ISO Quality Services – September 2013 Newsletter

16 Sep, 2013

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

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients
Health and Safety News – Kent firm in court over building site “shambles”
Why choose Roger and the team at Harvey Stone?
P is for Preventive Action, Q is for Quality and R is for Record Control…
Is your eye on the ball? Tips for filling in tenders
Are you environmentally aware?
Health and Safety can only work if you understand the concept
Networking events and seminars we are attending in September – October 2013
Refer a friend

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Client

Gen2 Systems Limited

On Wednesday 7th August 2013, Gen2 Systems Limited were presented with their ISO 9001:2008 Quality and ISO 27001:2005 Information Security standards. Their company offers ground-breaking industry leading software solutions exclusively designed for commercial aviation and are based in Tamworth, Staffordshire. They are assisting a growing number of airlines and lessors to effectively manage aircraft records daily and re-deliver aircraft off lease on time; through the use of intuitive, advanced and user-friendly software, robust document management processes and high quality electronic imaging.

Gen2 Systems Limited is driving the paperless office revolution and today is contracted to provide records management solutions for leading operators and lessors in based in Europe, Asia and North America. Gen2 Systems Limited also offers specialist high quality technical and business consultancy services from its worldwide offices. For more information on the company, please call 01827 289186, or visit http://www.flydocs.aero

Health and Safety News – Kent firm in court over building site “shambles”

An Kent-based building company has been prosecuted for repeatedly failing to manage risks on a construction site and exposing workers to needless risk of injury.

Canterbury Magistrates were told today (20 August) that the development site in Ramsgate, had been visited by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspectors seven times in five months.  Between July and November 2012, HSE visited the site in Ramsgate where the company was redeveloping a restaurant into flats. The court heard that on one visit, Inspectors had had no choice but to stop some work at the site immediately owing to the dangers faced by workers of falling from height and issues with electrical safety.

The company was served with three prohibition notices halting specified work activities, and two improvement notices setting out required improvements to safety standards. The site manager was also issued with a prohibition notice because the operation of the site was far below minimum legal safety standards. HSE found issues relating to fire safety, accumulation of rubble, debris and bricks falling into a neighbouring property, and site security.

The company, of Kent, was found guilty in their absence to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to comply with an Improvement Notice and guilty to a breach of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. Magistrates fined the company, which had failed to appear at court for the second time, a total of £40,000 and ordered them to pay costs of £10,035.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Caroline Penwill said:

There were elements of this development that had evidently become a shambles – but a dangerous one. If HSE visits a construction site and has to issue prohibition notices preventing further work, that in itself shows that there is a very real and immediate risk to workers there, and possibly to members of the public.

The company failed on several fronts to safeguard the workforce from risks that are well known in the construction industry. They either did not identify those risks or neglected to manage them effectively. Proper management of work activities and competent site supervision are essential but the company fell well below the required standards.

For advice and information on construction safety, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction

For more information on health and safety management systems visit https://www.isoqsltd.com/iso-certification/bs-ohsas-18001/

Why choose Roger and the team at Harvey Stone?

Hiring is what you do when you let the world know that you’re accepting applications from people looking for a job. Recruiting is the act of finding the very best person for a job and persuading them to stop doing what they’re doing and come join you.

Business is tough and has got even harder recently, that’s why every company needs the best people to be able to prosper in these difficult economic times. Harvey Stone can find you those people, they can help companies not only source, but encourage and retain the very best staff with their unique packages to cover every need.

They can offer tailor made packages for every type of recruitment process and need, together with up to date salary and benefit scales. Harvey Stone are also able to offer a full HR service covering contracts, disciplinary and redundancy as well as the less common issues companies now face through our fully qualified associates.

Harvey Stone was formed in 2001 by Roger Vanstone who already had 16 years recruitment experience under his belt. His case studies from that experience include one recovery and two start-ups in a wide range of business sectors including IT and telecoms, HR, Sales and Marketing, Accountancy and Engineering.

What people say about them?

Roger truly is one of those recruitment professionals that stands out from the crowd and takes the time to fully understand your requirements before going to work finding that all important perfect match – 5 Stars!

Highly professional, extremely knowledgeable, totally client focused and excellent at finding the round peg for the round hole!

So why should you use Harvey Stone for your recruitment needs?

• Personal service without the hard sell attitude.
• Extensive database.
• A thorough understanding of business needs and issues.
• Correctly vetted candidates
• Full referencing of candidates.
• Tailor made fee structure including a pay as you go where the fee is charged over 12 months provided the candidate remains with you.
• Fixed cost recruitment campaign management.

As a special offer to ISO Quality Services’ friends, Harvey Stone are able to offer the following:

• A free recruitment assessment designed to show you if the company needs to use a recruiter or should in fact recruit themselves.
  Plus…
• They will also do a free audit of your employment contracts and staff handbooks!

What are you waiting for? To take advantage of the above special offer, simply get in touch with the team and Quote: ISO QSL

For more information on how Roger and his team will be able to help with your recruitment needs, visit them at www.harvey-stone.co.uk or contact them at info@harvey-stone.co.uk or call 0845 643 9896

P is for Preventive Action, Q is for Quality and R is for Record Control…

Preventive Action

Preventive Action is pro-active. It is an action undertaken to lower the risk of potential issues happening or to stop it from becoming too severe i.e. installing computer back up to ensure nothing is lost.

Quality

The official Quality definition of a quality system from ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is ‘the management system used to direct and control an organisation with regard to quality’. Quality is always relative to a set of requirements.

Record Control

Record Control is a record is a completed document. Record control is the method by which a company makes finding individual records efficient. It can also refer to how it files, removes and destroys individual records.

Is your eye on the ball? Tips for filling in tenders

I’d never really had too much to do with tenders or tender writing, until I joined ISO Quality Services Ltd. We’d had a couple of tenders to complete so we could apply to be the providers of private companies’ ISO Standards. On the other side of it, most tenders require an audit trail/Quality Management System in place, that’s where we come in. We can provide ISO Certification to companies that apply for tenders which require the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard in place.

At the beginning of July, at the crack of dawn, I attended a tender breakfast seminar held by the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. I was unsure on what or how much detail the course would provide, however I was very much surprised. I found the seminar to be presented by someone not only who had relevant experience, approachable and there to help! A rare quality to find in presenters.

The Tendering Timeline for Public Sectors

• Advert
• Expression of Interest – EOI
• PQQ
• ITT
• Tender Submission
• Bid Clarification
• Presentations
• Evaluation
• Decision
• Award Contract Start

They are allowed to extend deadlines on tenders; they are NOT allowed to reduce them.  There is usually a cooling off period of 10 days from when the decision has been made to when the contract starts. This is usually for companies who have not won the tender the opportunity to claim foul play or ask any questions.

Just started looking at tenders and not sure where to start? Have a look at these top tips for filling in tenders:

1. There are public and private tenders.
2. Public tenders usually come from organisations such as councils, schools, universities, government services and NHS trusts.
3. You have to bespoke tenders – it is no good copy and pasting from existing tenders/quotations you have already filled in.
4. If the tender information pack has information sent with it about company, make sure you include this in tender, as this is how you score points.
5. If the organisation you are tendering has a mission statement on its website, make sure you add bits of the statement into the tender – you will score points.
6. Local authorities talk to each other, they can refer you to apply for a tender.
7. Procurement Officers are bound to give you feedback, depending on the Procurement Officer depends on the amount of feedback you get. Always call, do NOT email.
8. Case studies offer – added value, and can make your company appear more attractive. Make sure the case studies are relevant to the tender you are applying for.
9. You may be asked to say why you are a better supplier, than the supplier already with the contract. If they give you a work count, make sure you do not go over it.
10. Don’t waste time at ‘Expression of Interest’ stage – just call and ask for an information pack.
11. If you are thinking should I go for this tender – always think to yourself: “Can I prove my product? Can I prove my case studies? Can I deliver my product?”
12. Understand the scoring – if they don’t tell you on the tender, ring and ask, in most cases they will send it to you. Most tenders usually use a weighting system.
13. If you get further than the PQQ you are probably amongst the shortlist of 5 or 6 (of which one will be chosen). If you can, try find out who the other 5 or 6 are.
14. Method Statement & Case Studies carry the high points.
15. Watch out for PASS/FAIL questions – if you fail on a question, then this will be the end of the tender process for your company.
16. In some cases Tender/Procurement Officers are now using credit scoring companies.
17. In some cases Insurance cover can now be a PASS/FAIL question.
18. If the tender value you are applying for is a certain percentage of your turnover – you could FAIL.

If the above information has been as useful as it was me to me, then I’m glad. I found the morning to be insightful and to the point. If you want to know more about tenders contact the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce where you can opt in to their service to receive tender alerts, or you could attend a more in depth course.

Are you environmentally aware?

Do you have questions surrounding the following?

• The role of an Environmental Manager?
• How to identify the aspects and measure the impact of these aspects?
• Legislation?
• How to set environmental objectives?
• How to identify areas where cost savings can be made?

Our next Environmental Manager Training course is being held on the 16th October 2013.  The course will allow for a question & answer session throughout the day.

The cost of this course:

Per Delegate: £295.00 plus VAT.
Per Delegate: £195.00 plus VAT (booking more than 1 place)

For more information on the above course, please visit: https://www.isoqsltd.com/environmentally-aware/

‘Health and Safety can only work if you understand the concept’

Do you have questions surrounding the following?

• Concepts of risk and hazard?
• Concepts of a safe work environment?
• Hazard identification and differentiation between hazard and risk?
• Principles of risk control/s – workplace precautions?
• Safety law and risk assessment legislation?
• Risk assessment, risk analysis and risk management?
• Risk Assessment and the relationship with BS OHSAS 18001:2007?

Our next Risk Assessment Training course is being held on the Tuesday 5th November 2013 (½ day – morning session). The course will allow for a question & answer session throughout the day.

The cost of this course:

Per Delegate £150.00 plus VAT.

For more information on the above course, please visit https://www.isoqsltd.com/health-safety-can-work-understand-concept/

Book a place on either of the above courses by the 30th September to receive our early bird 10% reduction! Please contact Catherine or Lynne on 01905 670303 or clientrelationship@isoqsltd.com

Networking events and seminars we are attending in September – October 2013

Maximising Your Membership 2013

Date of Event 20/09/2013
Cost: FREE for Members, FREE for Non-Members
Time: 09.30 – 11.30
Venue: H&W Chamber Office, Worcester WR4 9NE
Website: http://www.hwchamber.co.uk/

Resource Efficiency Forum at Southco Manufacturing

Date of Event 24/09/2013
Cost: FREE for Members, FREE for Non-Members
Time: 08.00am – 10.00am
Venue: Southco Manufacturing Ltd, Worcester WR4 9FA
Website: http://www.hwchamber.co.uk/

Premier Seminar Series: Opportunities in the Construction Sector

Date of Event 25/09/2013
Cost: £12.00 (Inc. VAT)
Time: 08.00am – 10.00am
Venue: Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, 75 Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DH
Website: http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3869

Chamber Business Awards 2013 Tickets

Date of Event 26/09/2013
Cost: £84.00 Members (includes VAT) / £108.00 Non-members (includes VAT)
Time: 19.00 – 23.30
Venue: Chateau Impney Hotel, Droitwich Spa WR9 0BN
Website: http://www.hwchamber.co.uk/

Maximise Your Membership

Date of Event 01/10/2013
Cost: FREE for Members, FREE for Non-Members
Time: 09.30 – 11.30
Venue: Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, 75 Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DH
Website: http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3868

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