We are a small sub contractor but requrie a high standard of SHEQ to obtain contracts. We have ISO9001 and have implemented ISO14001 as well as developing our H&S agaisnt ISO18001 We have been audited externally for the Achilles database and did very well in H&S and Quality, not so well in environment at the time but have since changed that. We are looking at minimising the amount of paperwork and activity required to sustain 3 systems as there is no office personnel per se and we are out and about. Has anyone any expereince and does it give fair weighting to all systems or would I eb better conitnuing with H&S as my main and bolting? I am trained in all 3 disciplines and practice primarily in H&S.

It's Friday afternoon. Everyone's thinking of running away! ;-)

Sheryl: We have one client who needs Achilles accreditation and I have to say Achilles seem to require reams of paperwork, much of it regarded by us and the client as non-essential, in order to attain accreditation. We've got other clients who've gone for Exor, Safecontractor, CHAS etc etc. and these also require extensive paperwork, although they don't include on-site assessments as well like Achilles. Although I appreciate your aim of having the minimum paperwork, I suggest that the more accreditations and standards to seek to attain, the more complex your paperwork has to become. When writing policies etc. to meet such "accrediting" bodies, I generally find myself writing not a policy but a descriptive justification to support the accreditation. I feel you may never attain your aim. Dave Daniel