Quality Assurance

Northern Construction Solutions take an innovative and versatile approach to Quality Assurance aiming to provide services to our Clients that are effective, efficient and reliable.

To achieve consistency in its implementation of company commitments, the following policy principles are applied to all operations:

• Provision of adequate financial, human and material resources
• Compliance with all legislation and statutory requirements
• Effective communication to ensure the objectives of the Client are met
• Availability to staff of the latest information, policies, procedures and record forms
• Continuous improvement of the Management System to enhance performance and Client satisfaction

Northern Construction Solutions currently operate an informal quality system and are in the process of working towards EN ISO 9000.

Continuous Improvement

At Northern Construction Solutions Limited we are committed to continuous improvement through performance measurement and adaption. This was further underlined when in 2009 we became one of the founder members of the National Federation of Builders Continuous Improvement Club (CIC) in the North East of England. There are currently five member companies in the North East division of the CIC who meet regularly to share learning and best practice in relation to the following Key Performance Indicators:

• Health & Safety
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• People
• Environment

The club’s motto is “to be the Best of the Best”... This means that we will: Manage our business through performance Management and Continuous Improvement driven by Sharing and Learning best practice from each other through openness and trust.

Northern Construction Solutions operate a ZERO DEFECTS policy on all of its projects under which all materials procured and used within our projects will meet the required quality as determined by the contract documents.  No inadequate or incorrect materials will be used in the construction of any of our projects, including those supplied by our sub contractors.  Any materials found on site that do not meet the required standard will be removed and the correct materials incorporated into the works.

Initially the contract documents will be reviewed and the type and quantities of materials taken off and enquiries drawn up for issue to suppliers.  These will then be issued to suppliers from our nominated list who will in turn quote for the supply of the materials.  Theses quotations will then be reviewed for compliance with the specification and drawings.  Where there is any deviance from the specification due to either the product no longer being available or there is a more economical alternative then the approval will be sought from the Client for using this within the works.

Once it has been established which supplier(s) are to be used, the orders will be placed.  We then inspect the materials on arrival at site and any materials deemed to be damaged or incorrect are returned to the supplier and recorded on a non-conformance report.  This report is then issued to the supplier and kept in the site records.

The installation of the materials are then constantly monitored by Northern Construction Solutions, the Client and the Sub contractor (if applicable) to ensure they are installed correctly and to the correct standard.  This will ensure that the ZERO DEFECTS policy operated by Northern Construction Solutions is followed and allows for a smooth handover at completion.

Should any material installed or installation not be required quality standard then the project manager will issue a non-conformance with the following options for the resolution to the deviation.

• Accept the work as it is
• Reject the work, remove it and rebuild
• Accept the work on condition of remedial work being undertaken to improve the quality.

Depending on the nature of the fault, the Project Manager in consultation with the Client will decide upon the course of action to be undertaken.  This action will then be confirmed on the non-conformance report sheet and issued to the relevant parties.  The work is then rechecked on confirmed completion of the rework and signed off by all parties on the non-conformance.  The closed out non-conformance is then filed in the site records.

The works are undertaken in this way to ensure the work is snagged as work progresses and is not left until contract completion, thus allowing for a smooth handover of the works.