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ISO 9001: How can it benefit my company?
Gaining ISO 9001:2000 certification shows your customers that you can meet their requirements CONSISTENTLY! It also provides companies with a system to monitor and maintain customer satisfaction through 'continuous improvement'.

What about ISO 14001?
ISO 14001:2004 provides industry with a useful model for managing and improving environmental impacts resulting from business operations.

And OHSAS 18001?
OHSAS 18001 provides industry with a useful model for managing health & safety risks resulting from business operations, and for improving OH&S performance.

Why is an IRCA-registered course so important?
Choosing an IRCA-registered course provides trainees with the assurance that the standard of training they will receive is internationally recognised and approved.

What is an 'Internal Auditor'?
An 'Internal Auditor' is a competent individual who monitors their organisation's Management System on a regular basis.

So what is a 'Lead Auditor', then?
A 'Lead Auditor' (or 'Principal Auditor') is a competent individual who monitors other organisations' Management Systems on behalf of their own, or on a 'Third Party' basis, for a UKAS-approved Certification Body.

What is SQMC?
SQMC Ltd. ( Scotland ) is a private company dedicated to the provision of cost-effective management systems training and consultancy. SQMC comprises a highly qualified staff with the necessary expertise and background to advise on the introduction and implementation of Quality, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety Management systems and techniques across a broad range of industries. Our first-time pass rate since 1998 averages 97% for QMS Lead Auditor courses - 20% HIGHER than all other IRCA training organisations (average figures from 2001). Our 'Internal Quality Auditor' training course has a pass rate of 99.9% - devised from average results over recent years.

Do SQMC conduct audits for their clients?
Yes!

Who audits SQMC?
SQMC is an IRCA-approved Training Organisation and our standard of training is monitored by scheduled visits by an IRCA Reviewing Officer.

Audits take time, and I'm very busy. What other ways can SQMC help me?
SQMC can supply a vastly experienced IRCA-registered Auditor to do Internal or External auditing for you - either as a "one-off", to cover for absent staff, or on a regular schedule to suit your needs.

What other Auditor training do you offer?
We provide training for Food Safety Management Systems, TS 16949 (ideally suited to the automotive industry), Food Safety Management Systems, Information Security Management Systems, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Problem Solving workshops, Quality Improvement Teams, Process Mapping, the European Excellence Model (EFQM), the Baldrige National Quality Program (MBQA).

We've also pioneered 'hybrid courses', which combine Quality with Environmental or Health & Safety; and Environmental combined with Health & Safety. These are available as 2-day Internal Auditor programmes on your own premises, and are a time and cost-effective solution for organisations that need multi-skilled Auditors FAST.

I have some more questions - how can I contact you?
It's best to telephone our technical enquiries helpline on +44 (0)1383 852 725. Our offices are open 9am 'til 5pm, Monday to Friday. Out-of-hours contact can be made either through our online form (see menu on the left), or by email: admin@sqmc.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

EXPERIENCED AUDITORS

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January ’08 Management Meeting, celebrating our 10th year as a Limited Company, separate from Stirling University

November 2008

Last year in Great Britain, according to provisional figures of work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain issued by the Health and Safety Executive (30 July 2008), 228 workers lost their lives as a result of a workplace accident. A further 28,000 workers suffered major injuries in the form of broken limbs, amputations and serious burns. Over 2 million people have illnesses that were either caused or made worse by work.
That’s 35 million working days lost.

Anyone responsible for Health & Safety should be the first to learn about new standards in Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) to protect their employees, and to protect their company. SQMC offer in-house OH&S courses on Internal Auditing, plus an Introductory Workshop on OHSAS 18001:2007, as well as public courses. Contact us for details (admin@SQMC.co.uk).

ISO 9001:2008!

It’s almost here! By the end November we expect that the revised Standard will be published. We are pleased to announce that the remaining QMS courses in November and December will be to the ‘new’ Standard. Also, we have planned a series of half-day Workshops throughout the country, starting in December, called “ISO9001 Update” to ease the transition from 2000 to 2008. Call us for details of these Workshops.

October 2008

ISO 9001:2008!

At the end of this month we expect that the revised Standard will be published. Although not likely to contain any major changes from the “2000” version nevertheless whatever changes it does contain will have to be addressed by organisations presently registered.

SQMC is geared up to pass on advice to these organisations as to what changes will be necessary to their documentation and operations. Call Ian Hannah on 01383 852 725 to hear how your organisation might be affected, and what to do about it.

We are pleased to announce that the remaining QMS courses in November and December will be to the ‘new’ Standard. Also, we have planned a series of half-day Workshops throughout the country called “ISO9001 Update” to ease the transition from 2000 to 2008. Call us for details of these Workshops.

September 2008

(EFQM: Brussels) -- EFQM, a nonprofit membership foundation headquartered in Brussels, has announced the 11 finalists of the EFQM Excellence Award 2008. From this list of finalists, the award and prize winners will be named on October 28 in the Musée du Louvre at EFQM’s award dinner in Paris.

The organizations on the short list represent a diversity of size, scope, sector, and geographical reach. The finalists are located from Spain to Russia, from Northern Ireland to Turkey, covering the full geographical area of the continent.

EFQM has spent more than 20 years sharing what works between its member organizations to help them implement their strategies. Through a network of more than 700 active members, comprising companies of every size and sector, EFQM applies its knowhow and extracts outstanding approaches by engaging with executives and front-line managers.

The EFQM Forum, October 27–29 in Paris, includes a gala dinner to celebrate the annual winners of the EFQM Excellence Award.

For more information, visit www.efqm.org/Default.aspx?tabid=94


SQMC public courses in the East of Scotland are available at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Carnegie College campus, Dunfermline.

Forthcoming (Public) Training Courses -

Internal AeroSpace Auditor (ISO 9001 & AS 9100) November 5 & 6 (Prestwick)
Internal Health & Safety Auditor (OHSAS 18001:2007) November 19 & 20 (Dunfermline)
Lead QMS Auditor (ISO 9001:2008) November 24 – 28 (Dunfermline)
Internal Quality Auditor (ISO 9001:2008) December 3 & 4 (Dunfermline)
Process Mapping Workshop; January 21 (Prestwick)
Integrated Management Systems (ISO 19,011:2002) January 22 (Prestwick)
Customer Care; January 26 & 27 (Dunfermline)
Process Mapping Workshop; February 2 (Dunfermline)
ISO 9001:2008 UPDATE Workshop (for current QMS Auditors) February 3 (Dunfermline)
Internal AeroSpace Auditor (ISO 9001 & AS 9100) February 4 & 5 (Prestwick)
Statistical Process Control; February 9 & 10 (Dundee)
Integrated Management Systems (ISO 19,011:2002) February 27 (Prestwick)
Customer Care; March 2 & 3 (Prestwick)
IRCA Internal QMS Auditor (ISO 9001:2008) March 4 & 5 (Dunfermline)
Process Mapping Workshop; March 9 (Dunfermline)
Environmental Foundation Workshop (ISO 14001:2004) March 10 (Dunfermline)
Internal EMS Auditor (ISO 14001:2004) March 11 & 12 (Dunfermline)