Welcome to the October edition of the QHSE Aberdeen News & Knowledge Hub.
It’s hard to believe we’re already entering the final quarter of 2026, and October is certainly going to be a busy month for the QHSE ABERDEEN LIMITED team.
Alongside a packed programme of ISO training courses in Aberdeen, we’ll be exhibiting at two major events at P&J Live: Floating Offshore Wind 2026 on 7–8 October, followed by the Workforce Wellbeing & Safety Expo on 29 October.
This month’s Knowledge Hub therefore feels particularly appropriate.
We’re focusing on people, competence and professional development—because whether we’re talking about ISO Management Systems, internal auditing, Health & Safety, offshore wind, environmental management or information security, competent people are at the heart of effective QHSE.
And with organisations also needing to understand the 2026 changes to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, there’s plenty to discuss.
Trained – or Truly Competent?
You can have an excellent management system, comprehensive procedures and clearly defined processes, but ultimately, its effectiveness depends on the people responsible for putting it into practice.
And there’s an important distinction between being trained and being competent.
Training helps provide knowledge and develop skills.
Competence is demonstrated when someone can take that knowledge and apply it effectively in the workplace.
For organisations operating an ISO Management System, that distinction matters.
Think about the people responsible for:
- Internal auditing
- Risk assessments
- Environmental aspects and impacts
- Health & Safety
- Information Security
- Corrective actions
- Management reviews
- Objectives and KPIs
- Supplier audits
- Legal and regulatory compliance
Do they simply know what the procedure says, or do they understand why it exists, what good looks like, and how to recognise when something isn’t working?
Competent people don’t simply follow a management system.
They help improve it.
Standards Change – What Happens Next?
2026 has been an important year for organisations operating ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.
When an ISO standard changes, the word transition can make the process sound considerably more daunting than it needs to be.
For most organisations, transition shouldn’t mean throwing away an existing management system and starting again.
A well-established system should already provide a strong foundation.
The first step is understanding:
What has changed?
What does it mean for our organisation?
Where are the gaps?
What, if anything, do we need to change?
From there, organisations can take a controlled approach to reviewing their existing arrangements, updating relevant processes and documentation, communicating changes and ensuring the people responsible for maintaining and auditing the system understand the revised requirements.
And that’s exactly why we’ve introduced our new ISO 9001:2026 and ISO 14001:2026 Transition Training Courses.
Two Standards. One Day. Understand the Changes.
On 5th November, we’re dedicating a full day at our Westhill training facility to helping organisations understand the latest changes.
ISO 9001:2026 Transition – Half Day
5 November | Morning Session
Designed for organisations already operating an ISO 9001 Quality Management System, this practical half-day session will explain the changes and, importantly, what they mean for your existing system.
The aim isn’t simply to work through a list of clause changes.
It’s to help delegates understand how their organisation should respond and continue towards a successful transition.
ISO 14001:2026 Transition – Half Day
5 November | Afternoon Session
Our afternoon session focuses on the revised ISO 14001 Environmental Management System requirements and what certified organisations should now consider as they prepare their EMS for transition.
Again, the emphasis is practical:
What’s changed? What does it mean? What do we need to do?
Organisations operating both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 can attend both sessions(lunch provided), making it possible to understand the changes to two major ISO Management System standards in one day.
We can also deliver transition training in-house for organisations with larger teams.
Don’t just transition your system. Prepare your people.
Who Is Auditing Your Auditors?
Internal auditing should be one of the most useful tools within any management system.
Done well, an internal audit can identify weaknesses, risks and opportunities for improvement before they become bigger problems, or before an external auditor identifies them for you.
But effective auditing requires more than a checklist.
A competent internal auditor should be able to:
- Plan an effective audit
- Follow an audit trail
- Ask appropriate questions
- Gather objective evidence
- Understand the process being audited
- Recognise emerging risks and weaknesses
- Identify genuine nonconformities
- Communicate findings constructively
- Recognise opportunities for improvement
Most importantly, a good auditor needs the confidence to look beyond whether a procedure exists and ask:
“Is this actually working?”
We Practice What We Teach
At QHSE Aberdeen, training isn’t separate from what we do as a business.
It’s part of what we do every day.
QHSE Aberdeen is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, operating our own Integrated Management System and experiencing first-hand the requirements involved in maintaining certification.
Our Advisors are qualified Lead Auditors, and our team works with organisations across Aberdeen, Scotland and further afield developing Management Systems, conducting internal and supplier audits, preparing businesses for certification and providing ongoing QHSE consultancy
We’re also a CQI & IRCA Approved Training Partner, delivering recognised professional auditor training alongside our own practical QHSE courses.
That means our trainers aren’t simply teaching standards from a presentation.
They audit them.
They implement them.
They work with them.
And they help clients improve them.
We teach it because we do it.
Learn From People Who Do the Job
Whether you’re completely new to ISO, responsible for your organisation’s internal audits or looking to progress professionally towards Lead Auditor level, choosing the right training matters.
At QHSE Aberdeen we provide ISO training in Aberdeen, alongside bespoke and in-house courses for organisations throughout Scotland and further afield, as well as online courses.
New to ISO? Our Foundation and Awareness courses help delegates understand the relevant standard, its structure and, most importantly, why its requirements exist.
Responsible for Internal Audits? Our Internal Auditor courses develop the practical skills required to plan, conduct, report and follow up effective audits.
For organisations operating several standards, our IMS Internal Auditor Course covers ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 within an integrated approach.
Developing Your Professional Career? Our CQI & IRCA Certified Auditor Training provides a recognised route for professionals looking to strengthen their auditing capability and progress their QHSE career.
Already Certified? Our new ISO 9001:2026 and ISO 14001:2026 Transition Courses are designed to help existing users understand the changes and prepare their systems accordingly.
Cost can be a barrier to taking the next step.
Scotland’s Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund may support eligible people who have worked in the sector and are seeking roles in clean energy or other specified industries. Applicants need to check both their eligibility and whether their proposed training meets the fund’s criteria.
Q4 Training at QHSE Aberdeen
There’s still plenty happening in our Westhill training facility before the end of 2026.
Public and in-house ISO training courses are available.
Come and Meet QHSE Aberdeen This October
It’s not all happening in the training room this month.
October will also see the QHSE Aberdeen team exhibiting at two events at P&J Live in Aberdeen, and we’d love to see some familiar faces, as well as meet plenty of new ones.
🌊 Floating Offshore Wind 2026
7–8 October | P&J Live, Aberdeen
We’re delighted to be exhibiting at Floating Offshore Wind 2026
The continued development of offshore wind presents significant opportunities for organisations throughout Scotland’s energy supply chain, including businesses transitioning their expertise from oil & gas into renewables.
Alongside those opportunities come increasing expectations around Quality, Health & Safety, Environmental Management, competence, supply chain assurance and ISO Management Systems.
QHSE Aberdeen supports organisations across the energy sector with QHSE consultancy, ISO certification support, internal and supplier auditing, fractional QHSE management and professional training.
READY FOR YOUR NEXT OFFSHORE WIND OPPORTUNITY? What’s your biggest QHSE challenge? Winning work • Passing audits • Managing risk • Developing your team
Stop for a five-minute chat with QHSE Aberdeen.
Whether you’re already working within offshore wind, looking to enter the supply chain or simply want to find out a little more about what we do, come and say hello.
☕ Pop by for a coffee and a catch-up with ⭐️Angela Scott⭐️and some of the team.
No hard sell. We’re always happy to talk QHSE, ISO, or just have a coffee.
🦺 Workforce Wellbeing & Safety Expo
29 October | P&J Live, Aberdeen
We will be back at P&J Live later in October for the Workforce Wellbeing & Safety Expo.
This time the conversation will naturally turn towards workplace Health & Safety, employee wellbeing, competence, risk management and professional development.
Our team supports organisations with everything from ongoing Health & Safety consultancy and fractional QHSE support through to risk assessments, DSEAR, ISO 45001, internal auditing and workforce training.
We’ll also have our 2027 training plans underway, so if you’re beginning to consider next year’s competence and development requirements, come and speak to us.
Again, the coffee invitation stands.
Come along, meet Angela and the team and find out a little more about QHSE Aberdeen.
Public Training – or Bring the Training to You?
Not every organisation needs to send employees individually to a public training course.
If several people within your organisation require the same development, in-house QHSE and ISO training can often be an effective and economical alternative.
Where appropriate, training can incorporate examples relevant to your organisation’s activities, processes and existing Management System.
This can work particularly well for:
- Internal Auditor teams
- Management teams
- ISO Awareness training
- Integrated Management Systems
- ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 transition training
- Health & Safety training
It also allows colleagues to learn together and discuss how the requirements apply within their own working environment.
If you have a team requiring training, speak to us. We can come to you.
Training Isn’t Just About the Certificate
A recognised qualification has value, but the real return on training comes from what someone does with their knowledge afterwards.
A newly trained Internal Auditor may identify a recurring weakness that has previously gone unnoticed.
A manager who better understands ISO 9001 may begin questioning an inefficient process.
Someone who understands ISO 14001 may identify an environmental improvement that also reduces operating costs.
A colleague with greater Information Security awareness may recognise a risk before it becomes an incident.
And a competent Health & Safety professional may identify a hazard before someone gets hurt.
That’s when training becomes an investment rather than an expense.
Planning Your 2027 Training Needs
The final quarter is also a good time for organisations to start considering next year’s training requirements.
Rather than waiting until an audit identifies a competence gap, consider reviewing:
- Your training matrix
- Internal Auditor competence
- Upcoming ISO transitions
- Expiring or refresher training
- New employee requirements
- Management development
- QHSE succession planning
- Objectives for 2027
Planning early allows training to become part of your business improvement programme rather than a last-minute response to an audit finding.
Looking Ahead
Management systems will continue to evolve.
Legislation will change.
Customer expectations will increase.
Technology will develop.
And organisations will face new risks and opportunities.
We can’t eliminate change, but we can make sure our people are prepared for it.
At QHSE Aberdeen, our aim is to combine technical knowledge with practical experience, helping organisations develop people who understand not only what they need to do, but why they’re doing it.
Final Thoughts
A certificate on the wall demonstrates that someone attended a course.
Competence is demonstrated by what happens afterwards.
Whether you’re developing your first Internal Auditor, preparing experienced auditors for the new ISO requirements, building an integrated audit team or investing in the next generation of QHSE professionals, the right training should ultimately lead to better decisions and better business performance.
And with the 2026 changes to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, now is an excellent time to make sure both your Management System and your people are ready.
Don’t just transition your system. Prepare your people.
Learn. Apply. Improve.
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.
Have a great October, Thank you for reading.
The QHSE Aberdeen Team
