How to get ISO 9001

Preparing your business for certification to standards such as ISO 9001 or ISO 45001 can seem daunting. If you’re looking to get ISO 9001 certified for the first time (or recertified due to a lapsed accreditation). We can help.

Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how to get ISO 9001 certified quickly all the while benefiting from the experience by improving the goods and services your business produces.

STEP ONE: CHOOSE THE RIGHT CERTIFICATION FOR YOUR BUSINESS

The first step for any organisation is making sure that the ISO or Australian Standard (AS) you’ve chosen is the right fit for your organisation. In many instances, your potential customers or clients may require your business to hold a specific endorsement, such as ISO 9001.

STEP TWO: FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH THE STANDARD

Buying a copy of the standard can be useful, but isn’t necessarily required. In truth, the jargon involved may even put you off! This is where ISOsafe can add value to the process. We are able to guide you and your business through the ISO 9001 certification process from start to finish. As part of our service we are able to bring experience and professionally prepared systems to ensure your business is certified, without disruption and unnecessary costs.

STEP THREE: LEADING THE WAY

Implementing an ISO management system needs to be an organisation-wide. This can only be done with the involvement of management at each level.

ISOsafe are able to deliver training to all staff and management at your location to ensure good habits are formed.

STEP FOUR: USING A CONSULTANT

We provide consultancy services in addition to training and the documentation needed to get certified to ISO 9001.

Beware of ‘ready made’ management systems which may not suit your organisation.

STEP FIVE: SELECT A CERTIFICATION BODY

It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting when engaging a certification body. JAS-ANZ recognised certification bodies are best placed to issue ISO 9001 certificates.

ISOsafe are able to recommend the most appropriate certification body for your business based on your business’ needs.

STEP SIX: DEVELOPING A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The ISO management standards are designed to be generic, applicable to organisations of all sizes and industry sectors. Whilst the standards provide a framework for good management practice, they do not provide detailed steps or information the ISO 9001 auditor may be looking for.

ISOsafe’s experts are able to advise and prepare tailored documents avoiding costly failed audits; making for a faster, smoother certification process.

STEP SEVEN: THE INTERNAL AUDIT

Before any certification audit it is important to have internally audited your ISO system.

ISOsafe’s 9001 experts are able to internally audit your management system, providing a detailed report and documenting all meetings to ensure your certification audit is a success.

STEP EIGHT: GETTING ISO 9001 CERTIFIED

The process starts with what’s known as a ‘Stage 1 Audit’. This is when an certification body auditor reviews your existing systems and provides you with a gap analysis report which will identify the actions required to meet the standard. ISOsafe are able to close any gaps following this audit, making the necessary changes to satisfy the requirements of the relevant ISO standard.

At this point your organisation will be ready to proceed to ‘Stage 2 Audit’. This audit will reveal the effectiveness of your management system and whether it meets all the requirements of the specific ISO standard you wish to be certified to (e.g. ISO 9001 and/or ISO 14001). If you are fully compliant, you will be recommended for certification. The auditor’s report will then be checked via an approvals process and if no anomalies are identified, certification is officially awarded.

STEP NINE: MAINTAINING YOUR CERTIFICATION

The maintenance of your management system is where the hard work really starts. Continued buy-in from everyone is important for implementation to succeed, and for you to gain the true benefit of becoming certified.

ISOsafe are able to provide your business with the ongoing support and training needed to consistently achieve certification.

WHY ISOsafe?

ISOsafe are Australia's leading HR, Employment Law and Health & Safety consultancy firm. We have helped over 3000 businesses with expert training, advice & compliance documentation.

We also develop, implement and audit ISO Quality (ISO 9001), Safety (ISO 45001 / OHSAS 18001 / ASNZS 4801), Environmental (ISO 14001) and Integrated Management Systems (IMS).

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Towing company fined $275,000 in relation to truck driver’s death

A towing company was convicted and fined $275,000 over an incident in which an employee loading a boom crane onto a truck parked on a suburban road was struck and seriously injured by a van.

The employee died several days later in hospital.
  
the company, of Sunshine North, pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to provide a safe system of work, and one charge of failing to ensure that persons other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from the conduct of the employer’s undertaking. The company was also ordered to pay costs of $12,000.

The court heard that on August 5, 2015 the employee had arrived at an equipment hire company in Derbyshire St, Williamstown to collect a 20m long boom crane to transport to Tullamarine. He parked his prime mover in Derbyshire St and began the process of loading the crane onto the trailer.

Just before 5am, the employee was in the cage of the crane, in the middle of the road, when it was struck by a van driving along the street. The van driver was not injured, but the employee was seriously injured in the incident and died several days later.

It was dark and raining at the time of the incident, and there were no safety lights, traffic cones or warning measures in place to warn motorists of the crane being loaded onto the trailer. Illuminated lights at the rear of the trailer were obscured by its loading ramps and the street was a no standing zone. 

The court heard that the company operated a number of trucks which were used to transport mobile plant and equipment to different locations. Its drivers would often park in Derbyshire St.

It was told the company had exposed employees and road users to the risk of serious injury by failing to have a traffic management plan in place, and had failed to train its drivers to understand the risks associated with loading and unloading machinery on public roads.

For more information about traffic management planning contact ISOsafe on 1300 789 132, or email us at enquiries@isosafe.com.au

Recycler penalised $150,000 after worker loses hand

A recycling company has been convicted and fined a total of $150,000 following an incident in Coolaroo in 2014 in which a worker lost his right hand in an aluminium bailer.

The company was found guilty in the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on two charges of failing to provide or maintain plant that was safe and without risk to health, and one charge of failing to provide a safe system of work.

The company was also ordered to pay $45,000 in costs.

During the hearing, the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court was told that the worker was moving a bale of cans from the exit point of an aluminium bailing machine when his right hand was severed.

A co-worker heard the victim’s cries and subsequently located the hand in the chamber of the bailer.

The Court heard that the bailer was designed to crush metal into large blocks, which were then forcibly ejected from the machine through a hydraulically operated exit door. Expert witnesses told the court that employees working in and around the exit door risked crush or shear injuries.

Following the incident, a WorkSafe investigation discovered that a steel can bailing machine on the site also posed similar risks to employees.

The Court also heard that the investigation discovered the company had no safe system of work for employees to secure the metal blocks once they had been ejected from either bailer.

During the five-day contested hearing, the company argued that it had discharged its health and safety duties by ensuring the manufacturer of the bailing machines had the appropriate assurance certificates and assessments in place.

However, Magistrate Aumair was ultimately satisfied that it was not reasonable for the company to solely rely on information from suppliers and that it was reasonably practicable to take further measures to reduce the health and safety risks to its employees.

On the one charge relating to the aluminium bailer, the company was fined $75,000. On the one charge relating to the steel bailer, it was fined $25,000. Finally, on the one charge of failing to provide a safe system of work in relation to handling the bales, it was fined $50,000. the company was convicted on all three charges.

Safety tips when working with machinery:
•    Check the machine for general hazards and ensure it has been maintained
•    Make sure the machinery is properly guarded and safety interlocks are regularly checked before operating
•    All warning lights and alarms must be checked to ensure they are working
•    All workers and supervisors must be trained appropriately on how to operate the machine, identify when it’s not safe to use and know the procedure for emergency shut down
•    Workers should tie their hair back and not wear loose fitting clothing, to prevent entanglement.

For more information about safety around heavy machinery contact ISOsafe on 1300 789 132, or email us at enquiries@isosafe.com.au

Ever wondered what happens when you ignore WorkSafe notices?

A Moorabbin furniture manufacturer who failed to address WorkSafe notices to fix serious safety breaches has been convicted and fined more than $22,000.

The company pleaded guilty to two charges under the 2004 OHS Act for failing to ensure its workplace was safe and without risks to health.
 

The company was fined $22,500 and ordered to pay $4027 in costs.
 

The Moorabbin Magistrates Court was told that WorkSafe inspectors visited the business several times between April 2015 and July 2016 and issued numerous improvement notices.
 

The first charge related to breaches that included failing to fit a non-conductive, non-flammable cover to an electrical switchboard exposing workers to risk of electrical shock; failing to correctly store flammable liquids; allowing employees to smoke in close proximity to dangerous goods; and failing to guard a high-speed rotating fan and situating it in a doorway.
 

The second charge related to failing to undertake regular housekeeping tasks, thereby exposing workers to the risk of slips, trips and falls, or coming into contact with hazardous objects.
 

WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Marnie Williams, said employers who ignored improvement notices may face prosecution.
 

For more information on WorkSafe inspections go to: www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/safety/inspections

If youre unsure of your obligations, contact ISOsafe on 1300 789 132 or email us at enquiries@isosafe.com.au.

NSW LAW UPDATE: New WHS Regulations 2017

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 is being repealed on 1 September and replaced by the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017, which comes into effect on the same day. 

The new regulation is essentially the same as the 2011 Regulation, except for minor changes, including formatting and corrections to typos.

SafeWork NSW is currently working to update references to the regulation across its multiple sources of information and regulatory materials, as well as links to the regulation.

Work Health and Safety Bill going to Parliament
Following the recent statutory review (the Review) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act), the Work Health and Safety Bill 2017 will be soon introduced to the NSW Parliament for consideration. 

The scope of this Review only considered the NSW-specific provisions of the WHS Act and Regulation and how they were being interpreted, applied and enforced in NSW. This was due to the NSW legislation being aligned to the national model legislation which is scheduled for review in 2018.

As part of the NSW Review, the community was asked if the work health and safety laws were working well. The Review found that the objects of the WHS Act remain valid and the terms remain generally appropriate for securing those objectives.

The Review Report was tabled in the NSW Parliament on 20 June 2017. 

Some of the recommendations from the Review include:

• The introduction of new penalty notice offences for unlicensed high risk work and falls from heights.

• Allowing for penalty notices to be issued electronically.

• Clarifying responsibility for certain dangerous goods and high risk plant that may affect public safety when not at a workplace.

• The ability for inspectors to record interviews regardless of whether the interviewee consents, while still retaining the current self-incrimination provisions and ensuring the interviewee is advised that the recording is to be undertaken.

• Clarifying the ability of the NSW regulators to obtain records and issue notices outside of NSW, to the extent the State’s legislative power allows.

Don’t risk non-compliance. ISOsafe are the specialists in Work Health Safety. Call us today to book your business compliance check on 1300 789 132.