How to Prep for ISO Accreditation

Being accredited to an ISO standard is a recognition of the quality service you provide. The ISO standards are the global benchmark for ways of doing business through production, process and systems. But how do you prepare for ISO accreditation?

What are the applicable ISO standards in construction?

The standards set out the minimum requirements for how work should be done, and an assessor checks to make sure you meet those standards. The three most common ISO certifications for people in construction are:

1. ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems (OHS) - help reduce accidents in the workplace.
2. ISO 9001: Quality management systems - help work more efficiently and reduce product failures.
3. ISO 14001: Environmental management systems - help reduce environmental impacts, reduce waste and be more sustainable.

An organisation can go for one, two, or any number of ISO standards in the one accreditation.

You might be required to get ISO accredited to be a part of a tender panel or because a particular client requires it, but there are so many benefits to becoming ISO accredited. “The bottom line is the whole ISO process is about improving your business performance providing a safer workplace” says Chris Haddrill from Risk & Safety Solutions, ISO accreditation consultant.

What is a typical accreditation process like?

The total accreditation process can take between 12-18 months. So be prepared if you’re aiming to get accredited for a particular deadline!

1. Read the Standards. Firstly you would read through the ISO standard(s) to make sure your management systems are up to scratch. Have the Safety Manager, Quality Manager, and Environment/Sustainability Manager where applicable go through the system to make sure they’re happy they meet the standard requirements. Also consider if an ISO accreditation consultant would be beneficial.
2. Stage One Audit. Engage a certifying body (eg. Global Mark) who will audit you against the standard. The Stage One Audit involves one or two auditors who will come to site and comb through your whole management system(s) and assess the evidence against each of the clauses in the ISO standard. Most certifying bodies will provide you a checklist ahead of time to keep you on track. It is far more efficient to engage a specialist ISO consultant who can prepare your systems and train your team prior to engaging the certification body (eg. Risk and Safety Solutions).
3. Stage One Audit Report. After the audit, the auditors will provide you with your major and minor non-conformities if there are any. These are gaps in your system where there was not sufficient evidence to satisfy the requirements to a particular clause in the standard.
4. Address the Non-Conformities. You’ll need to address the major non-conformities and update your processes and management systems to be compliant. Depending on whats required, this process can take some time, up to six months for bigger changes. Once the organisation and the certifying body are satisfied, you can move onto the next audit.
5. Stage Two Audit. The auditors come back onto site to look for evidence that you’ve implemented the changes to address the non-conformities. This could be records for toolbox talks, inspections, incident reports, investigations, emergency drills, etc. This process is checking off that the organisation has done what it said they would do.
6. Management Reviews. Over the next twelve months, the system needs to be reviewed regularly. In the first year its recommended to have management reviews of the system every three to six months. Once you’ve had the system in place for a few years, the frequency of management reviews can drop back.
7. Certification. Once the certifying body is confident in the evidence that the organisations complies with the standard, you become certified, congratulations! There are ongoing requirements and further audits later down the track, but for now, sit back and give yourselves a round of applause.

How do I know I’m ready to go for my ISO accreditation?

You should consider getting ISO accredited when your systems are mature. That means that you’ve implemented your systems for a good six to twelve months to make sure its imbedded into your company and that everyone understands and follows the system. A good indicator that you’re ready to start the ISO accreditation journey is via your internal audits. If they indicate that your safety is improving, defects are decreasing, and incidents are decreasing, you’re probably in a good place to go for accreditation. ISO accreditation isn’t the method to develop good internal practices around safety, quality, and the environment; it is the certification that you’re following your own high calibre system.

You should also consider the buy in and support you have from the executive team. Going for accreditation will require time and money, so you should have alignment from leadership that they’re willing to dedicate the necessary resources. This could include an external consultant, hiring for a dedicated position in house, or expanding someone’s remit to include accreditation. You will also need to engage and sell in the idea to the rest of the workforce, after all they’re the ones filling out forms, snapping photos of hazards, and writing up reports. Help them to understand that it will make their lives easier, and reduce their overall paperwork time.

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