Member Company News: Setco Automotive (UK) Ltd to be certified to OHSAS 18001
In 2011, Setco Automotive (UK) Ltd. gained certification to ISO/TS 16949, demonstrating its world class automotive quality systems. Having seen the benefits that a well structured management system has brought to the company, Setco was keen to roll the practice out to all areas of the business. As such, certification to OSHAS 18001 for the management of occupational health and safety systems was a logical move forward.
Setco also hopes to gain certification to ISO 14001 for environmental management systems within the next two years. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the company understands that demonstrating compliance with these standards can gain business and market advantage by showing that it manages its company and produces its products following best practice and in an environmentally friendly and safe manner.
Health and safety has always been a top priority at Setco, and is a matter that requires constant effort and dedication. During the roll-out of the OSHAS 18001 system, Setco upgraded machinery and embarked on new training programmes and inspection regimes. It started the project for certification to OSHAS 18001 in November of last year and in March of this year it completed step one of the certification, the feasibility audit, and in September, stage two, the actual certification audits, both with positive outcomes.
The processes required great effort, resources and commitment on the part of all staff at all levels but there is no doubt that the effort was worth it. Setco now has best practice processes in place which keep the company up to date with any changes in legislation. Through involving employees in the process, they are now more aware of potential issues.
Matthew Kershaw, Operations Manager, comments: “I have already seen an improvement in the culture towards health and safety, with employees proactively improving the way that they work in order to reduce risk. It was great to be recommended for certification by an external auditor, he was very complimentary of many of the systems that we had put in place. However we cannot slack off or let our guard down. This is a programme of continual improvement, and our new approach to risk assessment has already highlighted more areas where risks to health and safety can be further reduced. This is only the start of the journey.”
