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1. These regulations relate to certification by URS
2. For the purpose of these regulations:
"URS" Means URS Certification and United Registrar of Systems or any company within ROS group.
"URS Logo" Means the logo approved by URS.
"Appeal Committee" Means a committee of the URS Certification Board established for the purpose of hearing appeals. The panel appointed in respect of each appeal will consist of a Chairman and at least two members of the Certification Board, none of whom shall have any direct interest in the subject of the appeal. "Applicant" Means an individual, body corporate or body incorporate which has applied but has not yet been granted a certificate for the scope of the application. "Board" Means the Board established as the governing body of URS.
"ISO9000 Series" Means the standard for quality systems.
"ISO14001" Means the standard for environmental systems. "QS-9000" and "ISO/TS16949" Mean the ISO9000 standards as interpreted by the automotive industry. "Health and Safety" Means the standard for health and safety systems.
"AS9100" Means the ISO9000 standard as interpreted by the Aerospace Industry.
"HACCP" Means the standard for a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system.
"Certificate" Means a certificate recognizing that the management system operated by the organization having been assessed by URS in accordance with these regulations.
"Schemes Manager" Means the person who is appointed for the time being by the Board, to be in charge of the area for which the Board has responsibility.
"Registered Organization" Means an individual, body corporate or body incorporate which has been granted a certificate by URS.
"Quality System" Means the organization, structure, responsibilities, activities, resources and events appertaining to an organization that together provide organized procedures, processes and methods of implementation to ensure the capability of that organization to meet the quality requirements established in accordance with ISO9001, ISO14001, QS-9000, ISO/TS16949 or AS9100 (and other related standards).
"Documented Management System" Means a set of documents/descriptions serving to implement the system of an organization which sets out the specific practices, resources and activities of that organization relevant to achieving compliance with a particular standard specification or otherwise specified requirement, plus, if appropriate, practices and activities relevant to specific Codes of Practice.
"Guidance Notes" Means a document developed by industry, procurement and associated interests, with or without the participation of URS which particularizes the requirements of the ISO9000 series in relation to a particular sector of industry.
3. The Certification Board is the sole authority by which certificates may be granted, and acts through the Schemes Manager who, for the purpose of making assessments under these regulations, may from time to time delegate his/her functions as he/she may appoint or remove as he/she may deem necessary, subject to such conditions as the executive board may from time to time impose.
4. An applicant who satisfies the Schemes Manager that they are capable of compliance with these regulations and that the client carries out a bona fide business, and who gives to the Schemes Manager such undertakings as he may require shall, subject to the conditions of these regulations be entitled to a certificate which shall nevertheless remain the property of URS. Initial Certificates are valid from the date of issue for a period of 36 months. If an organisation does not intend to renew its certificate it must notify the Schemes Manager in writing of its intention not to do so, at least two months before the certificate expiry date. An organization's right to use the certificate is not transferable without the express permission of the schemes manager in writing.
5. A certified organisation shall:
- comply with these regulations at all times
- Use the URS logo in accordance with the conditions defined in the publication "Examples of use of the URS logo" (or claim by implication that the organization is entitled to use it, or claim URS registration) only in respect of the service(s) or product(s) which is/are the subject of the certificate, and then only from the address stated on the certificate (and annexe if appropriate).
- Maintain and document a system (where applicable) in accordance with the appropriate standard, and make available copies of all or part of the documented system should the Schemes Manager require it to be lodged with URS for reference purposes.
- The system, if intended to be significantly amended by the applicant/registered organization, must be advised to the URS representative. The notification must be immediate and in writing, when amendments to the system are significant (e.g. removal of a procedure altogether from the system). Where amendments are of a minor nature, they will be notified to the URS representative at the next scheduled assessment /surveillance visit.
- Discontinue any use of the URS logo, which is unacceptable to the certification board, and any form of statement or reference to the authority of the organization to be certified which in the opinion of the certification board might be misleading.
- Give representatives of URS access during normal working hours, to the premises or sites in which work subject to the certificate is being carried out, for the purpose of examining materials, procedures, processes, methods of test, records and systems, or establishing that the procedure for the termination of the certificate described in regulation 5(vii) has been carried out if necessary.
- Nominate for the approval of the certification board a management representative and one or more deputies authorised to act in the main nominee's absence (and replacement nominees as may be necessary) who will be responsible for all matters in connection with the requirements of the certificate and who will, upon each visit by the representative of URS sign a declaration if requested by the representative, to the effect that any changes in the procedures and other information relevant to the conditions under which the certificate is held including customer complaints, have been notified to URS.
- Upon the termination of the certificate (however determined) forthwith discontinue the use if the URS logo and all advertising matter which contain the URS logo or any reference thereto. In addition, any other material or documents in the possession of the organization which bear reference to the certificate will, if the certification board requires, be so treated as to erase it.
- Registered Client not bring the URS into or render them liable to disrepute,
- Not show inability to clear serious and recurring customer complaints and/or put appropriate corrective & preventive actions in place,
- Not made consistent failure to action any breaches in licenses/consents and or regulations/legislations (ISO14001 Clients.)
6. URS shall be entitled to charge fees at a level to be determined from time to time having regard to its costs relating to the administration of its schemes: An organization shall pay.
- comply with these regulations at all times
- A fixed annual fee for each certificate granted (this will include costs of surveillance), which shall not in any circumstances be returnable.
- Additional fees for assessment, supervision, re-issue or endorsement of the certificate and administration as shall from time to time be determined to be fair and appropriate.
- A final assessment fee upon termination of the certificate, however determined if such assessment be required by the certificate board.
- Any additional costs incurred by URS due to the certified organization's non-compliance with these regulations. All fees are payable in advance of the activity to which they refer i.e. Application fee prior to document review; Assessment fee prior to assessment: and Annual Surveillance fee prior to surveillance, except where a continual payment method is used e.g. Standing Order
7. URS shall:
- Send a representative to the registered organization in line with the URS surveillance programme, which will be notified to the client (these visits are normally once or twice a year) for the purpose of verifying that the obligations imposed by the certification rules are being carried out.
- Notify the registered organization of any changes in applicable Guidance Notes or standard, and allow the organization such time as in the opinion of the certification board is reasonable in which to adjust its processes and relevant procedures to meet the revised requirements.
- NOT TO DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION concerning the registered organization which is of a confidential nature, other than information which is in the public domain.
- Notify the registered organization of customer complaints relating to the compliance of the registered organization's product, process or service.
8. If a registered organization is temporarily unable to comply with the requirements of these regulations, the certification board may require the registered organization to discontinue use of the URS logo, and/or any claim to be a registered organization with immediate effect until they are satisfied that the conditions of certification are again achieved or pending the result of any appeal under regulation 12
9. In the event that a QS-9000 or ISO/TS16949 registered organization no longer supplies to a QS-9000 or ISO/TS16949 subscriber the Schemes Manager must be notified in writing within 20 working days, where upon QS-9000 or ISO/TS16949 registrations will be withdrawn (but not ISO9000). Additionally, those companies that are being audited and registered to ISO14001 must notify the relevant regulatory body or bodies (including URS) of any known breach of regulation/legislation appertaining to the environmental system certified. Similarly, those companies that are being audited and registered to Health and Safety must notify the relevant regulatory body or bodies (including URS) of any known breach of regulation/legislation appertaining to the system certified.
10. If a registered organization fails to comply with these regulations the certification board may, subject to the provisions in regulation 12 as appropriate: (i) Revoke the certificate or reduce its scope (ii) Refuse to grant or renew the certificate or extend its scope Such decisions, and the grounds for them, shall be communicated by the operations director in writing.
11. The certification board may, at their discretion, and subject to regulation 12, revoke or refuse to grant or renew a certificate if the registered organization becomes subject to the bankruptcy laws or makes any arrangements or composition with its creditors, or enters into liquidation, whether compulsory or voluntary (but not including liquidation for the purpose of reconstruction), or has a receiver of its business appointed, or is convicted of an offence tending to discredit the registered organizations reputation and good faith as a trader. Such decisions, and the grounds for them, shall be communicated to the registered organization in writing.
12. In the event of a registered organization or applicant wishing to appeal against any decision of the certification board under these regulations, it shall be within 21 clear days after having been officially informed of such a decision, giving notice in writing to the certification board of its desire to appeal against that decision.
A meeting of an appeal committee constituted in accordance with the regulations will be held within 30 clear days of receipt of such notice, and the appellant shall be given at least 7 clear days notice of the time and place of such a meeting.
The appellant will be advised as to the constitution of the appeals committee with respect to the individual candidature and shall be given the opportunity to object to any member of the committee. Such objections must be notified to the Schemes manager in writing, and the appeals committee will be duly re-constituted if upheld.
The Schemes Manager's decision shall remain in force pending any meeting of the appeals committee. At such meeting, both the appellant and the Schemes Manager shall be entitled to be heard in confidence. The decision of the majority of the appeals committee as declared by its chairman shall be final
13. Should a client wish to make a complaint against the service offered by URS, they should, in the first instance, write to the Schemes Manager at the Head Office. The contact address can be found on the URS website at www.urscertification.com
All complaints shall be duly recorded and reviewed, any corrective action thought necessary shall be communicated to the complainant, within a reasonable time-frame. Should the action not be considered sufficient, the complainant should write to the above address, but mark the correspondence for the attention of the Independent Certification Board (ICB).
Following the ICB's review of the matter, any actions considered necessary shall, once again be communicated to the complainant. If the above action is still not considered satisfactory, the complainant should address his/her concerns to URS's independent regulator - UKAS or SMMT (for ISO/TS16949), NABCB. Please refer to links to other web sites for the UKAS details.
14. These regulations may from time to time be altered by the board. No such alterations shall affect the right of any registered organization to use the URS logo, or claim to be registered under these regulations unless or until it shall have been given notice in writing of such alterations by the operations director who will notify the registered organization of the date by which it must comply with the altered regulations, which shall not normally be less than six months from the date of notification of the alteration.
15. A list of registered companies shall be open for inspection by the public at a URS operating address, which shall be published.
16. URS may assign this agreement to any Company, Body Corporate that URS has an Interest, Shares, control or affiliation with.
17. Any notice under these regulations shall be in writing and signed by or on behalf of the party giving it and may be served by leaving it or sending it by pre-paid recorded delivery or registered post, in the case of URS or the registered organization at or to its address for the time being (registered office where applicable).
Any notice so served by post shall (unless the contrary proved) be deemed to have served 48 hours from the time of posting; and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice was properly addressed and was posted in accordance with this regulation.
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