SN 9001:2016 Certification
Discover how Smithers can help you get started with SN 9001.
SN 9001 Helps Make Sure Your Prepared for the Next Storm
It’s the most wonderful, or perhaps the least wonderful time of the year – depending on who you ask and what part of the country you live in. However, for most individuals that live in the northern and easternmost portions of the United States, winter and the piles of snow that it often brings with it are a regular occurrence for at least the next three months. And whether you’re a commercial snow removal service provider or a government operation responsible for keeping local roads clear, SN 9001 can be your greatest ally in preparedness and making sure you have the resources you need in place to get the job done quickly, efficiently, and safely.
What Exactly is SN 9001?
SN 9001 certification is exclusive to professional snow contractors and works in conjunction with the existing ISO 9001:2015 standard. The SN 9001 QMS itself was based on ISO 9001 with additional, industry-specific, requirements melded in.
What Are the Benefits of SN 9001?
The value derived from SN 9001 certification comes from focusing on the processes encouraged within the standard. With good implementation and adherence to these procedures that make up your quality management system, the benefits realized can include:
- potentially reduced insurance premiums
- reduced accidents leading to slip-and-fall litigation
- increased end-user safety and satisfaction
- enhanced supplier-customer satisfaction
- more efficient use of labor
These are not the only benefits that the standard can bring to a certified organization, however they are some of the more common improvements reported.
What Are the Best Practices to Implementing the Standard?
First, you’ll want to determine the resource(s) and who will be developing, implementing, and maintaining your SN 9001 quality management system. The standard requires a management representative with specific responsibilities and authority who reports directly to top management.
Second, get some training. It’s very important that your resource attend training and learn about the ISO standard and how to interpret the requirements. The better you understand the ‘ins and outs’ of the SN 9001 the more efficiently and effectively you can develop your QMS. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can read the standards to gain a complete understanding; training will help ensure you understand the ‘shall’ statements.
Third, document your timeline. Make sure you include the critical processes of Internal Audit, Corrective Action and Management Review – Additionally, you may want to include a pre-assessment of your system prior to the actual certification audit, these can help identify system gaps and help teams gain insight on corrections prior to the actual audit.
Lastly, document your processes, ISO standards, after all, are process based. Examples of processes may include: sales, dispatching, routing, snow & ice management, snow disposal, training, and maintenance.
SN 9001 also implements both a pre-season inspection and an in-event assessment to ensure conformity to the standard.