Quinn Precast have achieved certification to ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Management Standard. The certification represents the world’s first international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) and was introduced in March 2018.
Through a rigorous two-phase auditing process, Quinn Precast have demonstrated that they meet the robust standards required to achieve the certification, which has been developed to mitigate any factors that can cause employees and businesses irreparable harm.
ISO 45001 provides a single framework for organisations to proactively improve its OH&S performance and supersedes the OHSAS 18001 standard.
Speaking of the company’s certification, Quinn Precast General Manager Thomas Coyle said,
“The health and safety of everyone here at Quinn Precast is our number one priority, and it is essential that we have in place the most stringent management and control standards. We’re delighted to achieve the ISO 45001 certification as it represents the most thorough approach to Occupational Health and Safety.
In particular, the involvement of personnel at all levels is a key part of achieving this standard, and this fits very well with the culture here at Quinn Precast and throughout the wider Quinn company, where health and safety is ingrained in everything we do, at every level of the organisation.
The standard will help us comply with relevant legislation and will also demonstrate to our clients our commitment to occupational health and safety, but the most important outcome will be the mitigation of risk and subsequent reduction of injuries.”
Quinn Precast and Quinn Packaging are the first Quinn companies to achieve the ISO 45001 accreditation, with Quinn Packaging also attaining the standard following an audit in April. Quinn will continue the roll-out of the standard across their other divisions in the coming months with Quinn Lite Pac and Quinn Tarmac in line to achieve certification later this year.
In order to achieve ISO 45001 certification, Quinn Precast had to demonstrate how they followed the Plan-Do-Act-Check framework outlined in the standard.
The planning stages outline what the company must do in order to minimise the risk of harm. The standard requires that top management take ownership and demonstrate commitment through leadership to ensure that workers have the appropriate skills and that effective controls are put in place to enable them carry out their work safely. The standard recognizes the value of worker involvement and worker consultations to develop and apply better OH&S practices. The actions outlined in the planning stages are implemented throughout the company in the “Do” phase, which again requires company-wide involvement.
The “Check” phase identifies all the key elements that should be addressed in order to ensure the system is working through ongoing monitoring and reporting, and determines opportunities for improvement in the “Act ” phase.
Working to the standard promotes continuous improvement of safety standards in the workplace, which helps ensure all workers leave Quinn Precast at the end of their working day in the same condition they arrived, injury free and in good health.