ISO/TS 22163 Quality Management System Certification: improvement of product quality along the entire supply chain, greater efficiency in the evaluation and selection of suppliers and reduction in the cost of supplier monitoring

ISO/TS 22163 is the latest worldwide standard for quality management systems in the railway industry.

Built on the basis of ISO 9001:2015 and in accordance with the High Level Structure (HLS) laid down in Annex SL, the standard is intended for all organisations operating in the railway rolling stock industry and aims to help them implement and maintain the efficiency of a management system, with a view to achieving a very high level of transparency throughout the supply chain, thereby maximising performance and mitigating risks.

There is increasing demand for this as a result of the liberalisation of the European market, which is characterised by greater competitiveness and the need to have a system that meets different requirements for the countries crossed by intercontinental lines and the mandatory requirements that govern the sector. 

ISO/TS 22163 Standard

ISO/TS 22163 (Railway applications - Quality management system - Business management system requirements for rail organisations: ISO 9001:2015 and particular requirements for application in the rail sector) which replaces the IRIS standard, transposes all the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and is supplemented with the additional requirements applicable to the rail sector. The technical specification specifies requirements for a quality management system when an organisation:
a) needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements
b) aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
All the requirements are generic and are intended to be applicable to any organisation, regardless of its type or size, or the products and services it provides.

 

The benefits of ISO/TS 22163 certification

  • Reduces risk, by ensuring conformity with the requirements of the international railway standard.
  • Provides a competitive advantage that is recognised for the approval of suppliers in the rail sector.
  • Improves product quality across the entire supply chain.
  • Enhances efficiency in the evaluation and selection of suppliers.
  • Reduces costs associated with supplier monitoring.
  • Increases sales thanks to inclusion in the IRIS online portal used by rail operators.
 Certification for CSQ schemes is awarded to organisations that operate in accordance with the applicable standards. Certificates are valid for three years. The audits are planned on the basis of the customer’s requirements and in accordance with international standards. After the award of the certificate, the organisation undergoes periodic audits and an overall system review every three years. The auditors make on-site visits to organisations to analyse their ability to plan and manage their business processes. Management system certification is the endorsement enjoyed by organisations that have chosen to equip themselves with efficient management systems and suitable skills and structures, aimed at continuous improvement. And the higher the prestige of the awarding body, the higher the value of the guarantee. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, our laboratories have full capability to put products through all the checks required by the major European directives and international standards. The certifications issued by IMQ are synonymous with trust. They guarantee safety, performance, efficiency and quality standards. More than 10,000 companies have turned to IMQ to certify their products and stand out on the market. Notified body for the main EU directives, IMQ offers tests and CE certifications to assess the conformity of the products to the requirements required to be marketed on the European market. Inspections and audits validate the conformity of electrical installations, equipment, supplies and services with the applicable technical and legislative specifications.