Needs
Globally, the accident rate in construction is four to five times higher than that of the manufacturing sector. Additionally, there is also an increase in the number of work-related diseases amongst employees in the construction industry.
This is very high compared to rates in developed countries and even certain developing countries.
Construction and building material organisations are supposed to establish and implement policies to reduce this figure, according to internally recognised standards for occupational health and safety management systems. (OHSAS 18001:2007).
Such standards set guidelines for organisations to reduce on-site risks and hazards, thereby reducing the number of workers who have accidents.
Organisations certified according to OHSAS 18001:2007 can demonstrate their commitment to protecting their work force to their employees and stakeholders by implementing effective policies and approaches.
Health and safety management systems, according to OHSAS 18001, can be integrated with other management systems (quality and environmental).
Effectively implementing a management system that satisfies OHSAS 18001:2007 requirementsis the surest sign that an employer of a system to prevent accidents and occupational diseases being in place. It's also indicative of an organisation's compliance with legal requirements.
ICMQ India Approach
With this knowledge in mind, ICMQ has been developing a risk-management oriented approach which is customized to the relevant products/processes within the construction industry. This approach, is based on:
- Customized Application Guidelines
- Tailor-made check lists
- Using auditors with strong technical skills and experience
- A technically-oriented certification process (compliant with ISO 17021 standards)
- Accredited certificates fully recognised at the national and international level
ICMQ India, which has deployed this Risk Management approach since its inception, aims to work according to Indian standards and to obtain Indian accreditation for each type of activity within the construction industry.
Strong auditors allow ICMQ to identify any unearthed legal areas, or any opportunities not captured fully, and to assess the capability of a safety management system in the context of risks related to on-site accidents.
Benefits
According to testimonies, ICMQ India’s Risk Management oriented approach allows customers who have applied the system in its truest form to go beyond expected OHSAS benefits and to:
- associate their company name with that of a specialised certification body in the construction industry
- enhance their corporate image
- follow OHSAS guidelines according to applicable Indian standards in construction
- conduct more effective health and safety techinically-oriented internal audits
- reduce compliance risks with applicable rules
- reduce costs associated with accidents and incidents reduction
- obtain added value from technically-oriented certification audits
- increase stakeholders’ confidence
Certification process
The certification process is outlined in this flowchart
- Request for quotation from customer
- ICMQ India quotation
- Acceptance offer from customer
- Order confirmation by ICMQ India (with Terms and Condition for the certification signature)
- Preaudit (optional)
- Certification Audit (Documentation Analysis, Stage 1 and Stage 2 Audit)
- Issue of certification after successful completion of certification audit
- Surveillance audit (according to established plan)
- Renewal audit
