Why do Civil Engineering Companies need ISO certifications?

ISO standards provide flexible frameworks and recommendations to civil engineering companies to help them adhere to statutory, regulatory and other applicable regulations. Additionally, the framework provides recommendations to implement and provide occupational health and safety management systems that enhance workplace health.

Increase Efficiency in Civil Engineering Companies

Furthermore, even if the occupational health of a civil engineering company is viable, it can still benefit from ISO standards as they provide valuable guidance to companies for increasing their efficiency, reducing their wastage, enhancing their savings and streamlining their processes.

Enhance credibility and attract new customers

The standardisation is a stamp of approval for a company, that its processes, people, systems and policies have been duly inspected, approved and accredited by an international organisation. As a result, it is able to acquire new customers, retain their present client base and enter new markets.

What are the ISO requirements for Civil Engineering Companies?

To understand the ISO requirements for civil engineering companies, it is necessary to understand what are the challenges that they face on a daily basis.

Occupational health and safety in a construction sites

The first challenge is related to occupational health and safety as construction sites are filled with many potential hazards. Moreover, due to excessive emission of fugitive dust, many serious health conditions arise for the workforce. The ISO 45001 standard may be beneficial for a civil engineering company, as it improves individual safety as well as organisational safety, improves managerial oversight, conduct preventive risk and hazard assessment, lowers insurance premiums, enhances consistency, increases trust, helping the company position itself as industry leaders.

Understanding customer needs in civil engineering companies

Another challenge is related to understanding customer needs. Here, the ISO 9001 standard is beneficial as it helps to streamline processes so that you are able to better understand the needs of your customers, and provide services that are a perfect fit for their expectations. This increases your chances of winning contracts and creating higher customer satisfaction.

Environmental Efforts of civil engineering companies

Similarly, many environmentally conscious consumers will refrain from working with companies that do not have “green certification.” In this digital age, the environmental status of your company can be found by just performing a few clicks on the internet. This is where the ISO 14001 standard becomes beneficial as it helps to showcase your commitment to environmental management, through the efficient usage of resources and reduction of waste.

How to implement ISO standards in Civil Engineering Companies?

To select an appropriate standard, identify what your core business processes are, and what is your aspiration for the future. Based on your organisational objectives, select a standard that provides guidance in improving the procedures related to your objective.

1. Developing a management system

To acquire ISO certification, begin by developing a management system. Hence, you need to appoint a project supervisor to document details of the way in which your organisation carries out its operations. It is essential to remain vigilant at documentation and adhere to the recommendations of the applicable standard, ensuring the information is presented in the simplest manner and complexity is avoided.

2. Internal audit

Next, perform an internal audit to identify inconsistencies between your management system documentation, and the actual way in which things are being conducted. Based upon the results of the internal audit, make the necessary improvements in your practice. Here, it is beneficial to utilise your auditor’s notes as a guide to ensure that the goals of a management system are appropriately established.

After verifying that your management system is functioning as expected, select a registrar that holds necessary credentials for your certification audit. Begin to develop an ISO application and submit your documentation for pre-assessment.

3. External audit

The external audit is the next step, which is the most crucial step of your certification journey. During the certification audit, an auditor will analyse your management systems and procedures to see if they are in compliance with the chosen standard. If there are major nonconformances, you will be granted a time period to rectify them. You will not be able to achieve your certification until you demonstrate a satisfactory performance in the certification audit.