Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with Workplace Safety?

[Jen Kirley]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Hi,

I am working as a Safety Supervisor for one of the International Airports. Recently we had a Quality Audit from our QA & Strategy Dept, where we were asked to concentrate on ISO 9001 and how it affects our department (which is Safety, Security & Environment).

Can anyone tell me how ISO 9001 is related to our work??!!

Regards,

Welcome to the Cove!

Element 6.4 addresses Work environment:

"The organization shall determine and manage the work environment needed to achieve conformity to product requirements.

NOTE The term “work environment” relates to those conditions under which work is performed including physical, environmental and other factors (such as noise, temperature, humidity, lighting or weather)."

Your department deals with Environment: does that mean controls of effluents or controls of internal environment to produce product? For example, climate control. I used to work in a machine shop that had no climate controls. In July the building would heat up to the point that the machines would shut themselves down. That certainly, directly ties you to the quality management system.

But you work at an airport. In that case the "product" is service to clients: airlines, passengers, vendors. Safety, environment and security are among the defined requirements that your processes would be designed to meet via the elements in Section 7, Product Realization. Once you think of "product" as something besides a widget you may find the standard easier to deal with. Consider the advice given by Airport Management in a ISO 9000 World.

 

[harry]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

.................. we were asked to concentrate on ISO 9001 and how it affects our department (which is Safety, Security & Environment).

Can anyone tell me how ISO 9001 is related to our work??!!

Regards,

You have to first understand that you are in the service business - providing safety, security and environmental management services. ISO 9001 is equally applicable for the services sector.

Every section of the standard is therefore applicable to you. Section 7 relates to how you plan, design, implement and monitor your service. The other sections are quite similar to the manufacturing environment (if that's what you are more familiar with).

Over here, such projects are generally classified as 'facilities management'.

 

[samsung]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Hi,

I am working as a Safety Supervisor for one of the International Airports. Recently we had a Quality Audit from our QA & Strategy Dept, where we were asked to concentrate on ISO 9001 and how it affects our department (which is Safety, Security & Environment).

Can anyone tell me how ISO 9001 is related to our work??!!

Regards,

ISO 9001 is related to your job in the same way it's related to any other department/ function in your organization. For a moment, if you replace the word 'safety' with XYZ or anything for that matter, you will realize that you are assigned with a 'function' to manage and in order to do it successfully you need a 'tool' which your organization has brought in the form of an ISO 9001 compliant QMS. So, you need a management system for managing various tasks in your role such as:
1. Planning your job or various routine tasks
2. Setting and achieving your/ organizations objectives
3. Documents and records
4. Managing the risks/ constraints
5. Anticipating, finding and fixing the problems that affects your ability to achieve the organization's goals
6. Monitoring your processes (through audits, inspections, observations or other means)
7. Training & awareness to staff
7. Data analysis
8. Making use of certain tools (CA, PA, CI, Benchmarking etc.) to improve the processes
9. And above all keeping your customers and 'interested parties' delighted

etc. etc.

I don't find anything in ISO 9001 which isn't apply to your job.

 

[samsung]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

This presentation may also help you to understand the role of QMS in managing a safety organization.

 

[LUV-d-4UM]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Section 5.1 a requires that Top Management communicates to the organization the importance of meeting customer as well as STATUTORY and REGULATORY requirements. That covers compliance to Environmental and Health and Safety.

 

[Colin]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Section 5.1 a requires that Top Management communicates to the organization the importance of meeting customer as well as STATUTORY and REGULATORY requirements. That covers compliance to Environmental and Health and Safety.

Interesting comment given that clause 0.4 'Compatibility with other management systems' states ... 'This International standard does not include requirements specific to other management systems, such as those particular to environmental management, occupational health and safety management, financial management or risk management.'

 

[harry]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Section 5.1 a requires that Top Management communicates to the organization the importance of meeting customer as well as STATUTORY and REGULATORY requirements. That covers compliance to Environmental and Health and Safety.

If you look at the APG Guidance on Auditing Statutory and Regulatory requirements, it explained that you should be looking at the Statutory and Regulatory requirements applicable to the 'product' (or service). That ties in nicely with 0.4 as pointed out by Colin in the preceding post.

 

[LUV-d-4UM]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Thank you. Your comment was very enlightening since I always do a safety walk when I conduct internal audit and if I see any potantial violation to statutory and regulatory requirements I just admonish Top Managment but I do not give a nonconformance. I always say that inability to work due to accident can directly affect on-time delivery and quality policy and objectives.

 

[samsung]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

Section 5.1 a requires that Top Management communicates to the organization the importance of meeting customer as well as STATUTORY and REGULATORY requirements. That covers compliance to Environmental and Health and Safety.

Section 5.1 responds to 'Leadership Principle' that requires the top management to regularly identify and satisfy the needs and expectations of customers as well as those of other 'interested parties' and communicate with them. Customers desire to make sustaining relationship with the organizations and their expectations, among others, may include consistent supply of products and services at reasonable price. Customers also desire their suppliers operate ethically and respect the environment, protect the health and safety of people and do not exploit the natural resources. It's therefore imperative for the management to not only communicate the Statutory and Regulatory requirements concerning health and safety but also how departure from these requirements can adversely affect the customer satisfaction.

You may also refer 5.2.2 (needs and expectations) and 5.2.3 (customer focus) of ISO 9004:2009 (Guidelines for performance improvements). IMHO, it's also difficult to ensure meeting the requirements of 6.3 (infrastructure) & 6.4 (Work Environment) without complying with the EHS statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

[harry]

Re: Does ISO 9001 have anything to do with safety at working place?

.............. I always do a safety walk when I conduct internal audit and if I see any potantial violation to statutory and regulatory requirements I just admonish Top Managment but I do not give a nonconformance........................ .

We had a number of previous discussions on this same subject. What you had done is in line with what most people do (would do) and that is:
1. You should not issue an NC because it is not part of a QMS especially against 5.1 (but if you integrate organizational requirements into your QMS, that's another story)
2. Most agreed that you should take note of that violation and bring it to the attention of the relevant person or management.

Essentially, we have to be clear of 2 issues here.
1. Don't force fit things that are not there into particular standards especially while auditing.
2. We can't turn a blind eye to reality. If it happens, it happens - report to the relevant people and let their management system (be it another ISO standard or in-house requirement) take up the issue.

So, you've done well.