When, in March of this year, OHSAS 18001 was replaced by ISO 45001, STILL UK decided to aim for ISO 45001 to ensure a standard approach across the whole business to their health & safety, quality and environmental management systems.
“We felt that achieving the three standards across the business would demonstrate our commitment to the high standards of health & safety, quality and environmental sustainability right through the core of our company to our customers and employees,” explained Andrew Pye, HSEQ manager at STILL UK.
After discussions with their assessor, Darren Rowlands from training and certification company, NQA, STILL UK decided that the most effective progression would be to integrate all three systems. In the initial discussions, Rowlands laid out the benefits of this approach, including the main benefits of having common elements for each standard, which would enable them to avoid duplication and reduce the number of surveillance days in the future.
This approach was appreciated by STILL, says Pye: “It’s so refreshing to have a certification body that want to be proactive and discuss the best way to run your certification visits to get the maximum value for money.”
Working towards a triple certification involved a team effort across all STILL UK teams, from the top down. Senior management were strongly committed to the system, and CI methods are a source of dialogue at every UK board meeting. The outcome of these meetings is fed through the rest of the business via ‘toolbox talk’ sessions. As a result, all STILL employees are up to speed with the aims and objectives of the company as a whole.
Before applying for any certification, STILL undertook an internal audit, which focused on the requirements of the standards and how they applied to the business. NQA ran a series of webinars that provided an ideal opportunity to gain valuable knowledge with minimal interruption to the working day.
All the hard work paid off – STILL UK were awarded with all three certificates, something that both STILL and NQA are extremely proud of. “STILL’s achievement highlights their dedication to quality, environment and occupational health & safety and in turn their commitment to providing the best service to their customers,” said Nick Wright, managing director of NQA. “We wish them all the best and look forward to continuing a bright relationship with them in the future.”
Nick Smith, MD of STILL UK, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to achieve this industry-first accreditation. It’s a testament to the wonderful efforts of everyone within our business; this has been a team effort and one of which we are extremely proud.”
