To Integrate or not to Integrate (ISO9001, ISO14001 & OHSAS18001)

mchenry · Nov 23, 2011

Greeting all, I have a new opportunity coming up where I will have the chance to refine the QMS and institute a new EMS. The company that I will be joining has had ISO9001 certification for at least the last nine years but as I review the quality manual, I don't see any real revisions to show improvement in the system. Also, they recently received a major contract where ISO14001 certification will be required.

I've spent the last few days going through prior posts and the archives and I am getting a better feel at the scope and realities that I'm going to face as I pull this together.

My question, is there any significant benefit in developing an integrated (QMS & EMS) system, or is there a benefit in keeping the systems separate? Also, if integrated, have the certification bodies been handling this differently?

I'm looking for general pro's, con's, and just plain opinions from the forum.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

mb

somashekar · Nov 24, 2011

mchenry said:
Greeting all, I have a new opportunity coming up where I will have the chance to refine the QMS and institute a new EMS. The company that I will be joining has had ISO9001 certification for at least the last nine years but as I review the quality manual, I don't see any real revisions to show improvement in the system. Also, they recently received a major contract where ISO14001 certification will be required.

I've spent the last few days going through prior posts and the archives and I am getting a better feel at the scope and realities that I'm going to face as I pull this together.

My question, is there any significant benefit in developing an integrated (QMS & EMS) system, or is there a benefit in keeping the systems separate? Also, if integrated, have the certification bodies been handling this differently?

I'm looking for general pro's, con's, and just plain opinions from the forum.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

mb

Being one organization, same people who will handle the QMS and EMS, QMS already established since long, the QMS and EMS scope has to be kept in the background by the people in the performance of the duties with appropriate weightage, it makes all sense that the system be integrated.
This makes it simple, digestible, less load on documents, ....what else.. Just the way I feel logically.
There is an Annex A (informative) within the OHSAS18001:2007 that gives the correspondence between the 9K, 14k, 18K standards for your help to integrate them....
Welcome to the Cove mchenry

harry · Nov 24, 2011

Welcome to the Cove.

1. Quality, environmental, health and safety are actually parts or components of the larger organization or corporate management system. It is only right that they be integrated or returned to where they should be.

2. There are several common processes which can be more effectively managed together instead of on their own. On their own, they tend to create duplication and gray areas at times.

3. From third party certification (CB) perspective, there could be some minor cost savings as a result of the above.

I'll let the others chime in further.

To Integrate or not to Integrate (ISO9001, ISO14001 & OHSAS18001)

mchenry

somashekar

harry

Similar threads