QHSE can be seen as a difficult area to break into; the depth and breadth of this field linking arms with the veterans of compliance forms a formidable hurdle. However, six months on from beginning my role here at FQM, I feel as though I’m finally linking up.
When I first began, much of my time was spent building client management systems; analysing the data brought to me from site and attempting to build a picture of how each client works and how they would comply with the standards in their own unique way. Of course, this proved challenging as at the time I was still picking apart the ISOs themselves – though looking back, I can say the recent common framework invariably made things easier! Lastly, as the final layer on my learning cake; I had been tasked with shadowing on site visits and becoming adept with the QHSE Software Mango.
Attending site visits is my favourite part of the job. I was offered a window into the inner workings of a great many interesting businesses, and in some cases, began to see my office labours actually come to life. Most recently, I had a wee proud moment when two clients I had been closely involved with passed their certification – one with Mango and one without.
Its through these experiences that I learned an important lesson on coming to grips with Mango, and QHSE in general: participation is the key to success. Its only once I began to apply Mango, apply the standards and apply the site experience, that I was more confidently able to craft client solutions. And I’ve seen the same thing happen inside their businesses too. If everyone gets involved; signing-on the system, managing the modules, putting the processes through their paces – then you truly see honest improvement.
Although there’s still a lot to grasp before I can join arms with the compliance experts; going forward now I know where to focus my efforts. As I progress, I hope now to continue learning, engaging with clients and to take a more active role in the FQM team; ensuring that our clients continue get the very best support that we can provide.