ME Elecmetal is committed to its various stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, and communities, while positioning itself as a strategic partner for sustainable mining.
Under this premise, it has integrated management systems such as ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001, as well as 14064 and, in the case of ME Elecmetal South America, 55001 as a key part of its performance, addressing all issues of Quality, Environment, Health and Safety, as well as Carbon Footprint and Energy Efficiency associated with each of its plants and products.
Customers develop their own Integrated Management Systems and, over time, the same standards have extended throughout their value chain.
2023 Certification Performance
| Plant | ISO 9001 | ISO 14001 | ISO 45001 | ISO 14064 | ISO 50001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ME South America – Rancagua | X | X | X | X | X |
| ME North America – Tempe | X | X | OSHA* | X | |
| ME North America – Duluth | X | X | OSHA* | X | |
| ME China – Changzhou | X | X | X | X |
*OSHA and ISO 45001 aim for the same objectives, but the former is mandatory for companies in the U.S., while ISO 45001 is voluntary. OSHA: focuses on compliance with specific U.S. regulations and can impose sanctions in case of non-compliance. It is organized by industries. ISO 45001: is based on creating an occupational health and safety management system based on a risk management approach. OSHA may not be audited, unlike ISO, which is audited.
PROGRESS IN SOUTH AMERICA
In Chile, audit processes integrate Quality, Environment, Health and Safety, while Energy Efficiency is audited independently. This process is carried out through a one-week sample review with 4 or 5 auditors on site. During this time, interviews are conducted with management, operators, and contractors from all areas to be recertified, ensuring a compliant management system.
The Rancagua Plant has been certified in the Occupational Health and Safety Management System since 2018, initially with OHSAS 18001, and with ISO 45001 since 2021. The latter certificate replaces the former.
The certification and recertification process takes place every three years. The certifying company – in this case LQRA – visits the Plant during each process to audit the entire process with the objective of evaluating the degree of compliance with the standard’s requirements and, if verified, renew the certificate for a new period. This process occurs according to the scope of the certification, which in this case includes 4 processes:
- Engineering and development services.
- Manufacturing, reconditioning, and machining of components for the mining and industrial sector.
- Marketing of parts and equipment components for large-scale mining.
- Development of digital and analog service methodologies to provide comprehensive solutions to customers.
Additionally, follow-up and internal audits are conducted to ensure the system remains valid regarding the achievement of the organization’s objectives, which are defined based on Zero Harm Management throughout ME Elecmetal focusing on Culture, leadership strengthening, and management of exposure and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety policy, part of Quality, Environment, Energy, Health and Occupational Safety.
PROGRESS IN NORTH AMERICA
In the case of the Tempe and Duluth operations, the ISO 9001 quality management system was adopted in 1996 to ensure product quality for customers. In 2014, the adoption of an environmental management system continued, reflecting the organization’s commitment to responsibly managing environmental variables, which in 2017 resulted in a unified management system (9001+14001) complemented with OSHA (formerly ISO 18001).
In this context, in the two US operations, as well as in the rest of the Company, work has been done on:
- Determining the areas in which it can influence environmental results.
- Identifying environmental inputs and outputs of the aspects of its production under its control.
- Supporting and committing to achieving environmentally sustainable manufacturing.
- Allocating resources for training and information to establish and maintain environmental awareness and focus.
- Reevaluating its current objectives and capabilities, as well as new methods to advance environmental management.
PROGRESS IN CHINA
In the case of the Changzhou Plant, the work process for ISO 45001 certification began in 2018, inviting third parties and internal auditors to train in ISO systems; establishing documentation; conducting two on-site audits from January to February 2019; and obtaining the compliance certificate in March 2019.
Among the main achievements were certification for six years without any major non-conformities; at the recertification process six years later, once again without non-conformities; and achieving increasingly better results in health and safety: zero occupational diseases and more than two years of safe production without lost-time accidents.
ME Elecmetal’s strategic corporate pillars: Global Competitiveness, Pursuit of Excellence, Integral Solutions, and Sustainability are fully aligned with the objectives of the Integrated Management System, since:
Improves operational efficiency:
reducing duplication of efforts and resources, and facilitating coordination and consistency across all organizational processes.
Ensures regulatory compliance:
facilitating adherence to various regulations and standards, avoiding penalties and improving operations.
Culture of continuous improvement:
promoting it at all levels of the organization, quickly and effectively identifying and correcting potential barriers.
Greater customer satisfaction:
also consistency and quality in product and service delivery, a decisive factor for generating new contracts and clients.
Better decision making:
providing more accurate and consistent data and information, enhancing management’s ability to make informed decisions.
Sustainability based on responsibility:
facilitating the implementation of sustainable and responsible practices, contributing to environmental conservation and community well-being, consistent with the company’s reputation.
“In 2024, ME Elecmetal’s commitment to being a strategic partner for sustainable mining came hand in hand with adherence to the ISO 14.064 Greenhouse Gas standard, which allows identifying, measuring, and further reducing the carbon footprint of operations,”
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