Case Study for ISO 9001:2008
Qualstanplus® Assists Holmes Partnership in achieving ISO9001:2008 certification.
Background
Holmes Partnership is a large Architect Practice based in Scotland with offices in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. Holmes Partnership offers technical drawings to a wide variety of businesses ranging from small private companies to large public sector contracts. Holmes Partnership work is based around the REBA system of work, however they were looking at ways to standardise the business management system.
Client Requirement
Holmes partnership realised that they needed to develop a management system based upon the ISO9001:2008 standard if they were to regulate the way the practice operated. The benefits were seen as improving the proficiency in submitting tenders, identifying Client requirements more efficiently and helping with the development of their work systems as a whole. We were employed by Holmes Partnership to assist with:
- Assessing areas of their existing management system for compliance of the ISO9001:2008 standard.
- Work in collaboration with Holmes Partnership to identify their own governance policies as well as those relating to the ISO standard for documenting in a Governance and Administration Policy document
- Create an implementation chart to set goals for achieving certification.
- Help document the practices work procedures and develop new processes as required.
- Offer internal auditing of the system prior to assessment to highlight potential areas of concern and remedy the problem through detailed audit reporting.
- Offer support during the assessment process until certification was achieved.
Our Findings
We looked at the system Holmes Partnership were working to and through discussion determined the best way to modify the system to meet both the REBA Code of Practice and the ISO9001:2008 standard.
Implementation
A program was agreed between the two parties which involved:
- Documenting current work practices within a flowchart process format.
- Identifying new processes required for ISO 9001:2008 and documenting them.
- Carrying out internal audits of the completed system and issue detailed reports highlighting areas of continual development.
- Assist the Chair to oversee the holding of the inaugural Management Review Meeting and produce a minute template.
- Be present at the third party Stage 1 and Stage 2 assessments and offer advice where required.
Result
By using Qualstanplus® to assist with their management system development, Holmes Partnership was successful in achieving certification to ISO9001:2008. This was a great achievement of Holmes Partnership being first Architects practice in Scotland to achieve this certification.
Case Study for ISO 14001:2004
Qualstanplus® assists Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited in achieving ISO14001:2004 certification.
Background
Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited took the decision to commence the journey to BS EN ISO14001:2004 certification as this was seen as a logical step to improve and enhance their marketing strategy as well as steering the internal ethos of the business towards a more environmental friendly culture.
Client Requirement
Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited decided upon an integrated management system which would encompass both the quality and environmental standards, to limit the change to their existing governance and administration policy document and system manuals appertaining to their work activities of ready-mixed concrete production, asphalt production and laying, manufacture of precast concrete units and quarrying.
Our Findings
Qualstanplus® having already been active in facilitating Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited successful certification to the quality standard, there would be no difficulty in integrating the requirements of the environmental standard into existing manuals using the Qualstanplus® process flow-chart approach and without any major disruption to the integrity of the existing quality management system.
Implementation
Qualstanplus® first objective was to identify environmental legislation and other requirements that were pertinent to the work activities and to determine how Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited would comply with such requirements. Regular discussions and on-site environmental assessments were conducted at each production location to determine the significance of each environmental aspect and how this could impact upon the environment.
Using the information contained within the environmental assessment, further discussions were undertaken to determine the effectiveness of existing environmental controls and to identify where additional controls were needed, based upon a common sense approach and Best Available Techniques.
Environmental registers were subsequently raised for each production centre detailing their respective environmental aspects and impacts which are linked to the relevant process where the control measures are documented.
Qualstanplus® carried out two environmental audits at each production site to determine the effectiveness of environmental controls cumulating in photographic and written audit reports that highlighted areas of good practice and areas where improvements were required. Where concerns were raised, tool box talks in the form of additional tutoring were given to Operatives on their environmental responsibilities.
Result
Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited was successful in achieving certification
to BS EN ISO14001:2004 and therefore realising their goal of an integrated
quality and environmental management system.