Make your mark with National Highway Sector Scheme 7.

We are continuing our NHSS blog series with the requirements for scheme 7.

National Highway Sector Scheme 7 relates to “The Application of Road Marking Materials & Road Studs to Paved Surfaces”.

Highways England (HE) and Transport for London (TfL) road marking contractors working on the strategic road network and most of the TfL network must be NHSS 7 certified.

However, any organisations with NHSS 7 Certification gives their clients the confidence that their requirements will be fulfilled to the highest standards in a safe environment.

Certifying bodies are required to be accredited against the requirements of UKAS for assessment and registration of ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems in accordance with the specifications of NHSS 7.

Only by applying appropriate scrutiny to the requirements stated in the NHSS #7 Document and ensuring employers are able to evidence compliance with NHSS #7 when auditing road marking companies can we collectively raise standards and increase safety.

NHSS 7 compliance ensures that employers and employees are appropriately trained and qualified, that works are completed properly and professionally, that the safety of the road user is maintained, and the health and safety of the workforce employed on our roads remains paramount.

This Sector Scheme further includes the minimum standards and requirements for:

Workmanship, services, products and testing
Training and competency requirements for operatives and supervisors
Qualifications for auditors used by certification bodies
Specific elements of environmental and other management systems

There are several advantages to getting registered under this, or any other NHSS if your business has previously worked with Highways England, or you plan to tender for future work:

A competitive edge - You may have an advantage over competitors who are not certified to NHSS.
A better understanding of risk, and how to manage it - the NHSS assessment process can help you pinpoint areas of risk in your operations, especially using a Quality Plan
New opportunities - NHSS registration can open up contracts in new areas such as for the national road network.
Greater visibility - you can join the online Schedule of Suppliers, the only comprehensive national register of independently approved contractors and subcontractors
Access to expertise and support - some trade associations will only accept new members who are NHSS registered

So, if you are working in one of the above sectors and are looking to register for National Highway Sector Scheme 7, whether you have ISO9001 or not, we can help you achieve certification.

If you already have NHSS 7 and need support maintaining your management system, then we can help with that too!

Contact us at info@quality-improvements.co.uk and find out how we can help today.