Posted By Sean Fraser
Strange question, Andy. Why would you not want to use the established Standards - ISO9001 for QMS, ISO14001 for EMS and HS(G)65 or OHSAS 18001 for SMS? Surely these have all the elements for implementing successful systems in their respective disciplines and are tried and tested to the point where each one can have recognised independant 3rd party Registration. The issue of an Integrated Management System is presently being debated elsewhere on the Forum so I won't rehash or split the debate here.

Standardisation is a means by which we promote minimum levels of compliance to be met and exceeded and provides a general consistency in approach with instant recognition by all others, event those who are non-specialists. Using a bespoke system outwith these standards means it will be alien to most clients and suppliers and a significant amount of time and cost will be spent by all those concerned to try and explain and understand how it works - and the chances are, if your client (or potential client) is auditing you, THEY will be doing it against the relevant international Standards as their benchmark. If you haven't at least addressed them in your own system, you may end up failing to meet all the requirements and hence endanger the successful prospects of your business. They may even decide not to audit as your competitors have Standards they recognise and they haven't the time or inclination to find out what your unrecognised system entails - they may just assume it doesn't meet requirements and pass you by. You are already starting off on a bad footing as a consequence.

The quality and environmental Standards are internationally accepted and would be a strong indicator that your business meets the clients expectations in these terms, wherever you operate in the world.

I am a great believer in setting standards that are quickly and easily understood by all concerned. I would draw a parallel to the issue of training and qualifications (also being debated currently on the Forum) - the NEBOSH safety qualifications are not the only ones on the market, but they are the ones that we (and employers) generally use as the benchmark for acceptance, i.e. must have IOSH Diploma or equivalent. It still allows for equivalents to be presented, but doesn't that mean that you have to spend longer finding out if that is acceptable against the NEBOSH qualification? Quickest and easiest way to prevent that - get the NEBOSH qualification. It sets the Standard.

I'm not saying the the Standards quoted are perfect - indeed, ISO9001 has undergone major revision in terms of the principles upon which it is based, changing the emphasis entirely. But I feel we should be encouraging and assisting in the change of these Standards so they are improved and strengthened, not providing lesser known alternatives. When there are too many to chose from, there remains the potential for confusion and misunderstanding.