Our Services

Quality Assurance

SQS provide three separate services under the guise of Quality Assurance as follows: -

Consultancy Assistance

SQS have a number of registered Consultants available to advise companies on the establishment and further development of ISO 9000 system requirements into their organisation. The service provided is tailored to suit individual needs ranging from simple monitoring and advice, to complete hand holding through the process and associated document preparation. Consultancy typically comprises an initial evaluation and formally prepared synopsis of a company’s presently employed system, identifying shortcomings as appropriate, and a fully costed program of actions required to be taken to achieve formal registration based on the company’s declared needs. Advice on selection of an appropriate Assessing Body and timeframe is also provided.

Quality Audits

SQS have a number of registered Lead Assessors, and Assessors to undertake audits against the requirements of ISO9000, or against a client’s own designated program. As expected, such audits are conducted in very formal and comprehensive way with the utilisation of appropriate Checklists as a means of identifying the areas of evaluations, and the objective evidence gathered to support the conclusion.

Corrective Actions notices are prepared as required and will include both evidence of the system failure, and the steps required by the organisation being audited to rectify the situation.

Vendor Evaluations

Vendor evaluations are generally conducted at the requests of clients wishing to place a Purchase Order onto a new vendor, but have no or little background information on the vendor other than perhaps they have submitted a good price and say they will deliver on time. Most important is the establishment of the quality of equipment to be expected, and for this reason SQS lean towards the utilisation of inspectors with experience of the subject equipment rather than a pure auditor.

In principle, the evaluations are conducted in a similar fashion to the audits above, but have more freedom on the areas to be evaluated, and focus on the activities surrounding the actual manufacture/supply of equipment. The general object is to obtain as wider view of the background to the supplier as possible. Checklists are usually established beforehand with the client to ensure that all required areas of the evaluation are covered.

Evaluations, typically including the areas of contract review, engineering, purchasing, stores, maintenance, condition, and calibration of shop floor equipment, requisite approval’s of personnel, shop floor capacity in terms of present and future loading, and lifting capability etc. In addition, the evaluation usually obtains information concerning present clients, turnover, and the existence of trade unions.

It is normal practice to obtain as much literature as possible from the vendor in support of the evaluation findings, and to provide comprehensive photographs to illustrate the details recorded.