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ARC Management Systems

ISO 9001 Quality Management System

Implementing ISO Systems

The steps in the implementation of an ISO system are as follows:

  • Gap Analysis Audit
  • Project Planning
  • Implementation
  • Full Systems Audit
  • Certification
We are also acutely aware that many of its customers are often under tight deadlines for the implementation and certification of management systems, a problem that is often exacerbated by the difficulties in releasing staff members from the day to day needs of the organisation to work on this type of project. Therefore in order to meet the requirements of our clients we provide the following services:

Turn-Key Implementation:

We can provide a complete turn-key system, whereby we will undertake every aspect of the implementation specifically the preparation of the manuals, procedures, work instructions & forms for each process owner.

Dedicated Personnel:

We will provide a dedicated consultant to the project who will remain solely with the project for the duration of the implementation and will provide a contact/reference point for all members of the organisation. Should the project be of such a scale where additional consultation is required, this can be catered for at a moments notice. In addition we will also provide further specialist consultation in specific areas such as waste management, energy reduction etc.

Project Management:

At the outset of any project we will provide a complete project plan outlining each deliverable and its respective target date in order to ensure the project is brought in on time and within budget. The project plan will be forwarded on a weekly basis to the organisation for review.

Staff Timeline Plan:

In order to allow for changes in our clients workload, at the outset of each project we will provide a project plan outlining which of the clients staff will be required, when and for how long in order to implement a system. This plan is flexible but it allows the client to plan from the outset the requirements placed on the organisation.

Paperless Systems:

Both the Quality and Environmental systems can be designed and implemented in a completely electronic format this in turn will reduce hard copy paperwork which benefits the environment and increases personal efficiency within the organisation.

Certification Management:

We maintain strong links with largest and most recognised certification bodies presently operating in Ireland. We will arrange and manage all aspects of the certification process including quotation, time tabling & leading the audit with any certification body the organisation see’s fit to use. The above are just some of the practical benefits provided by us over the course of each and every implementation of a Management System.

Maintenance of ISO Systems

By using an outside company to maintain your ISO systems, the following benefits can be achieved:

  • The organisation is always in a state of audit readiness and will be in a position to receive customer audits at a moment’s notice.
  • An individual from the organisation does not have to be responsible for the day to day maintenance of the system which thus ensures the organisations staff is free to concentrate on the core aspects of their jobs.
  • In using an outside company to maintain & review systems, the organisation gets the benefit of an independent and unbiased review of its operations.

Each certified Management System contains a number of mandatory elements such as which must be reviewed on an ongoing basis as a requirement of the Management System such as:

  • Internal System Audits
  • Management Reviews
  • Legislation Reviews
  • Improvement Plans
  • System Policies
  • Corrective & Preventive Actions

Each maintenance contract is tailor made through discussion with the client to ensure the organisations requirements and needs are being met whilst also striving to offer constructive opportunities for improvement to the organisation should they arise.

The above elements will all be covered as a minimum of any maintenance contract.

Integrating ISO Systems

By integrating Management Systems the organisation will achieve the following benefits:

  • A reduction in the number of auditing days required per annum by the certification body, as all certified systems will be audited at the same time. This should provide a significant cost saving.
  • A reduction in the number of maintenance days required by the organisation, as both systems will be reviewed at the same time. This again should provide a significant cost saving.
  • As both systems will be integrated, those similar elements of each system will only will only be actioned once which will reduce the number of installation consulting days and again provide a significant cost saving.
  • With the integration of the systems there will be no paperwork repetition which in-turn will ensure the organisations staff are always focused on value added tasks.

The ISO:9001 Quality Management System, ISO:14001 Environmental Management System, ISO:50001 Energy Management System and to a lesser extent the OHSAS:18001 Occupational Health & Safety System have been written as complimentary systems, meaning each system can be easily combined with another to form one simple to manage system.

System integration is simple solution to providing cost savings to the organisation and achieving enhanced benefits from your Management Systems.

ISO 9001 Quality Management System

Background

ISO 9001:2008 is the world’s foremost quality management standard. Hundreds of thousands of organizations in over 170 countries around the globe use this system. ISO 9001 Quality Management System sets out the essential requirements for a practical and effective quality management system (QMS). This is basically a system for minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity. This quality management system is suitable for any organization regardless of their size and industry. It can be used to focus on improving performance in a particular department, plant or site. However, it is generally most effective when implemented throughout an organization at every level.

ISO 9001:2008 is an updated version of an earlier ISO 9001:2000 and it is part of a series of quality management system standards, sometimes referred to as ISO 9000. These include:

  • ISO 9000 – Fundamentals and Vocabulary, which introduces the basic principles underlying management systems and explains the terminology
  • ISO 9001 – Requirements, which specifies the criteria for certification
  • ISO 9004 – Guidelines for performance improvements goes beyond ISO 9001 by identifying how ISO 9001 can be used as a springboard for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a quality management system.

Benefits of ISO 9001 Quality Management System include:

  • Increase in your organization’s performance and productivity – certification improves efficiency through reduction of waste and systematic measurement of performance. Having a robust system in place gives more time to invest in making money
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction – Customers know what to expect from a quality certified company. ISO 9001 systematically tracks errors and prevents them thus reducing the number of customer complains
  • Global recognition – ISO 9001 is a globally recognized quality standard that can open new market opportunities or just maintain current market share. Certification also attracts investment
  • Employee engagement – ISO 9001 Quality management system encourages communication and increases morale among the employees
  • Competitive advantage – certification provides an advantage over competitors or the opportunity to compete on the same basis as larger organizations (e.g. ability to tender or submit price quotations)
  • Focus on objectives and customer expectations – greater emphasis on meeting customer requirements and implied needs through continuous incremental improvement

Enhanced Financial Performance

Financial performance can be enhanced by implementing ISO 9001 certification and it is achieved through increased sales. This can explained by looking closely at the relationship between ISO 9001 mechanisms and the internal, external and signalling benefits that can lead to increased financial performance as can be seen in the diagram below.

 

Relationship between ISO 9001 and financial performance

ISO 9001 Quality Management system implementation can bring internal benefits, however organizations might not become financially more efficient immediately after being certified. Customer satisfaction may be improved by increasing process control, productivity, quality, and efficiency and as a result this can provide external benefits. The ISO 9001 certificate can provide benefits by signalling quality.

Key Principles of ISO 9001 Quality Management System

These 8 principles below are not auditable but they are fundamental attributes of any quality management system. The principles have been taken from ISO 9000:2005 Quality Management Systems – Fundamentals and Vocabulary and have served as a basis for the ISO 9001:2008 standard. The 8 principles include:

  • Customer Focus
  • Leadership
  • Involvement of People
  • Process Approach
  • System Approach to Management
  • Continual Improvement
  • Factual Approach to Decision Making
  • Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships