Managing Quality

Chapter 14. Integrated Management Systems

G. Wilkinson and B. G. Dale

Introduction

The need to assure customers that products and services satisfy requirements for quality has led to the introduction of quality management systems (QMS), and registration to QMS standards, such as ISO 9001 (1994 and 2000), has become the norm for many organizations. However, responsible organizations have also to be concerned about the well-being of their employees, their working environment, the impact of operations on the local community, and the long-term effects of their products while in use and after they have been discarded. They cannot ignore legislation such as the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, where failure to have effective management systems in place can lead to heavy fines, a prison sentence, loss of operating license or even plant closure. Customers, employees, shareholders and the community are also concerned about these matters. In addition to benefits, such as less waste, lower energy costs and reduced absence and employee turnover levels, creating an 'image' that meets customer expectations can help an organization improve market share. This has led to the introduction of EMAS, the European Commission's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (European Commission 1993); ISO 14001 (1996) – the specification for environmental management systems (EMS); and BS 8800 (1996) and BSI-OHSAS18001 ...