May 2013 Newsletter

15 May, 2013

Welcome to the May issue of the ISO Quality Services Limited newsletter,
where we seem to have had our first few weeks of the sun; long may it continue!

What’s in this issue?

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients
Health and Safety News – Building firm sentenced after employee falls to his death
D is for Document Control, E is for Efficiency, F is for Financial Reward
Update announced for ISO 9001
ISO Quality Services Limited attend the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group Annual Dinner & Awards 2013
Updated National Minimum Wage Rates Announced
Networking Events we attending through May – June 2013
Quality Manager Training Day – SOLD OUT

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients

Netcetera Limited

Netcetera Limited were formed in 1996 and are based in the Isle of Man.  They have achieved their ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Standard with us. They have previously achieved ISO 9001:2008 Quality & ISO 27001:2005 Information Security Management Standards.

The company is one of Europe’s leading Web Hosting service providers, with customers in over 75 countries worldwide. As the premier provider of Datacentre Co-location, Cloud Hosting, Dedicated Servers and Managed Web Hosting Services in the UK, Netcetera offers an array of services designed to more effectively manage IT infrastructures.

Their state-of-the-art data centre environment enables the company to offer your business enterprise level co-location and hosted solutions. For more information on Netcetera and how they may be able to help your business – http://www.netcetera.co.uk

EPC UK

EPC UK is a leading provider of Energy Performance Certificates throughout the UK and are based in Sheffield. They have achieved there ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard. The company offers a fast, friendly and honest service. Whether it’s a Commercial EPC in London or a Domestic EPC in Sheffield you need look no further than EPC UK.

Their extensive experience of Energy Assessing means we ensure that you can be confident knowing that your buildings’ Energy ratings are correct. They expect the use of the certificate to widen in the future increasing the importance of achieving a correct Energy rating for your building. For information on how they may be able to provide their services to your business visit – http://www.epc-uk.co.uk

Building firm sentenced after employee falls to his death

A building firm and one of its directors have been sentenced after an employee fell 15 metres to his death in an empty water storage tank in Macclesfield. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the company and day to day Director following an investigation into the death of an employee on 14 August 2008.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on 8 April 2013 that the 45-year-old from Liverpool and a colleague had started work at the farm, three days earlier. They had been constructing brick manhole chambers above the circular tank, approximately 7.5 metres in diameter, which had been installed to collect flood water.

A HSE investigation found they had not been given sufficient information or a risk assessment for the job, and were not given any advice about working above the storage tank by their employer. The director responsible for the day-to-day running of the company visited the site the day before the incident and saw both men working over the exposed openings in the tank. However, he took no action to put safety measures in place.

On the day of the incident, the deceased’s colleague had gone to collect a saw but when he turned back around he could no longer see his colleague. His body was found at the bottom of the storage tank. The company, which is in administration, and the Director pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of workers. The company of Wilmslow received a nominal fine of £50 and was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £24,974. The Director of Chorley was fined £30,000 with no costs.

James, one of the brothers of the deceased, said:

“My brother was the glue that held us together after the loss of our parents. He is missed so much that it hurts. Every day I say to myself he should be here with us where he is loved so much. It should have been old age that took him away but it was not.”

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Kevin Jones said:

“He sadly lost his life because his employer didn’t give any thought to his safety as he worked above a 15-metre deep tank. There were several ways the work could have been carried out safely, such as using a harness, installing a guardrail around the opening, or providing temporary covers. However, the Company is question and the Director chose none of these. This case shows how health and safety when working at height doesn’t just affect work being carried out at the top of buildings. The risks are just as great at lower levels if there’s the potential for someone to fall a distance likely to cause serious injury.”

Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace deaths in the construction industry. Information on preventing falls is available at www.hse.gov.uk/falls.

D is for Document Control, E is for Efficiency, F is for Financial Reward

Document Control is ensuring that the most current version is in use by issuing a document with a reference and issue number so that the correct version of the document is used at all times.

By having a Quality Management system in place, this creates improved internal efficiencies as everyone is running to the standard in the work place, for example using the Document Control as listed above.

By having the ISO Management standards in place, in time, if your standard is proactively used should give you a form of financial reward. Would you like to save time in filling in Tender requests? Would you like to save time & money improving internal efficiencies? How about using ISO for your Marketing strategy, could it elevate you above your competitors?

ISO 9001 Update Announced

It has been announced that the ISO 9001:2008 will be updated in 2015. This will make integration with other ISO standards much easier. Stay tuned and we will keep you posted on more news when it becomes available.

ISO Quality Services Limited attend the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group Annual Dinner & Awards 2013

On Thursday 18th April 2013 ISO employees Jennifer Appleton, Operations Director and Chantall Herbert, Business Development Executive were lucky enough to have the chance to attend the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group Annual Dinner & Awards 2013.

The annual Dinner and awards evening was held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Birmingham and is the most prestigious event in the business calendar. This year the event attracted over 800 delegates to the ICC. This year the annual event was even more special to the Chamber of Commerce, as they celebrate its 200 year anniversary in 2013.

This black tie dinner attracted key influences, decision makers, business owners and senior managers from a wide range of business sectors and sizes. The well-established keynote event has been the largest cross-sector business dinner in the region for several years.

For this special evening we were invited to be in the company of Steve Brittan, President Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Lord Michael Heseltine who was the speaker for the evening. As a Cabinet minister, Lord Heseltine was involved in both the Thatcher and Major governments and has proved a staunch advocate of Birmingham and the Chamber of Commerce. He has been extremely forceful in his belief that Chambers should have a lead role in galvanising the support of other business organisation.

We entered the prize draw on the evening for the Charity of the event, Little Hearts Matter who had arranged some fabulous prizes to be won, including a 4-ball on the PGA golf course at the Belfry, a place on a 5 day Leadership course. The charity offers support and information to and represents the needs of the children and families following a diagnosis of a single ventricle heart disease or a child only having half a heart. We will be fund raising for Little Hearts Matter in May by having a cake and onesie day!

For more information on the charity visit www.lhm.org.uk/

As well as being party to powerful speeches, a charity prize draw, a beautiful 3 course meal, we were lucky enough to see 8 businesses presented with their awards for the evening which included:

• Excellence in International Business
• Excellence in Customer Service
• Excellence in People Development
• Excellence in Contributing to the Community
• Excellence in Environmental Management
• Excellence in Innovation
• Future Face of Business
• President’s Award

For more details on being part of this prestigious event next year or to see why the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce would be beneficial to you and your business, visit http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/Membership/Why-chamber.aspx

Updated National Minimum Wage Rates Announced

Each year the Government release details of the new national minimum wages that come into force later this year, specifically on 1st October 2013.

The below information details the new hourly rates applicable to the different age groups of workers:

Employers are encouraged to start to budget now for these increases that will be effective later in the year.

Networking Events we are attending through May – June 2013

The Clarke Associates’ Social Media Breakfast

Date: 21.05.13
Cost: Free
Venue: The Old School House, Chapel Lane, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6JX
Website: http://www.clarke-associates.co.uk
Contact: karen-s@clarke-associates.co.uk

Chamber ‘Steam’ Networking

Date: 22.05.2013
Cost: £15.00 for Non-Members – £10.00 for Members
Venue: Tyseley Locomotive Works, 670 Warwick Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, B11 2HL
Contact: http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3803

Networking with the Neighbours

Date: 23.05.13
Cost: £8.33 for Non-Members – Free for Members
Venue: Woodland Grange Conference Centre, Old Milverton Lane, Leamington Spa, CV32 6RN
Contact: http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3701

Birmingham Chamber Expo

Date: 06.06.13
Time: 10:00 – 15:00
Cost: £10.00 for Non-Members – Free for Members
Venue: Drayton Manor Theme Park, Near Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3TW
Contact – http://www.birmingham-chamber.com/BCCG/Events/EventDetails.aspx?event=3798

The Business Show

Date & Time: Thursday 6th June 10am – 6pm & Friday 7th June 10am – 5pm
Cost: Register for free tickets – https://tickets.prysmgroup.co.uk/gbbs/77/?BGS3TBS29
Venue: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
Contact: http://www.greatbritishbusinessshow.co.uk/

Quality Manager Training Day – SOLD OUT

The recently advertised Quality Manager Training Day on the 22nd May at our offices in Worcester has now sold out. More dates for later in the year will follow soon for anyone who didn’t get chance to book. If you would like to register your interest for the next course email admin@isoqsltd.com today to be put straight onto the list!