As usual, we should welcome your comments, constructive or otherwise (!) by e-mail, snail mail or even carrier pigeon.

Sometime when we speak to customers about quality, their initial thought is that we are talking about quality control. "We have people checking our quality", they say. But why control quality? You can't have too much of a good thing! Today, quality is more than about checking products, it's about improving the success of your business. A quality management system is really a management system for your business, identifying what you want to achieve, and helping you plan to achieve your goals. It involves management in setting goals and allocating resources. Yes, there is an element of checking, but not just of the product. Quality auditing is about making sure that planned activities have the desired effect.

If your business wants to succeed better than the competition, you must have effective business processes, that deliver what is required first time with the minimum of wasted effort, and plans for continual improvement. You need data on which to make decisions about improvement, that comes from measurements of your activities. The measurements need to be of the key indicators for you business, such as cycle time, cost, and number of errors, and material utilisation. With a management system that follows these guidelines, you will be well on the way to meeting the requirements of ISO9001:2000, as a by-product of running a successful business.

Talk to QES Connect about how we can get more out of your quality system.

Are you sure that you are not damaging them because of poor handling? Electro-static discharge can cause damage to many types of electronic components and assemblies, some of which is not always immediately apparent. Latent damage can cause early failure of components, leading to product returns from customers. QES Connect has many years of experience of working with sensitive electronic components and can advise you on suitable precautions to protect your products and components. We can provide in-house training for production operators and technicians, and can advise you on how to manage a static-control system.

If you would like a free no-obligation discussion, contact Andy Saunders at QES Connect.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS

The regulation scene is still quiet, although manufacturers of PPE will have noticed that the Personal Protective Equipment regulations have been redrafted to consolidate the 1992 regulations and 3 amendments arising from EC directives. They came into force on 15th May (SI2002 No. 1144).

Since the explanatory note runs to 2 pages, no summary is offered, but companies manufacturing or selling PPE should make themselves aware of the requirements.

Preventing Workplace Transport Accidents

HSC published a discussion document earlier this year seeking input on "Preventing workplace transport accidents." The motivation comes from the figures from last year indicating that 99 people were killed and nearly 2500 seriously injured in accidents where workplace transport was involved, and is part of the "Revitalising Health & Safety Strategy" announced in June 2000. With all comments in, HSC will now decide on the way forward. Options include guidance, legislation and training.

HSE say they will concentrate a significant proportion of planned inspection time on workplace transport over the next three years. They will be looking for effective action on Segregating pedestrians from vehicles and Minimising and controlling reversing. For managers, the issue is to ensure that risk assessments adequately cover transport activities, and that adequate control measures are in place and being observed.

If you are unsure how to address the issue of risk assessment for workplace transport accidents, then consult QES Connect Ltd.

CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS
Working together: guidance on health and safety for contractors and suppliers.

Published by HSE (INDG268(rev)) in February this leaflet is aimed at the small firm contractor, sub-contractor or supplier. It gives basic information about responsibilities and where to get more detailed guidance. It describes the most common requirements that clients are likely to ask about when assessing competence in managing health and safety. A checklist is included.

EMPLOYMENT
"HSE's free action pack and newsletter aims to cut workplace stress"

A free newsletter and action pack to promote this year's European Week for Occupational Safety and Health (EWOSH), which begins 14 October, is now available from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The pack includes a 12-page newsletter, posters, stickers, fact sheets, postcards and leaflets, all focusing on the Week's 'stress' theme. Requests for the pack can be made on 0800 0850050 or at: www.hse.gov.uk/euroweek/index.htm which also includes information on the Week. This may be a good introduction to National Stress Awareness Day scheduled for Wednesday 6th November. (Website: www.isma.org.uk/aware.htm)

An estimated half a million UK workers report they believe they have been made ill by work-related stress. To tackle this, HSC/E plans to develop management standards. These standards will provide a clear yardstick against which to measure an employer's management performance in preventing stress. The first pilot phase of the standards will occur in 2003, with the final phase occurring in 2005.

It may not be advisable to wait till then. Our Occupational Health associates can help by assessing the stress levels attached to your problem activities and suggesting ways to improve things.

This HSE leaflet explains the permit-to-work system, a formal written system used to control certain types of work that are potentially hazardous. It specifies the work to be done and the necessary precautions and is an essential part of safe systems of work for many maintenance activities.

Maintenance work to be carried out when normal safeguards are dropped or new hazards introduced requires a permit. This might apply where machine guards need to be removed, where pipe lines broken into, or where hot work is required. The guidance within the leaflet is primarily aimed at the chemicals industry, although it is noted that it may also apply to other industries. A diagram of a permit system is included. The leaflet is available free from HSE Books. INDG98 (rev3).

QES Connect has practical experience in the development and operation of permit systems in industrial situations. Let us help you set up systems that work for you.

CHEMICALS
HSE launches free Internet tool for control of workplace chemicals.

In April, the HSE launched 'Electronic COSHH Essentials' - an internet tool to help prevent the harmful effects of working with chemicals by providing advice to limit exposure.

The initiative - "Electronic COSHH Essentials" - is a free Internet package that anyone can use. Employers, safety representatives or employees can log on to: www.coshh-essentials.org.uk and work out what needs to be done to control chemicals.

'COSHH Essentials' has been around in a paper-based format since 1999, and has been highly praised by both industry and trades unions. The Internet version will broaden the access to this guidance package allowing anybody to use the tool free of charge. However, the tool cannot cope with the detail needed for some of the more hazardous chemicals used in industry, where occupational exposure limits apply. In these situations, it is not a substitute for advice from a qualified safety practitioner. For example, you need to be sure that LEV is effective. PPE, if specified, must also be fit for purpose and properly used. These areas may require inspection, monitoring and training, all of which should be identified in the COSHH assessment.

Consult QES Connect Ltd for more help with COSHH assessment and the use of hazardous substances.

This leaflet gives advice to managers on proposed changes affecting health, safety and environmental controls on the use of solvents, and halogenated solvents in particular. These changes take into account the reclassification of Trichloroethylene to a category 2 carcinogen (risk phrase R45 - may cause cancer) and related restrictions arising from the Solvent Emissions Directive

Topics covered include: background; the implications of the reclassification of trike under COSHH; flammable substances; Existing Substances Regulation Review of trike; the Solvent Emissions Directive. It is obtainable free from HSE Books. Quote Engineering information sheet EIS34.

There are serious implications for users of quite small quantities of solvents arising from these changes. QES Connect Ltd can help you to address the new requirements.

COMPANY CAR HAZARDS

Driving company cars can be almost as hazardous as working underground in coal-mines, warns the Guild of Experienced Motorists (GEM). A new GEM research project shows that high-mileage company drivers, who cover more than 25,000 miles per year, risk a one-in-8,000 chance of being seriously injured, or killed: coal-miners risk one-in-7,000. GEM claims that one company driver in every three can be involved in a crash each year, and that more than 35 per cent of all road fatalities involve vehicles which are used for business purposes.

GEM chief executive David Williams urges every firm to regard company vehicles as places of work and "every employer should have safety policies to provide relevant training and supervision, so that driving can be safe."

This must be the season for amendments! Here are two recent ones that may be relevant to your business.

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2002
introduces amended targets for recycling and came into force in March.

In view of the number of companies prosecuted recently for failing to register, we make no apologies for repeating the reminder that if your company has a turnover in excess of £2M and handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging you should be registered with a compliance scheme or provide proof of compliance through submission of Packaging Recovery Notes for recovered or recycled materials.

The Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2002
adopts a revised timetable for Part B installations under the new IPPC regime and came into force in April.

In general this gives companies a one year stay of execution before authorisation from your local authority is required.

QES Connect can help with interpretation and implementation for both of these changes.

The Environment Agency says that there were 36,000 substantiated reports of pollution incidents in 2000. The fines resulting from successful prosecutions averaged around £8,000. Aside from the damage to the environment, few small companies can stand that sort of unplanned expense to the business, not to mention the clean up costs and lost time. So take 5 minutes out of your day to check your chemical storage arrangements and see if your company is at risk, or talk to QES Connect Ltd about a free no-obligation survey.

Pollution prevention guidelines can be obtained from:www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/ppg.

A recent Greenpeace document introduces the concept of "Zero Waste" as a solution to the UK's growing waste problems. While this may seem a far fetched notion at this stage in people's environmental awareness, it was not so long ago that Philip Crosby introduced the idea of zero defects to drive the efforts to improve quality in manufacturing industry.

While we have justified lesser performance with qualifying phrases such as 'Not Entailing Excessive Cost' for techniques to reduce environmental impacts and 'Where reasonably practicable' for some health and safety issues, the perfectionist vision is creeping in. The drafters of IPPC steadfastly rejected the concept of BATNEEC in favour of a more prescriptive approach. And, while the zero defects vision is not attainable in practice, there is no doubt that it grabbed the attention and contributed to a sea change in attitudes to Quality. Such a sea change is needed if the throw away philosophy is really to change, both in industry and in the consumer markets that many manufacturers serve.

As you would expect, QES Connect can offer help with solutions to your waste problems.

QES Connect recently attended a seminar on Accident Investigation, at which a senior inspector from the Health & Safety Executive spoke. He indicated that the HSE's approach to prosecutions after an accident would depend, amongst other things, on whether and how thoroughly, the employer had investigated the accident. It occurs to us that carrying out a thorough investigation as to the causes of an accident is very similar to doing a risk assessment. Perhaps companies should save themselves the distress of an accident and the ensuing investigation, by identifying and addressing the root causes before the event.

QES Connect emphasises the similarities of approach required for quality, safety and environmental management. This is particularly true when considering accidents and incidents. An incident is an unplanned event where no injury is suffered. A quality problem may be such an incident. An error where a mistake occurs that causes loss of product would normally be put down to a quality issue (for instance poor instructions, wrong labelling, insufficient training), but if the error occurs with something that can cause harm to people or the environment, the result could be a safety incident or environmental incident as well.

For example, the use of the wrong substance could result in a mixture having to be scrapped (a quality problem). If the incorrect mixture caused a violent reaction, someone could be hurt (safety incident), and if the mixture was put into the drainage system that could not cope with it, an environmental incident would result. Managers who appreciate this connection will encourage the thorough investigation of all incidents, so that quality, environment and safety are all addressed

What you think of this approach? Write, call or e-mail us about this or any other topic in this issue.(addresses in contact page).

Produced by QES Connect Ltd. Except where stated, the material included in the newsletter is taken from freely available public sources. It may be reproduced without permission for non-commercial purposes.