1.0 Introduction

2.0 Company Policies

• Safety

Tucson North International is committed to protect its employees and property from accidental loss. In fulfilling this commitment, we will provide a safe and environmentally sensitive work environment as indicated by acceptable industry practices and legislative guidance. We will strive to eliminate any foreseeable hazards which may result in fires, security losses, personal injury, or damage to the environment or company property.

All management and supervisory functions, including those of subcontractors, will be required to comply with Tucson North International's loss prevention requirements as they apply to the design, development and implementation of work activities.

Wherever possible, Tucson North representatives and its Clients will be encouraged to reduce, re-use and recycle products and materials. Sound environmental management practices will be supported and promoted where identified.

• Risk Assessment

• Training and Qualifications

Tucson North is committed to ensure all employees have the skills, experience and training necessary to complete assigned tasks. Existing qualifications or levels of professional or other training will be supplemented by ongoing training and development where identified in annual appraisal documentation.

Tucson North encourages the completion of relevant educational qualifications or implementation of national vocational qualifications for its own, and client organisations.

• Substance Abuse

• Quality

• Equal Opportunities

3.0 Management System Description

• Scope

• Application

• References

• Health & Safety at Work etc. Act
• Management of Health & Safety
• Successful Health and Safety Management, HS(G)65
• Human Factors in Industrial Safety, HS(G)48
• OHSAS18001 Safety Management System Model
• Essentials of Health and Safety at Work, HSE 1994
• The Costs of Accidents at Work, HSE 1993
• BS 4778 Part 1: 1987/ISO 8402 1986 - Quality Vocabulary
• BS EN ISO 9001: 1994 - Model for Quality Assurance
• BS 7229 1989 - Quality Systems Auditing International Safety Rating System, 6th Edition: UK version

• Definitions

Definitions of 'quality' terms used in the system are to be found in BS 4778 Part 1 1987/ISO 8402 1986. Principle terms used are paraphrased as follows:

QUALITY - fitness for purpose or conformance to Client requirements. There is no implication for comparative excellence.

PRODUCT or SERVICE - the result of activities or processes. These may or may not be tangible.

QUALITY SYSTEM - the organisational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources used in implementing quality management.

NON-CONFORMANCE - failure to achieve specified requirements (e.g. failure of suppliers to meet company requirements).

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATION - the recognition of skill through workplace assessment against national standards of competence.

• Organisation and Responsibilities

• revision of procedures and systems
• implementation of educational and vocational qualifications
• planning and administration of supplier appraisals and audits
• planning and administration of annual internal quality audits
• preparation of reports towards improving performance

• Management Review

• Management Organisation

Due to the limited size of the company, the Managing Director also serves as the company's Senior Consultant.

The management system establishes an audit trail which provides objective evidence of performance in all activities. Verification activities will be conducted only by trained personnel who, wherever possible, are independent of the area under consideration.

• Quality System

Introduction: The quality system is the means by which the Company's quality policies are translated into an effective way of achieving the objective of conformance to Client requirements.

Quality Manuals Controlled copies of company documentation is distributed in secure areas of the Company internet site. Access is controlled through the Managing Director.

Quality Procedures All quality procedures will be maintained within this Manual for ease of control. Additional procedures as may be required will be generated by Client organisations to control identified work. All procedures will be distributed and controlled by the Managing Director. Procedures may be made available to Client authorised representatives for examination on company premises or Client premises under controlled conditions. Tucson North procedures may only be revised on the authorization of a designated company representative.

Quality Planning Work Instructions or Project Briefs will be issued, controlled and revised by a designated company representative. These Instructions or Briefs will take into consideration the following requirements as appropriate:

• the preparation of a quality plan
• the identification and acquisition of resources and skills that may be required to achieve the required quality
• the updating, as necessary, of quality control functions and tasks
• the identification of suitable verification at appropriate stages in the realization of product
• the clarification of standards of acceptability for all features and requirements, including those which contain a subjective element
• the identification and preparation of quality records

• Contract Review

The objective of a contract review is to ensure that all requirements are clearly expressed and fully understood, and that tender documents reflect the cost of providing a service which will ensure Client satisfaction. All stages of the contract, from tender to close out, will be controlled and documented by the Managing Director.

A Contract Review will be used as a means of identifying Client requirements, and resolving unclear or conflicting requirements prior to the submission of tenders. All tenders will be reviewed by the Directors to ensure that the company has the capability to meet contractual requirements.

Contracts will be reviewed prior to acceptance to ensure they are consistent with the tender. Additionally, contracts will be reviewed when variations are proposed to ensure the requirement is clearly understood and communicated to relevant personnel.

All records of tenders, contracts and variations will be retained in accordance with quality records requirements.

Contract Amendment Any contract amendments are to comply with Client requirements and will require the review and authorization of the Managing Director.

• Design Control (including subcontracted graphic design)

Design Planning Client requirements will be fully understood and conflicting or ambiguous items will be resolved prior to the commencement of work. Planning, control and verification of the design process will ensure conformance to Client requirements.

Design activities will be assigned to suitably qualified personnel, and all activities will be clearly defined so that they can be easily understood. Interfaces between the Client and the company will be identified and shown graphically where appropriate. The transmission and review of information will be detailed in all work instructions.

Design Input Detailed work instructions will clearly record the agreed process identifying, documenting and resolving all input requirements.

Design Output Design output will be controlled and verified by a senior consultant to ensure conformance to the requirements of the Client. Outputs will fulfill the following requirements conformance to input requirements, fitness for purpose and inherent safety.

Design Review At appropriate stages of design, formal reviews of the design results will be planned and conducted by responsible personnel. Participants at these design reviews may include representatives of all functions concerned with the design stage being reviewed, as well as other specialist persons, as required. Records of such reviews will be maintained.

Design Verification and Validation Responsibility for verification of design shall be assigned only to personnel of known capability. The criteria for verification may include conformance to input requirements and field trials and tests of effectiveness. Design validation will be performed under defined Client operating conditions to ensure the product conforms to defined user needs and/or requirements.

Design Changes Design changes and modifications will be identified, documented, reviewed and approved by a Senior Consultant and Client representative before their implementation.

• Document Control

Correspondence, reports or artwork is archived securely. Storage of computer data is maintained by a daily back-up of records. Information from network or stand alone systems is transferred to tape or disk and stored in a secure cabinet (on or offsite).

Invalid or obsolete documents will be promptly removed from all points of issue or use, and assured against unintended use.

All client documentation will be fully integrated into their existing document control arrangements where required.

Document Changes Changes to documents or data will be reviewed, wherever possible, by the same functions that performed the original review and approval. Where practical, the nature of the change will be identified in the document.

• Purchasing

The purpose of purchasing controls is to ensure that all requirements for goods or services are correctly specified, and that goods and services delivered conform to stated requirements. Price and delivery are important considerations in the purchasing system, but are not necessarily the dominant factors.

Procurement Policy Company Directors have the responsibility for entering into external commitments with sellers and contractors, based on the authorization of funds in accordance with ethical work practices.

The issuer of a purchase or contract service requisition is to determine the need for the goods or service and accurately describe what is needed. Services provided and goods obtained will comply with all standards, codes and regulations prescribed by law and company requirements, to ensure maximum benefit and to protect the health and safety of all employees.

Designated company representative will control the process used to purchase goods and services. This will include the requisition and award process, the commercial terms, and the purchase of goods and services by company representatives.

Approved Suppliers List A list of approved suppliers is kept and is based on historical performance, supplier assessment and Client preference. A supplier assessment is conducted prior to any additions to the list. Provision is made for Clients to visit suppliers when required.

Purchase Requisition Requisitions for goods or services are reviewed by designated company representatives to ensure the correct specifications or requirements are detailed.

Materials Receiving All goods and services received are subject to inspection by authorised persons. The degree of inspection is determined by the nature of the goods, but in all cases conformance to the original order specification is ensured. All materials held in-house, or at a subcontractor's premises, will be accounted for on a monthly basis. Summary information will be provided to Clients as required.

Records Purchasing and receiving records are retained in accordance with quality records requirements.

• Subcontracting

All subcontractors will be evaluated and selected on the basis of their ability to meet subcontract requirements including the management system and any specific Client safety or quality assurance requirements. Subcontractors providing services may be required to provide detailed management system arrangements subject to determination by the Managing Director. Subcontractors providing product only (e.g. printers) will be required to work to a defined management system (preferably including full certification to ISO 9001).

The Managing Director will determine the type and extent of control to be exercised with the subcontractor. This determination will be dependent on the type of product, impact of subcontracted product on the quality of final product and, where applicable, on records of previously demonstrated capability and performance of the subcontractor.

Records will be maintained of current subcontractors.

• Control of Customer Supplied Product

When Client owned materials or equipment are delivered for storage or for use in operations, inspection controls will ensure fitness for purpose.

All materials will be subject to inspection to ensure compliance to requirements. They will be clearly identified, and accountability will be maintained by the company for all items held. Materials will be stored according to Client specified requirements.

All documentation will be maintained in accordance with quality records requirements.

• Operations Control

All operations (consulting, training, writing, graphics) will be controlled according to international industry guidance for such operations.

All work equipment (e.g. computers, printers, copiers, etc.) will be maintained free from hazard, and worksites will be kept tidy to promote safe working.

Hazard information on client sites will be forwarded to the relevant personnel.

Inspection and Testing Incoming product and materials is not used or processed until it has been inspected by assigned personnel (or otherwise verified as conforming to specified requirements). Verification of compliance will be according to approved written instructions.

Product suppliers (e.g. printers, graphics designers, etc.) will be required to produce evidence of in-process and final inspection and testing programmes used to control product quality. Records of inspection will be maintained per instructions on quality records.

Inspection and Test Status All materials received will be thoroughly inspected by a capable person prior to delivery to a Client. All materials received, therefore, will have the inspection and test status clearly marked.

Control of Non-Conforming Product All non-conformances (products or services) will be investigated by a designated company representative to establish underlying causes and remedial action necessary to prevent re-occurrence, or inadvertent use or supply.

All non-conforming product will be segregated to avoid inadvertent use. The disposition of non-conforming goods will be clearly defined and recorded. Re-worked goods will be re-inspected before acceptance. Goods which are accepted by consignment will be fully documented.

All records of non-conformance will be kept per requirements for quality records.

Corrective and Preventive Action Corrective action is the means by which non-conformances are investigated and the cause identified and remedied. Preventive action are those activities designed to ensure potential non-conformances are averted.

All non-conforming materials and services are investigated by designated company representative to determine the underlying causes of non-conformance and to define responsibilities for corrective action.

Necessary meetings and site reviews will be conducted with subcontractors to ensure corrective action is promptly undertaken. A detailed report will be required from subcontractors to verify remedial actions will resolve concerns.

All customer complaints concerning materials or services will be recorded, investigated and resolved by a designated company representative. Results of any necessary investigation, and preventive actions implemented will be detailed for Client review and agreement.

All corrective action records will be kept per requirements for quality records.

Handling, Storage, Packaging, Preserving and Delivery Materials handling will be controlled to ensure product quality is not impinged after manufacture.

Methods of handling will promote safe working practice and ensure that the product is not damaged prior to delivery to the Clients' premises. Designated storage areas will be maintained by the company (and its subcontractors where applicable) to prevent damage or deterioration. Appropriate methods of dispatch from these areas will be detailed in work instructions. In order to detect deterioration, assessment will be made of the product and storage area at regular intervals.

Subcontractors will control packing, packaging and identification of products to the extent necessary to ensure conformance to Client requirements (e.g. transport by sea or by air, etc.).

Product will be delivered according to detailed Client instructions. In all cases, delivery will be confirmed with Client representatives.

• Quality Records

• protection from contamination or deterioration
• material must be clearly identified, readily retrievable and securely stored
• retained for periods which are governed by statutory obligations, contractual agreements, commercial considerations and specified requirements within the quality programme.

• Safety and Quality Audits

The purpose of audit is to ensure that the system is effective and used in accordance with the requirements of various procedures.

The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring regular audits of the system are carried out to identify and correct non-conformances. The full management system will be audited at least once in every 18 months.

The Managing Director may perform audits personally or may delegate the task to capable persons independent of the activity being carried out. Audits and corrective actions will be recorded and closed out.

All audit records will be maintained in accordance with requirements for quality records.

• Human Resources

Selection and Placement All personnel employed by (or subcontracted to) Tucson North International will be interviewed against established criteria for the position, and all stated qualifications and certifications will be verified prior to placement. All personnel must possess the necessary skills, experience, training and personnel qualities to ensure they can work in a safe and secure manner.

Training, Development and Assessment Employees will be continually encouraged to pursue personal and professional development opportunities.

All personnel employed by Tucson North will be required to possess minimum training qualifications for the tasks they are assigned (e.g. safety auditing, offshore survival etc.). Where deficiencies exist, personnel will be closely supervised in the performance of their duties until such time that necessary qualifications are obtained. Necessary information regarding educational and vocational qualifications will be available from the Managing Director, including advice and guidance in selection and completion of individual qualifications.

Monthly meetings (minimum) are conducted with candidates, assessors and internal verifiers to evaluate progress against the standards being implemented and update necessary database information. These meetings include discussion of candidates with special needs, and liaison with satellite or other associated sites. Records will be maintained of all assessor-verifier meetings, and a review schedule (assessor, verifier) will be identified for each candidate portfolio. The evaluation of submissions being progressed will include range of assessment methods, consistency, equality and fairness of the assessment process.

Performance Management All staff and contractors will participate regular appraisals of performance which may identify additional development objectives to be completed within the year.

• Servicing

• Statistical Techniques