Sandwell Quality Policy

Our commitment to quality management is integral to fulfilling the company’s corporate mission to deliver technology and business solutions on specification, on schedule and on budget. Quality management has always been part of our corporate culture and, in 1994, Sandwell became one of the first engineering firms in North America to formalize our Quality Management System by achieving registration of our system to the International Quality Standard ISO 9001.

Sandwell's Quality Policy

  • Sandwell focuses on client’s needs and pledges a quality product and service to meet such needs in return for a fair profit.
  • Quality is the responsibility of every Sandwell employee, at all levels of the company.
  • Sandwell operates a formalized Quality System which contains the procedures to be followed for continual improvement in all aspects of the Company's business.
  • Quality Managers are appointed at the Corporate and operational levels of Sandwell and play an integral role in the senior management of the Company.
  • All Sandwell employees receive training in the applicable portions of the Quality System that are relevant to their job.
  • Integral to the Quality System are regular management reviews and internal audits which seek to monitor and continually improve the effectiveness of the Quality System.
  • Quality Management in all Sandwell offices shall be conducted to meet the requirements of ISO Standard 9001 for Quality Management. Each office shall strive to achieve and maintain registration under ISO Standard 9001 for Quality Management. Continuing registration under this standard serves as a benchmark for Sandwell's Quality System and signifies the Company's continuing commitment to quality.

By working with Sandwell, clients draw on our proven success in providing engineering services on specification, on schedule and on budget with proactive resolution of constraints. Our quality control and quality assurance procedures have enabled us to achieve preferred supplier status with our clients, demonstrated by the many clients we have served for over 40 years.

Scope of Sandwell’s Quality Management System

Sandwell's Quality Management System provides a framework of procedures which govern how projects:

Sandwell Management Systems Overview<
  • Meet well defined needs;
  • Complete ‘On specification, on time and on budget.’

The scope of Sandwell’s Quality Management System with the client’s facility would include:

  • Prioritizing clients’ needs through defined objectives and targets;
  • Assigning Quality Managers to deliver Sandwell’s pledge of quality product and services with skilled resources;
  • Complying with applicable codes, standards, specifications or other professional requirements;
  • Utilizing quality control and quality assurance procedures for every aspect of Sandwell's business;
  • Applying advanced design and accounting information resources;
  • Reviewing project performance in addressing the client’s specific needs.

Meeting Well Defined Needs

As clients projects will differ in scope, Sandwell prepares project specific quality management plans, linking specific client and project needs with Sandwell management procedures. Each Project Management Plan features:

  • Service Contract Agreement Review, a checklist to ensure the contracted services fully satisfy the client‘s expectations. This includes consideration of: All Client requirements are defined and documented, and any which differ from those stated in Sandwell's proposal are resolved; Sandwell's resources will be adequate to meet contractual requirements; Sub-consultant selection, contracting processes and scope change procedures reflect client needs; budget, fee, disbursement and contract schedules are consistent; and insurance, liability, and indemnity match the risks assessed.
  • Regular Client Communications are implemented in relation to project/service requirements, the contract, changes to the contract or client feedback through the Sandwell Project Manager. Any change in scope or mandate or discrepancy between the Client's Purchase Order and Sandwell's understanding of the project scope is documented and communicated to the Client’s at the time it is first detected.
  • Budget Control on all projects ensures contracts meet agreed budgets. This is a key element in Sandwell’s quality management system, utilizing a Corporate Project Accounting System that provides project expenditures by tracking work hour and disbursement costs. This system utilizes detailed procedures with assigned responsibilities for accounting and project management staff.
  • Engineering Controls involves the application of quality control procedures to all projects and aspects of Sandwell services provided to complete tasks on specification. Detailed procedures for engineering design activities are used at all stages of projects, from reports and studies; through converting the design criteria (or service brief) into the specifications for supply and delivery of the facility or services; to completion of construction or installation.
  • Purchasing Controls involves all purchasing, procurement and vendor management activities such as hiring of sub-contractors, scope definition of materials and services, quality assurance to materials and service standards, records of sub-contract pre-qualification, purchasing assurance for equipment and logistics. These procedures are designed to complete tasks on schedule.
  • Project Audits are initiated and conducted for active projects monthly. Project audits may take two forms, informal audits and formal audits. Large projects and smaller projects with known issues will normally require formal audits for review by a senior management team. This program offers The Client’s proactive resolution of pending issues and the prevention of problems.
  • Performance Evaluation is undertaken by seeking client feedback through a Questionnaire and through Post Project Reviews at senior level meetings with the Client’s representatives. Corrective actions arising from client performance evaluation is used by Sandwell to initiate improvements to procedures, practices and technical standards.
  • Continual Improvement of Sandwell’s procedures, practices and technical standards is achieved through Sandwell management review processes that include annual corporate objectives, management reviews, monthly planning reviews and daily communications. Internal monitoring of project audit results, analysis of project controls data, corrective and preventive actions taken determine if Sandwell’s Quality Management Systems have been effective in achieving planned results.