ISO Quality Services – August 2013 Newsletter

12 Aug, 2013

Welcome to the August issue of the ISO Quality Services Limited newsletter! What’s in this issue?

• Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients
• Health and Safety News – Brewery fined after worker loses fingers
• Have you met Mike and the team at TLA Business Services?
• M is for Management Review Meetings, N is for non-conformance, O is for Objectives…
• Four places remain – Are you booked on?
• Finding the leadership within you from a little help with Jenga and Plasticine
• Networking events and seminars we are attending in July – August 2013
• Refer a friend

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients

M. O’Brien Limited

M. O’Brien Limited is a plant hire specialist and based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. They have be awarded there ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard with us. Their unique expertise has been gained from over twenty years of plant and equipment hire to contractors in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Their Machines are fitted with all the latest health and safety equipment including guard railings to the rear of the machine, seat belt green lights, white noise travel alarms etc. The company’s aim is to make their plant the most efficient and safest to use. For more information on how they could assist your needs, visit http://www.mobrienplanthire.co.uk/ or call 01582 840045.

Image: Justin Brown (Engineer / ISO Management Representative) from M. O’Brien (Plant Hire) Ltd being presented with their ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Certificate.

GA Cleaning Services Limited

GA Cleaning Services Limited is a contract cleaning company based in Feltham, Middlesex. They have been awarded there ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System. They have been operating in the cleaning industry since 2005 and provide their services throughout London of the county, Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and surrounds.

They specialise in the cleaning of commercial buildings, schools, nurseries and domestic properties. Their aim is to provide clients with a personalised, efficient service and their friendly staff are well respected for the high standard of work customers receive. For more information on how they could assist with your requirements visit http://www.gacleaningservices.co.uk/.

Image: Antonio Ganancia (left) and Gabriel Ganancia (right) (Company Directors) from GA Cleaning Services Ltd being presented with their ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Certificate.

Byteback IT Solutions Limited

Image: Director, Andrew Town (left), Technical Support, Dave Bover (centre) and Co Director, Nathon Hawke (right) from Byteback IT Solutions Limited being presented with their ISO 14001:2004 Environmental, ISO 27001:2005 Information Security and BS EN 15713:2009 Secure Disposal of Confidential Material Management Certificate.

Byteback IT Solutions Limited is a company who have been providing comprehensive and affordable computer sales, support, servicing and repairs since 2002 and are based in Bedminster, Bristol. They have achieved their ISO 14001:2004 Environmental, ISO 27001:2005 Information Security & BS EN 15713 Secure Destruction of Confidential Material Management Standards with us. They offer their services whether you are a home user, small business or charity user, there friendly and knowledgeable team is on-hand to give advice and support based on a no-fix no-fee basis. They can assist with Virus & Spyware removal, Remote Desktop Support & Advice, Laptop/ Computer Repairs & Upgrades, Home Networking, Refurbished Computer & Laptop Services. They can also assist with recycling computer & IT associated equipment. For more information on Byteback IT Solutions Limited, and how they may be able assist you, visit http://www.bytebackitrepair.co.uk

R J Heathman (Contractors)

R J Heathman (Contractors) is a leading privately-owned building refurbishment specialist and bases in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. Since its foundation in 1976 the Company has grown continuously into today’s thriving business remaining committed to delivering exceptional customer service. As a long established contractor with nationwide capabilities, they pride themselves in providing high quality and value-adding refurbishment to customers across the UK. For more information on how they may be able to assist your business, visit http://www.countycontractors.co.uk/

Image: Lead Assessor Graham Binns (right) presenting David Elliot, SHEQ Manager (left) from R J Heathman (Contractors) Ltd t/a County Contractors with their ISO 27001: 2005 Information Security Management Certificate.

Saracen Datastore Ltd

Saracen Datastore Ltd is a document and archive storage company. They were established in 1991 and now manage millions of records for more than 500 businesses across a wide range of industry sectors. They look after invaluable & important records, documents, archives and media. Saracen shares its wealth of experience and expertise in servicing its clients to address many complex challenges that face businesses every day – combating the rising costs of storing and managing records, litigation avoidance, regulatory compliance and disaster recovery, and tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of individual businesses.

They were presented with their ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management standard at their presentation. They already have their ISO 9001:2008 Quality and ISO 27001:2005 Information Security Management Standards with us. For more information on how they may be able to assist your business, visit http://www.saracendatastore.co.uk

GBR Phoenix Beard

GBR Phoenix Beard is a full-service independent property consultancy. GBR Phoenix Beard is constantly finding new ways to solve their clients’ business issues. With offices in London and Birmingham, there team works ‘as one’, with continuous interaction between the offices and across all disciplines. Their clients range from large institutional investors through to property companies, developers and occupiers across the UK.

GBR Phoenix Beard already has their ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard. Only recently have they been presented with their ISO 14001 Environmental Management standard. For more information on how they may be able to assist your business, visit http://www.gbrpb.com/

Eckersley O’Callaghan Limited

 is an award winning engineering design practice. They enjoy working with a range of materials, forms and building types across diverse sectors and project scales to deliver imaginative solutions. They have developed an international reputation for our structural glass designs as well as their work with steel, concrete and timber.

From the offices in London, Paris and Shanghai, their structure and facade teams collaborate closely with architects, designers and clients throughout the UK, US and across the world. Eckersley O’Callaghan was formed in 2004 by Brian Eckersley and James O’Callaghan after many years working separately as Chartered Engineers. Both founding Directors complement their structural engineering experience with a background in architecture. They have been presented with their ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard. For more information on how they may be able to assist you, visit http://www.eckersleyocallaghan.com/

Solutions4Health

Solutions4Health is a highly innovative, flexible, independent provider of telehealth and health improvement services. We work in the heart of the community and we really go the extra mile in taking services to where clients are instead of waiting for them to come to us. For example, we have a fleet of vans converted into mobile clinics, which allows us to deliver health services at taxi ranks, industrial estates, supermarkets and other accessible locations.
They have been presented with their ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 standards at their presentation. For information on how they may be able to assist you, visit http://www.solutions4health.co.uk

Brewery fined after worker loses fingers

A brewery has been prosecuted for safety breaches after an employee lost two fingers in unguarded machinery.

The 32 year-old worker, who does not wish to be named, was trying to clear a blockage in a grain dust extractor at the brewery in Dorset during a night shift on 27 August 2012. He reached into the chute of the extractor to dislodge the build-up, but his right hand made contact with the rotary valve, which was still running. His middle and index fingers were severed. He has had to five operations and was only recently able to return to work full time.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which today (8 July 2013) prosecuted the brewery at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court for a breach of safety legislation. The court was told that the company had re-located the grain dust extractor from its old brewhouse, where it had been outside the building. In its new location, the operatives had been tasked with emptying it when necessary.

HSE found that they had failed to identify the risks associated with the grain dust extractor in its new location. It was foreseeable that employees would try to deal with a blockage if one occurred and an alternative system should have been provided to prevent access by workers to dangerous moving parts. The Brewery, Dorset, was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Fiona Coffey said:

An employee has suffered painful and needless injuries because of the failure by the company to put simple safety measures in place.

This was an incident that could have easily been prevented by carrying out a suitable assessment of the risks presented by the new location of the extractor. This would have identified the need for guarding to prevent access to the dangerous rotary valve within the chute.

The company should also have provided employees with information and instruction on how they wished potential blockages within the extractor to be dealt with. In the absence of these measures, an employee has suffered a serious injury.

For further information please go to: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm

Have you met Mike and the team at TLA Business Services?

After meeting Mike Tombs at a Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce event, a chance referral meeting has led to striking up a partnership relationship.

TLA Business Services is no ordinary accountancy practice. There are plenty of accountants who will ‘do’ your books; tell you how much you made (or lost!) last year and produce the returns that will keep you on the right side of the law and the taxman. And that, apart from sending you a bill, is where it usually ends. But if you want an accountant who will make a real difference to your business, then you should talk.

They are motivated by your bottom line and inspired by the challenge of helping you to grow your business and prosper. They can help you formulate an effective long-term strategy, then put that strategy in place with carefully applied metrics, so you know exactly where you are going and how you are performing against your potential and your competitors. If you need investment, they can help you make your case and find the right investor. If you are looking for an exit that will ensure a comfortable retirement, they’ll work with you to achieve that goal.

Their services are aimed at already-established clients of TLA, and potential clients that may want to explore the value added aspects they can offer, whilst keeping the use of their existing accountants for the routine compliance work.

Remember, not all accountants are equal. Visit TLA Business Services and find out how some are more equal than others.

TLA, who are based in Worcester, are also now starting to cover the West Midlands.

For any client of ISO who would like to explore the options of the services that Mike & his team offer, you can expect to receive a 10% discount off their standard fees. More information can be found at http://www.tlaservices.co.uk

M is for Management Review Meetings, N is for non-conformance, O is for Objectives…

Management Review Meetings

Management Review Meetings are in place to evaluate the management system that a company has in place at planned intervals. They should also include the assessment of opportunities for improvement through effective objective setting.

Non-Conformance

Non-Conformance is when something happens within the business that should not have happened and once recorded provides an opportunity for improvement. Non-conformances are spilt up between Internal and External. Internal: What went wrong internally, perhaps goods got sent to the wrong delivery address? External: Customer complaints and actions documented.

Objective

The dictionary meaning of an Objective is a specific result that a person or system aims to achieve within a time frame and with available resources. The quality objectives within a management standard will either drive strategic improvements throughout the organisation, significantly elevating the importance of the quality management system, or they’ll simply become a meaningless exercise in data collection. The basic requirements for quality objectives are quite simple:

• Establish quality objectives at relevant functions and levels.
• Make sure they’re measurable.
• Include objectives needed to meet product requirements.
• Communicate to all personnel the meaning of the objectives and how each person
• helps to achieve them.
• During management reviews, evaluate the need for changes to quality objectives.

Four places remain – Are you booked on?

Our next Environmental Manager Training course is being held on the 16th October 2013.

Environmental Manager training will cover the following topics, as well as allowing for question & answer sessions on the day:

• What is ISO 14001:2004?
• Principles of Environmental Management
• The role of an Environmental Manager
• How to identify the Environmental aspects and measure the impact of these aspects
• Environmental objective setting and a guide to Environmental legislation
• How to use ISO 14001 to identify areas where cost savings can be identified or captured
• How to communicate the benefits and monitor the success within the company
• How to integrate ISO 14001 into your daily business activities
• Continuous improvement
• A guide to internal auditing

To register your interest in attending this course, please send an email to admin@isoqsltd.com, and we will provide you with further information, or visit https://www.isoqsltd.com/training/

Finding the leadership within you from a little help with Jenga and Plasticine

Wednesday 3rd July 2013 saw three members of ISO Quality Services attend a Leadership Training Course held by the Leadership Trust at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. The Leadership Trust have recently become a patron of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, they hold courses at the Chamber, as well as all over the country.

The Leadership Trust are based in Weston under Penyard, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. The Trust was founded in 1975 by David Gilbert-Smith as an independent charitable trust, after serving with the Special Forces he knew that the leadership principles he practiced in the Special Air Service were just as relevant in the commercial world.

Catherine Price and Jenni Collins attended the course which they found took a more holistic approach to leadership training including some practical tasks. The girls were joined with around 5 others who also took part on the course that day.

The course seemed to be designed around thinking about what makes a good leader and what leadership qualities would inspire and motivate you personally. The practical activities were then designed to allow you to reflect on how you worked as a team, and what good leadership and team player qualities you thought you may or may not have. The course also touched upon thinking of how you personally deal with scenarios that don’t go to plan, and whether you blame yourself or others.

The practical activities included in the course saw the group ‘building Jenga towers’ and designing their own restaurant and menu with the help of Plasticine.

Pictured: Jenni Collins, Accounts Manager (second from left) with her team

Catherine Price, Client Relationship Office Manager, commented:

It was a good day full of practicals which I am not used to, I am more of a theoretical learner. However it made me realise a few things about my management style without being preached at, looking at the way I operate, behave etc. and how this can have an effect on my team. It also made me think about what I can do to improve my management style.

The group brainstormed thoughts on ‘How to be the best leader’ and ‘Your Leadership Considerations’ when leading others.

‘To be the best leader’

‘Your Leadership Considerations when leading others’

Jenni and Catherine both commented that The course is built to be very interactive and hands-on, so there is no shying away! A good course based on an holistic approach to learning about yourselves and your leadership skills.

What are you waiting for – why not see what type of leader you are, maybe you’ll be surprised by the skills you already have?
For more information on The Leadership Trust contact 01989 767667 or visit http://www.leadership.org.uk/
For more information on joining the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce visit http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/

Networking events and seminars we are attending in July – August 2013

Chamber Group Expo – Birmingham Chamber of Commerce (Booking Essential if exhibiting)

Date of Event: 16/08/2013
Cost: FREE
Time: 10.00 – 15.00
Venue: The NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT
Website: http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3848

Refer a Friend

Receive a free case of wine or a £50 Marks & Spencer’s Voucher… the choice is yours!

(To qualify for this you must refer a successful lead)

To offer your referrals please contact – admin@isoqsltd.com or call 01905 670 303