Safety and Environmental Systems must be initiated because of legislation but they need not be certified to International Standards.
Yet most companies have a Quality System that is certified to an International Standards but a QMS is not required by legislation.
Facilitators Notes: Have the class break into groups and discuss these questions. They are to put their answers on a flipchart and then discuss their findings to the rest of the class.
In short:
Safety Systems are put in place to protect people.
Environment Systems are put in place to protect the planet.
Quality Systems are put in place to protect the product and therefore the company.
Expand on these answers and question the floor. Why do we want to protect people? Why do we want to protect the Planet? These should be self explanatory. Why do we want to protect the Product? Because ultimately it protects our business which in turn protects us both financially and securely. What would we be doing if we did not have a job today? What if we lost a major customer? What would happen to our business and our job security?
Ensure that the class understands the links between a quality product and business viability.
Explain Certification and the reasons companies do it voluntarily. They choose to have the QMS in place. There are often outside forces, usually, customer pressure. The Certificate is a sales tool and a business tool.
Facilitators Notes: Open discussion:
Address these questions to the class. Write the responses in dot point form on a Flipchart or Board for the class to compare the reasons. Highlight the commonality between the systems and that they are ALL PROTECTION systems in their own right. They each protect a resource.
Facilitators Notes: Link the Safety and Environmental System ‘Protection’ thinking to the responses to these questions. In this way everyone should understand that each system should be viewed in the same light. None more important than the other. They each have the same thought process: To PREVENT INJURY or DAMAGE to PEOPLE, PLANET and PRODUCT
What does a Quality System aid us in?
A Quality system aids us in reducing damage to the Process and Product by implementing Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions that dictate How, When and why we perform tasks.
How does the Quality System aid in doing this?
By having Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions a QMS gives us repeatability. We will all have the same goals and rules to ensure that processes are maintained, Work instructions followed, Systems improved and Product guaranteed.
Facilitators Notes: Who makes us Implement a Quality Management System? Good business practices dictate that we must endeavor to produce the best product. Our customers expect it and we in turn expect it when we purchase goods. A good QMS is a must a business aims to reduce risk to the product.
Facilitators Notes: Review the previous responses. Highlight the common factors.
All have written procedures (Doc Control and Records)
All offer Protection (Process Control)
All have Incident Reporting and Investigation (CAPA)
All have Reviews and Audits (Internal Audits)
Facilitators Notes: Highlight recent Examples:
Additional Photos of a hazard or a live example would benefit the students understanding of a Risk. Explain reporting methods etc
Facilitators Notes: Highlight Recent Examples
Additional Photos of a hazard or a live example would benefit the students understanding of a Risk. Explain reporting methods etc
Facilitators Notes: Expand on ‘How we Comply’ and Why we need to comply. Explain the benefits to US!
Show the Standard and Work Instructions etc
Explain the Work Instructions (What and who they are designed for, Continual review and improvement)
Facilitators Notes: Get the class to discuss REPEATABILITY.
What are the facets that we want to look for in a completed task or product? The order is more than a number on a chart to be completed.
Conformity to In house Specifications
Conformity to the Customer Specifications
Conformity to the Order (Tonnage, Amount, Price, Time etc)
Packaging requirements and Standards
Transport Arrangements, Deadlines, Costs
Facilitators Notes: The ONUS is on everyone to ensure that the systems work. All the paperwork and procedures in the world are not going to produce a quality product unless PEOPLE ensure that they are followed. They must adhere, monitor, report, improve etc
Facilitators Notes: This is a good place to show them the standard and the management principles. Explain that the system should be more than Quality Assurance and Control but a total Business System Package.
What are we doing, How are we going to get there and how are we going to keep improving?