ISO Requirements
Specific criteria aligned with globally recognised best practices.
ISO requirements refer to the specific criteria outlined in ISO standards that organizations must meet to achieve certification.
These requirements ensure that a company’s management systems (whether for quality, environmental, or safety management) are aligned with globally recognized practices.
Each ISO standard has its own set of requirements, which are grouped into different clauses or sections.
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental, international development organisation composed of representatives from the national standards organisations of member countries. Founded in 1947, they have published over 25,000 international standards covering almost all aspects of technology and manufacturing. The organisation develops and published international standards in technical and non-technical fields. Today, there are three common standards businesses seek ISO accreditation in. They are:
- 9001 – Quality Management Systems;
- 14001 – Environmental Management Systems;
- 45001 – Workplace Health & Safety Management Systems.
Having a robust management system is crucial in the working at height sector because it provides a structured framework to maintain safety, ensure regulatory compliance, improve operational efficiency, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. By doing so, it protects workers, enhances client trust, and promotes long-term business success in this high-risk industry.
General Requirements Across All ISO Standards:
- Documented Information: Organizations must maintain relevant documents, procedures, and records to demonstrate compliance.
- Internal Audits: Regular internal audits are required to assess the effectiveness of the management system and ensure compliance.
- Corrective Actions: Non-conformities must be addressed, and corrective actions must be taken to prevent their recurrence.
- Management Review: Senior management must regularly review the system to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with strategic objectives.
- Continuous Improvement: ISO standards require organizations to adopt a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance performance.
Enhanced Safety Standards
The working at height sector is inherently dangerous, and a QMS ensures that all safety protocols, equipment checks, and procedures are standardized and rigorously followed. This reduces the likelihood of accidents and ensures worker protection.
Compliance with Regulations
Industries that involve working at heights are governed by strict safety regulations, such as OSHA or national safety standards. A QMS helps ensure that the business stays compliant with these regulations, avoiding penalties and ensuring legal adherence.
Systematic Risk Management
A QMS helps businesses identify, assess, and mitigate risks systematically. By establishing clear guidelines for safety inspections, equipment maintenance, and staff training, it minimizes potential hazards associated with working at heights.
Consistency and Reliability
A QMS creates consistency in processes like safety inspections, training, and equipment usage. This reliability ensures that all tasks related to working at heights are performed to a high standard, regardless of who is carrying them out, reducing errors and maintaining quality.
Customer Confidence and Trust
Implementing a QMS enhances a company’s reputation as a reliable and safety-conscious organization. Clients in sectors like construction, maintenance, or telecommunications are more likely to trust businesses that prioritize quality and safety through structured systems.
Efficient Use of Resources
A QMS streamlines processes, leading to better resource management. For example, scheduling regular inspections and preventive maintenance avoids equipment failures, thus improving overall efficiency and reducing downtime.
Continuous Improvement
Quality management systems focus on continuous improvement (as in ISO 9001). This ensures that the business is constantly evaluating and improving safety practices, staff training, equipment usage, and operational processes, helping the business stay competitive and adaptable to changes.
Improved Training and Competence
A QMS ensures that employees receive regular, standardized training on safety procedures, equipment handling, and emergency response protocols. This ensures all workers are competent and capable of adhering to safety practices while working at heights.
Incident and Accident Tracking
- Through a QMS, businesses can track, document, and analyse incidents and near misses. This enables a proactive approach to resolving issues and preventing future accidents by identifying patterns or weaknesses in the system.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Ascend QM is a business specialising in ISO consulting, particularly in the working at heights sector. Ascend QM focus on providing expert guidance and solutions to ensure safety and regulatory compliance in industries that required work in elevated environments. The company’s services include consultation on implementing ISO standards in the workplace for safe and efficient operations at heights.
This journey often starts with a gap analysis. A gap analysis is a systematic method used to assess the difference (or “gap”) between an organization’s current state and its desired future state. In the context of particular ISO standards, a gap analysis helps identify areas where a company’s existing processes, procedures, or systems fall short of the requirements needed for certification to particular standards as outlined in each standards; 9001, 14001 and 45001.
If you have an exisiting ISO Accreditation, you can undertake an internal audit with Ascend QM. An internal audit is a systematic, independent, and documented process of evaluating an organization’s operations, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance with internal policies, standards, and regulations. In the context of ISO, internal audits are a key component of the management system and serve to check whether the organisation’s processes align with the requirements of the ISO standards.