60 Seconds with David Winterburn

06 July 2015

David Winterburn shares his unique experiences working as an assessor with a diverse selection of clients, such as MOD and Coventry Cathedral.

Name:

David Winterburn

Audits against:

ISO 9001:2008, National Highway Sector Scheme (NHSS); ISO 14001:2004, BS8555 (EMS); ISO 50001:2011 (EnMS); OHSAS 18001:2007; Product Certification for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Most memorable auditing moment:

NQA has a diverse number of clients within all business sectors. I have audited on the roof of Coventry Cathedral, and seen millions of pounds worth of Gold. But the most memorable moment was when I was auditing the MOD and handled the Bronze Cascabel metal from the captured Russian cannons from the Crimean War that the Victoria Cross is made from.

Most common non-conformance

This is often related to Internal Audits process. They are undertaken as it is a requirement, however, often do not go into sufficient detail or depth for the client to identify significant issues or improvement opportunities.

Greatest client benefit gained from ISO certification

The client knowing how the company is functioning, where improvements can be made as part of the continual improvement process, which in the end, reduces their business risks and costs.

Top tip for getting the most from your management system

Undertake robust process based internal audits which gives the client valuable information as to the status of their company and operations.