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What quality controls does the business have?

Because the business is involved in producing chemicals, many of which are of a hazardous and toxic nature, the quality controls in DSS have to be of prime importance. All round the plant there are notices reminding staff of health and safety and also of the accident figures for the site. Mercifully, accidents are rare. This is a reflection of the emphasis on quality and safety that is at the forefront of the minds of all members of staff at the plant.

DSS has to operate to high SHEQ standards - Safety Health Environment Quality. There are industry-accepted standards that have been checked and monitored by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the regulatory body for health and safety in industry in the UK. Staff are reminded of this with the slogan 'SHE always comes first'.

Quality is not just important in the final product; it is also of vital importance in the production process. The emphasis on quality in the industry has been triggered in part by response to significant accidents and incidents around the world.

An example of this was the thalidomide problem. Thalidomide was a drug produced to help pregnant women cope with morning sickness. It was also used as a sedative. The side effects, however, caused significant deformities in babies. It should be noted that DSS had nothing to do with this drug but the whole incident provided a 'wake-up call' for the industry as a whole. DSS now operates to Current Good Manufacturing Practices - CGMP. To meet this standard, there are certain procedures that the company has to go through.

• There has to be quality in every aspect of what the company does
• The Company has to say what they are going to do with regard to ensuring highest quality controls
• They then have to do these things
• They then have to be able to prove that they have done these things.

Quality controls are vitally important at DSS. The complex nature of the production and the inherent danger of the chemicals used means it has to be top priority not only for the firm but for all its stakeholders. Images: Courtesy of Degussa AG. Copyright held by Degussa AG.

This creates a great deal of paperwork and documentation but it does mean that DSS can demonstrate to all its stakeholders its commitment to quality. This is important to DSS as a means of gaining some competitive advantage, for example, if they are dealing with a large pharmaceutical company who may be a potential customer, they will want more than just a brochure saying that the company has high quality standards - they are going to want proof.

Because of the fact that many of the materials that DSS works with are potentially hazardous to both health and the environment, they have to be mindful about how they deal with waste products. Effluents from processing can be in the form of solids, liquids and gases/vapours.

DSS works within something called Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control - IPPC. This means that the waste products generated are kept within approved limits. A set level of emissions of various kinds is negotiated with the Environment Agency. DSS then has to keep documentation to prove that they are operating within those limits.

DSS have another set of quality controls that they have to operate within. The type of business they are in means that there is potential for major accidents. The Control of Major Accidents and Hazards (COMAH) is a series of measures that enable the firm to demonstrate that they are operating safely. In conjunction with the HSE, the company reviews and revises this document every five years.

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