60 Seconds with NQA Assessor Terry Fisher

I have been involved in OHS and environment management since the 1990’s in manufacturing, education, automotive supply, engineering manufacturing and logistics.

Audits against:

ISO 9001:2008 & 2015, ISO 14001:2004 & 2015, OHSAS BS 18001 : 2007

Most memorable auditing moment:

Although there are lots of memorable moments, I think looking out over Kielder Water from the observation tower of the dam and thinking 'another day - not in the office'.

The Valve Tower is an incredible feat of engineering; it stands over 50m tall, and the main column was created in a continuous pour process over a 10-day period when the reservoir was constructed. I am privileged to visit such interesting places in my job. 

Most common non-conformance or customer challenge:

Evaluation of compliance is common - owing to misconceptions as to what is required and what the benefits are.

Many clients assume having a register and a procedure is sufficient as a compliance evaluation – the question that needs to be answered is; are the activities and controls delivering the requirements effectively – and if so, how and when was this reviewed?

Greatest benefit of management systems:

They are proven and they work.

The way they are written, they can be achieved without adding un-necessary layers of administration to an organization – the majority of requirements can be achieved by adopting good commercial practice.

Top tips for getting the most from your system:

Make it part of what your organization does, but you will only get out what you put in - the more commitment you put in, generally the greater the benefit.

Favouroite quote:

Our people are potentially our most versatile asset - let's value and protect them, and get the best from them.