting development is a fantastic win for Aberdeen, positioning it as a key player in the clean energy revolution.

WORLD QUALITY WEEK

As part of our commitment to promoting excellence and continuous improvement, we’re excited to participate in this year’s World Quality Week, taking place in early November(11th-15th of November). The theme is – Quality: From Compliance to performance

Unfortunately, a lot of leadership teams get stuck on this phrase and inadvertently foster a work culture that is focused on doing just enough to conform as anything else may reduce productivity. Even the phrase “commitment to continual improvement” becomes an exercise in going through the motions as it is expected, and not for driving innovation.

When this happens, Quality professionals can feel like they are solely responsible for championing a quality culture that exceeds expectations, in an environment that is actively against them.

The PDCA model should help to Plan for success, Do the right things, Check if we can do better, and Act on the lessons learned to improve the plan for next time. Instead, some companies have a culture that Plans to do what we have always done, Do what we have always done, Check we have not deviated from what worked in the past, and take as little Action as possible as this could harm productivity or compliance. Some people may see the latter as being risk-averse but if a workforce is afraid to adapt and grow, then more opportunities are lost than risks mitigated.

When employees feel empowered to contribute meaningfully and are supported in driving positive change, the entire organisation benefits from increased efficiency, stronger customer satisfaction, and a reputation for excellence. Investing in quality goes beyond compliance—it builds high-performing teams that are agile, adaptable, and primed for long-term success.

To help celebrate #World Quality Week 2024 (11th-15th of November) QHSE ABERDEEN LIMITED has created a 1-day leadership workshop for Making excellence a habit – from compliance to performance”. This workshop will help leadership teams to understand, evaluate, and improve their quality culture to enhance performance and help to achieve sustained success.

Want to join in for WORLD QUALITY WEEK….. Join us for a one-day course on Friday 15th of November at our training facility in Westhill, lunch included,contact us for more details.

Upcoming ISO Auditor Courses

We have several exciting ISO Auditor Courses scheduled in the coming months, designed to support your business in maintaining industry standards. Here’s a snapshot of our upcoming training sessions…

ISO 9001 Course – 14th October

ISO 45001 Course – 4th November

IMS Internal Auditor Course (ISO 9001/14001/45001) – 27th November This popular course integrates the auditing process for three major standards—quality, environmental, and health & safety management.

ISO 9001 Course – 2nd December Another opportunity to gain crucial ISO 9001 auditing skills before the year ends.

Our Auditor training courses are designed to equip you with the knowledge of ISO standards, empowering you to thrive in your career. Benefit from practical guidance provided by our technical experts, engage in discussions with fellow professionals, and embark on a journey of continuous learning.

Check out our ISO Auditor courses here !

In September, we had the pleasure of delivering a comprehensive Root Cause Analysis Training for one of our clients. The training was a success, and we’re thrilled with the feedback we received. Additionally, we hosted several lunch-and-learn sessions, which were custom-designed for two local businesses. These interactive sessions focused on key areas such as quality management and workplace safety, offering valuable takeaways for their teams.

Our goal is always to provide tailored learning experiences that make a real difference to our clients’ operations, and we look forward to continuing this work in the months to come

Question of the month….

“What sort of questions may be asked during the CB 9001 Audit?”

Clients often ask this question, but each Certification Body Auditor will be different and ask many questions.

Preparing for an ISO 9001 certification audit can feel daunting, but knowing the types of questions that may come up can help you feel more confident. Here are some common questions a Certification Body auditor might ask:

1. Quality Management System (QMS) Understanding

  • Can you describe your organization’s Quality Management System?
  • How do you ensure that all employees understand the quality policy and objectives?

2. Leadership and Commitment

  • How does top management demonstrate its commitment to the QMS?
  • In what ways does leadership communicate the importance of meeting customer and regulatory requirements?

3. Customer Focus

  • How do you determine customer requirements?
  • How do you handle customer feedback and complaints?

4. Document Control

  • How do you manage documents and records to ensure they are current and accessible?
  • Who is responsible for approving and reviewing documented information?

5. Risk-Based Thinking

  • What risks have you identified within your processes?
  • How do you mitigate these risks, and what actions are taken to prevent non-conformities?

6. Internal Audits

  • Can you walk me through your internal audit process?
  • How are non-conformities from internal audits addressed and resolved?

7. Performance Evaluation

  • How do you measure the performance of your processes and ensure continual improvement?
  • Can you provide examples of key performance indicators (KPIs) you monitor?

8. Training and Competence

  • How do you determine the training needs of your employees?
  • How do you ensure that personnel are competent for their roles?

9. Operational Planning and Control

  • How do you ensure that operations are carried out under controlled conditions?
  • Can you show evidence of how processes are monitored and controlled?

10. Corrective Actions

  • Can you give an example of a recent non-conformity? What corrective action did you take?
  • How do you prevent the recurrence of non-conformities?

Being prepared for these kinds of questions, and knowing how to answer them, will help you and your team feel more ready for the audit process, giving you a stronger chance of a successful certification outcome.  Answering an auditor’s questions correctly is crucial to demonstrating compliance with ISO 9001 standards. It’s not just about giving the right answers—it’s about truly understanding the processes, terminology, and expectations the auditor will assess. Misunderstandings or incomplete answers can lead to delays or even jeopardise your certification. That’s where QHSE ABERDEEN steps in. Our experienced team will guide you through the audit process, ensuring your staff is well-prepared and confident in their knowledge, helping you achieve a smooth and successful certification outcome.

more updates..

Good news for the construction industry – CE/UKCA marking

In some recent good news for manufacturers & suppliers to the construction industry, the UK Government has stated that the CE mark will continue to be accepted beyond June 2025, for the supply into the UK market, of products controlled by the Construction Products Regulations 2013 (as amended in 2022). Note that suppliers still have the option to use the alternative UKCA mark for supply into Great Britain.

On 2 Sept.2024, the Minister for Building Safety and Homelessness issued a Written Ministerial Statement regarding recognition of the Conformité Européenne (CE) marking for construction products. The previously stated deadline of 30 June 2025 for CE marking recognition in Great Britain has now been revoked.

 

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. Lets grab a coffee (pumpkin spiced) and discuss how we can help.

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