Global Warming & ISO 14001 Standards

It is not difficult to become a believer in global warming. According to the U.S. National Climatic Data Center 2001 was the second warmest year on record and it was the 23rd consecutive year of above normal temperatures. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the rate of temperature increase is accelerating. Add to this the data just released from insurer Munich Re stating that deaths from natural disasters were more than double in 2001 versus 2000 and insured losses were up more than 50%.UNEP estimates that the extra economic costs of disasters attributable to global warming are running at more than $300 billion annually.

Some 180 countries are proceeding toward an expected ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year. Of the six gases it will control CO2 is by far the largest contributing nearly 90% of the global warming impact. The primary source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore the focus on energy will continue to increase.

Throughout the world different methods are being used to encourage reduced energy use. Japan has enacted the Energy Conservation Law in 1999 mandating huge efficiency improvements by 2004 for nearly all air conditioning products. The U.S. has revised ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for buildings to raise the minimum COP level for centrifugal chillers from the current value of 5.2 to 6.1 effective in October 2001. DOE and Green Seal have revised their recommended efficiency levels to an even higher level of 6.27.

Some countries use laws. Others use codes and standards. An increasing number of countries are using environmental costing which increases the price of energy thereby increasing the financial attractiveness of high efficiency products. European countries have been using such “carbon taxes” for more than a decade. However a rapidly growing trend in developing countries is the reduction of subsidies to energy industries “so prices more accurately reflect environmental impacts” according to OECD’s Environmental Strategy for the First Decade of the 21st Century.

China has shown leadership by reducing subsidies to the coal industry from $24.5 billion in 1990 to $10 billion in 1996 resulting in 7% emissions reduction while seeing a solid economic growth of 36%! China is now moving aggressively into environmental costing with the just announced (1/13/2002) 5-year environmental plan that commits 700 billion yuan ($84 billion) to help protect the environment. The government will provide the fist 65 billion yuan to initiate the project but will apply the “polluter pays” principle for the rest. The “environmental protection authorities will collect funds from the pollution-producing companies”. The impact on the price of energy is not known at this time. However it is clear that the addition of environmental costing will increase energy prices. According to a European Research Commission Report of July 2001 “The cost of producing electricity from coal or oil would double if costs such as damage to the environment and health were taken into account”.

The global movement to high efficiency is accelerating just like the rate of temperature increase. But this is not all that is changing. This second environmental threat of global warming is making it clear that we need to give combined consideration to ozone depletion and global warming. But more important is the need to focus on the real issue which is the total environmental impact not address each individual environmental threat in isolation. This includes the concept of environmental risk exposure, which recognizes that there are other environmental threats that are less well understood today. However, there are “no regrets” decisions we can make today (such as minimum refrigerant charge, minimum atmospheric life refrigerants, etc.) to minimize these risks.

Combined consideration would place more emphasis on reducing the use of CFCs, which are still being produced in developing countries until 2010 in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. Little attention is being given the large contribution to global warming from CFCs. Actions which cause confusion and delay the phaseout of CFCs cause increased environmental damage rather than lessening the environmental impact.

The other rapidly changing factor in the HVAC industry is the shift to becoming a hermetic industry, where refrigerant is contained throughout the life of a chiller and recycled for further use when the chiller is replaced. This simple understanding that “if it doesn’t get into the environment it does no harm” is a powerful argument, which will lead to the continued use of the most efficient refrigerants in such closed hermetic applications as chillers. In just 15 years annual refrigerants emissions from chillers have been reduced from 25% to well below 1% today. This defines a whole different world than that which existed when the Montreal Protocol was crafted some 15 years ago.

But perhaps the most important change coming to our industry is the realization that there are no new or “perfect” refrigerants waiting to be discovered. There are eight elements that can be combined for use in a vapor compression cycle. All feasible combinations of these eight have been evaluated. The reality is “what we have now is all there is”.

This recognition is why we are now seeing a shift from the search for a perfect refrigerant to a search for the right refrigerant(s) for the right application. Said another way, the highest efficiency refrigerants for the lowest emissions applications. Many in our industry call this “Responsible Use”.

It is not difficult to become a believer in global warming. According to the U.S. National Climatic Data Center 2001 was the second warmest year on record and it was the 23rd consecutive year of above normal temperatures. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the rate of temperature increase is accelerating. Add to this the data just released from insurer Munich Re stating that deaths from natural disasters were more than double in 2001 versus 2000 and insured losses were up more than 50%.UNEP estimates that the extra economic costs of disasters attributable to global warming are running at more than $300 billion annually.
Some 180 countries are proceeding toward an expected ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year. Of the six gases it will control CO2 is by far the largest contributing nearly 90% of the global warming impact. The primary source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore the focus on energy will continue to increase.
Throughout the world different methods are being used to encourage reduced energy use. Japan has enacted the Energy Conservation Law in 1999 mandating huge efficiency improvements by 2004 for nearly all air conditioning products. The U.S. has revised ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for buildings to raise the minimum COP level for centrifugal chillers from the current value of 5.2 to 6.1 effective in October 2001. DOE and Green Seal have revised their recommended efficiency levels to an even higher level of 6.27.
Some countries use laws. Others use codes and standards. An increasing number of countries are using environmental costing which increases the price of energy thereby increasing the financial attractiveness of high efficiency products. European countries have been using such “carbon taxes” for more than a decade. However a rapidly growing trend in developing countries is the reduction of subsidies to energy industries “so prices more accurately reflect environmental impacts” according to OECD’s Environmental Strategy for the First Decade of the 21st Century.
China has shown leadership by reducing subsidies to the coal industry from $24.5 billion in 1990 to $10 billion in 1996 resulting in 7% emissions reduction while seeing a solid economic growth of 36%! China is now moving aggressively into environmental costing with the just announced (1/13/2002) 5-year environmental plan that commits 700 billion yuan ($84 billion) to help protect the environment. The government will provide the fist 65 billion yuan to initiate the project but will apply the “polluter pays” principle for the rest. The “environmental protection authorities will collect funds from the pollution-producing companies”. The impact on the price of energy is not known at this time. However it is clear that the addition of environmental costing will increase energy prices. According to a European Research Commission Report of July 2001 “The cost of producing electricity from coal or oil would double if costs such as damage to the environment and health were taken into account”.
The global movement to high efficiency is accelerating just like the rate of temperature increase. But this is not all that is changing. This second environmental threat of global warming is making it clear that we need to give combined consideration to ozone depletion and global warming. But more important is the need to focus on the real issue which is the total environmental impact not address each individual environmental threat in isolation. This includes the concept of environmental risk exposure, which recognizes that there are other environmental threats that are less well understood today. However, there are “no regrets” decisions we can make today (such as minimum refrigerant charge, minimum atmospheric life refrigerants, etc.) to minimize these risks.
Combined consideration would place more emphasis on reducing the use of CFCs, which are still being produced in developing countries until 2010 in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. Little attention is being given the large contribution to global warming from CFCs. Actions which cause confusion and delay the phaseout of CFCs cause increased environmental damage rather than lessening the environmental impact.

ISO 9001 Documents Control – Elements and Requirements

ISO 9001 Documents Control – Elements and Requirements

The ISO 9001 standard is caring for us. It cares for us from several angles. One of these cares regards our documentation. The standard requires that we will document by all means.
But it also cares that we won’t get confused and mix up different documents from different sources. Therefore it requires all documents to be controlled. This is not a recommendation but a requirement. You must control your documents. In order to achieve documents control you must maintain a method. This method must be one of the organizations quality procedures and it should be called “Documents Control”. In this procedure you must refer to the next line of issues.

Types of records
At first, you must define what documents this procedure would include. Documents can be working procedures, diagrams, technical specifications, price quotes etc. In order not to “swirl” around too many documents, let’s make it clear. Let’s define what a document is: Communication of information, evidence for correspondence, sharing of any kind of knowledge, approved documents. Someone within the organization must supervise all documents and see that they are suitable for working before they are released.The reason is to prevent any faults where unsuitable documents are being used or information that is classified is handed to wrong bodies. It is required to define for whom it is authorized and when must he approve any document. Who is responsible? The same one who is responsible for the information documented. It must be part of his job description. There are situations that more than one function would be needed to approve one document. It happens when more than one process is documented on one document.

Updated documents
This requirement assures that always the last version is the version in use – and not an older. Therefore you must define a method for maintaining updated version and elimination of older versions. How would one know what is the last version? Usually organizations manage a list of editions and updates for documents. You can manage the document itself. But most important, it is required to indicate the document itself as the last edition. This way, any employee that would use the document, would be sure that he holds the last edition. Of course, don’t forget to document the method.It is also required to define what to do with the old versions that are now not updated. How do you handle them? Are they to be destroyed, archived etc. Managing editions must include: Date of last update, The reason for the update, The function who demanded the update, The function that authorized the update. Although the ISO 9001 standard doesn’t require these requirements specifically, it would help you to achieve its basic requirements. Of course you would use what is suitable for your organization. Today there is a lot of document management softwares. These software, naturally qualify for the standard requirements but it is recommended to review anyone before purchasing.

Availability and distribution of documents
This is an un separated part of the last requirement. Defining the availability and distribution of documents must include the following:User authorization – to which it is authorized to use the document, the location of the document – where must the document be kept before and after use. Most of today’s process management systems (such as ERP or CRM systems) provide documents control relevant to the process they handle. They present the user with a screen (a screen on a computer system is a document like any other document) with defined information to input. Most of these systems also has authorization module installed. But when systems like the ones mentioned do not exist in the organization, it must provide with his employees the relevant updated documents. That means the latest editions. In order to ensure that, the standard require a documented method. How to obtain that? Well, it depends on your organization and his substructures.

Identification of documents
Any document (internal or external) must be identified somehow. Any internal document must have a name, serial number, catalogue number or whatever. Somehow to define it. The ISO 9001 standard requires that you maintain a method to achieve identification. The identification must include the numbering, coding or however you decided to identify it. But it is required to document the method. You must also include location of documents. How one can trace the document. for example customer’s files are scanned to the computer or stored in some closet. The final purpose of all this is to achieve control of the documents – any employee, once he looks at a document or trying to trace a document, would know where to approach: a department, a process, some function or any kind of identification relevant to your organization. If we look again at process management systems, then it is much simpler. Any document in those systems is identified by a number of some kind, produced by the system. The number is given according to some internal method. In this case you must not document this method but mention it in the procedure that these specific documents are managed. In case there are documents that are manually managed you must document the method. All this also applies for external documents. Any documentation that arrives from outside (with presumption that it is a document as defined) is included in the ISO 9001 standard requirement. In this case you must specify what is to do with these documents and where one can trace them in the hour of need. For example, where to file the documents. Again, you define the method according to your organization’s nature.

Documents removal
You must define a method for documents removal for any reason: un updated, out of use, etc. the method must include what is it to do with the document and who is responsible, once it is out of use. For example, removing old documents from the organization’s server for no further use or removing old forms from the offices that no one would use them again. Some of this things sound trivial and they are, but still this is a ISO 9001 standard requirement..

Summary:
The ISO 9001 standard requires that we document all sorts of our documents. It also requires that we would not confuse all kinds of documents from different sources. Therefore we must define a method for documents control. This is not a recommendation but a requirement.
The method must be presented as a documented procedure.
The documented procedure would be called “Documents control”.
You must include a definition of documents within the method – what is a document.
All documents must be approved before use. The purpose is to verify that the documents are suitable for work.
All documents must be updated. You must define a method to ensure the use of updated documents only. The method should include management documents editions and documents indications.
All documents must be identified. The organization must specify a method for documents identification. The purpose is that any employee would know which document he holds or where to trace it.
It is also required to manage availability and distribution of documents. You must verify that the documents that are distributed to the employees are the correct ones.
You must define a method for documents removal. When and why to remove documents and in whose responsibility.

ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION IS AN APPRAISAL TO COMPANY

ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION IS AN APPRAISAL TO COMPANY

During World WarII, there were quality problems in many British industries such as munitions, where bombs were exploding in factories during assembly. The adopted solution was to require factories to document their manufacturing procedures and to prove by record-keeping that the procedures were being followed. The name of the standard was BS 5750, and it was known as a management standard because it specified not what to manufacture, but how the manufacturing process was to be managed. According to Seddon, “In 1987, the British Government persuaded the International Organization for Standardization to adopt BS 5750 as an international standard. BS 5750 became ISO 9000.”

ISO 9001: 2008 only introduces clarifications to the existing requirements of ISO 9001: 2000 based on eight years of experience of implementing the standard worldwide with about one million certificates issued in 170 countries to date. It also introduces changes intended to improve consistency with ISO14001: 2004.. In fact, the ISO technical committee (TC176) who develops the ISO 9000 series of standards is deliberately planning the next release as an amendment rather than a formal revision. The difference is that an “amendment” is focused on making changes for clarification purposes only and for better alignment with ISO 14001, the standard for environmental management. With the 2008 release, the committee is purposely intending not to introduce substantive changes that will affect the QMS processes and documentation of currently certified organizations. Thus, the new ISO 9001:2008 standard should have limited impact on companies already certified. Some of the requirements in ISO 9001 (which is one of the standards in the ISO 9000 family) include:-

• a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business;
• monitoring processes to ensure they are effective;
• keeping adequate records;
• checking output for defects, with appropriate and corrective action where necessary;
• regularly reviewing individual processes and the quality system itself for effectiveness; and
• facilitating continual improvement

ADVANTAGES OF ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION:

It is widely acknowledged that proper quality management improves business, often having a positive effect on investment, market share, sales growth, sales margins, competitive advantage, and avoidance of litigation. The quality principles in ISO 9001: are also sound, according to Wade, and Barnes, who says “ISO 9000 guidelines provide a comprehensive model for quality management systems that can make any company competitive.” Barnes also cites a survey by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance which indicated that ISO 9001 increased net profit, and another by Deloitte-Touche which reported that the costs of registration were recovered in as less as three months. According to the Providence Business News, implementing ISO often gives the following advantages:

1. Create a more efficient, effective operation
2. Increase customer satisfaction and retention
3. Reduce audits
4. Enhance marketing
5. Improve employee motivation, awareness, and morale
6. Promote international trade
7. Increases profit
8. Reduce waste and increases productivity

In today’s service-sector driven economy, more and more companies are using ISO 9000 as a business tool. Through the use of properly stated quality objectives, customer satisfaction surveys and a well-defined continual improvement program companies are using ISO 9000 processes to increase their efficiency and profitability.

Why Does ISO 9000 Emphasis On Document Control?

Why Does ISO 9000 Emphasis On Document Control?

Think of the Document Control Procedure as ‘evidence’ that an established process or procedure was adhered to in order to satisfy customer requirements. Both Registrars and Internal Auditors will always focus on the quality, continuity and flow of documentation; inconsistencies in this flow of information will indicate a problem and generate a non-conformance.

It is vital that your organization implements and maintains a robust document and record management system pursuant to Clause 4.2. of ISO 9001:2008.

Terms and definitions

To better understand the difference between a document and a record, the following terms and definitions are taken from ISO 9000:2005:

Term, Clause and Definition

Document, 3.7.2, Information and its supporting medium

Record, 3.7.6, A document stating results achieved or providing evidence of activities performed Control of Documents (4.2.3)

Implementing a quality management system might mean that you will be generating new documents and keeping some records that you might not be already keeping. Some of this documentation may seem burdensome until you become more familiar with the quality standard. In general though, the organization must:

- Approve documents before your distribute them
- Provide the correct version of documents at points of use
- Review and re-approve documents whenever you update them
- Specify the current revision status of your documents
- Monitor documents that come from external sources
- Prevent the accidental use of obsolete documents
- Preserve the usability of your quality documents

In order for any organization to demonstrate the effective implementation of its quality management system, it may be necessary to develop documents other than documented procedures. However, the only documents specifically required by ISO 9001:2008 are:

- Quality policy (4.2.1.a)
- Quality objectives (4.2.1.a)
- Quality manual (4.2.1.b)
- Control of Records (4.2.4)

A record is a document that provides traceability; it declares results or presents evidence that the activities undertaken met customer requirements. It is important to identify relevant quality records as you progress your documentation and ensure that records are defined within a procedure or by a system and that it exists and is controlled.

Types of Records required by ISO 9001:2008 Document Control Procedure

5.6.1 Management reviews
6.2.2 e) Education, training, skills and experience
7.1 d) Evidence that the realization processes and resulting product fulfil requirements
7.2.2 Results of the review of requirements related to the product and actions arising from the review
7.3.2 Design and development inputs relating to product requirements
7.3.4 Results of design and development reviews and any necessary actions
7.3.5 Results of design and development verification and any necessary actions
7.3.6 Results of design and development validation and any necessary actions
7.3.7 Results of the review of design and development changes and any actions
7.4.1 Results of supplier evaluations and any actions arising from the evaluations
7.5.2 d) As required by the organization to demonstrate the validation of processes where the resulting output cannot be verified by subsequent monitoring or measurement
7.5.3 The unique identification of the product, where traceability is a requirement
7.5.4 Customer property that is lost, damaged or otherwise unsuitable for use
7.6 a) Basis used for calibration or verification of measuring equipment where no international or national measurement standards exist
7.6 Validity of the previous measuring results when the measuring equipment is found not to conform to requirements
7.6 Results of calibration and verification of measuring equipment
8.2.2 Internal audit results and follow-up actions
8.2.4 Indication of the person(s) authorizing release of product.
8.3 Nature of the product nonconformities and any subsequent actions taken, including concessions obtained
8.5.2 e) Results of corrective action
8.5.3 d) Results of preventive action

Document Control Procedure Summary

Remember that you are in control of the documents and records and not vice versa. Only document and record what is necessary – the fewer documents and records you keep, the fewer things that will be audited, and the more time you will have to actually run your business.

ISO 9000 Standards Certification and Registration

ISO 9000 Standards Certification and Registration

The International Standards Organization is responsible for two major sets of requirements that relate to an overall quality management system to be used by businesses. The ISO 9000 family of standards is the primary set of requirements for most businesses.

Quality management by definition address that the organization does certain things to “fulfill the customer’s quality requirements and applicable regulatory requirements while aiming to enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives”.
ISO 14000 address the environmental management to minimize harmful effects to the environment. Again, it is a quality management system designed to “achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance.

ISO certification 9000 is the most common. So, let’s take a look at what ISO certification entails and what it means. To become certified, a quality management system must be in place that meets the requirements of the ISO standard. This begins with the business recognizes the requirements and developing a quality system to meet their needs at the same time they meet the requirements.

ISO 9000 certification and ISO 9000 registration are two different entities, though they are often used interchangeably. To achieve ISO certification 9001 , an independent registrar is hired to audit the quality system for thoroughness and compliance to all the standards. When this is accomplished, the business is offered a certificate stating that the quality system conforms to standards within the particular standard.

ISO registration means that the certification has been recorded in its client register. Because most companies have been certified and in turn registered, the terms are offed interchanged in general use. While the term “certification” is the most widely used, “registration” used in North America. Both are completely acceptable, because the business has fulfilled the requirements set forth by ISO.

Implementing ISO 9001 Standards

Implementing ISO 9001 standards

If you have your own business and now you are looking for ISO 9001 certification for quality standards for business to make your business products more reliable to the customers. To be in the market for any business, it needs quality and for quality any business needs to follow quality standards, so ISO 9001 Standards developed many quality standards as per different -different business areas.

ISO 9001 Standards is a generic quality standard and can be applied to any organization but before applying it, a process starts with pre-assessment audits and passes through on-going maintenance. The process of implementing ISO 9001 includes identifying, collecting and organizing the information required for certification.

For implementing ISO 9001 standards, any organization needs to hire a consultant because detailed knowledge of ISO standards is essential before successfully applying it. A consultant will analyze your organization structure, your products and their standards and will make a complete plan as per ISO standards for your organization.To hire a consultant is easiest way because they have complete knowledge of ISO standards and they perform various activities like provides class room training to your business employee about ISO 9000 standards

An ISO consultant performs the various activities and explains the course objectives :

• understand the purpose of ISO 9000: 2005, ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 9004: 2000, ISO 19011: 2002 etc. standards and their interrelationship

• describe the purpose of Quality Management Systems and 8 Quality Management Principles

• Interpret the ISO 9001: 2008 in the context of audit

•Plan and conduct an audit in accordance with guidelines as per ISO 19011: 2002, gather objective evidence via various methods and determine conformity to the requirements of Quality Management Systems

• Develop understanding of Roles & Responsibilities of Lead Auditors

Hiring a Consultant is a better and easiest way to implement ISO in your organization

How To Meet Quality Standards With ISO 9001 Standards

In today’s hectic business environment, it is vital that we are all on the same page, right? But how do we know if we meet those standards? Business owners and executives can avoid the uncertainty, and that’s where ISO 9001 certification comes in.

Standardizing Quality Systems

The ISO, or International Organization for Standardization, was established in 1947 to develop international standards for
everything from electronics to management systems. Having over 13,000 standards currently in place, ISO has created the auditing and certification process known as ISO 9001. This began the drive toward quality standards.

Improving Customer Satisfaction

Companies choose to implement ISO 9001 and get certified because many customers and industries require it. By keeping customers happy, they can increase sales and profitability for their business. And if an area of the company’s program appears to be too bureaucratic and non-value-adding, then it might also be an area for continuous improvement efforts.

Enhancing Company Performance

Both customers and industries alike use ISO certification as a way to evaluate and audit their suppliers and products. Through an independent verification process, customers can gain assurance of their suppliers’ products. And as a supplier becomes certified, the testing requirement is waved, which saves the company both
time and money.

Developing Best Practices

Employed as a “Best Practices” model, ISO 9001 utilizes the philosophy of the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” continuous improvement cycle to achieve requirements. This process approach centers around eight quality management principles used by management as a guide toward improving performance and identifying the main elements
needed in a good quality system:

1. Customer Focus
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of People
4. Process Approach
5. Systems Approach to Management
6. Continuous improvement
7. Factual Approach to Decision-Making
8. Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationship

Building Stable Processes

ISO 9001 policies, procedures and forms can provide employers, managers and employees with a systematic and consistent approach to implementing policies, plans, procedures and work routines. Instead of building their own policies and procedures from scratch, some companies prefer to hire professional writers that have already prepared a set of written policies and procedures to help on the way to certification.

Auditing a Company System

In the certification process, an independent registrar will perform an on-site audit of a company’s operations to verify that it complies with the ISO standard. If the business complies, then that company will be registered as ISO 9001 compliant.

Meeting Company and Customer Needs

On the way to certification, a business can meet its ISO needs by:

= Using well-defined processes and procedures to build stable processes
= Training in the audit and certification process
= Continuously improving with ISO 9001 standards

Noticing the Difference

With complete procedures manuals for ISO 9001 Quality Management System, required HR procedures, and an ISO training class, a template like an ISO 9001 Quality Manager Procedures Manual Series can help a business on its way to ISO 9001 certification.
Sometimes the effort can be very great, but companies typically notice a remarkable difference in efficiency and effectiveness after the first year.