Railways have unique characteristics and face unique challenges and safety considerations. BS ISO 22163:2023 provides a quality management system requirements document tailored to the specific needs of the railway sector.
Companies involved in design, manufacturing, maintenance and services related to rail systems, including:
railway manufacturers
rolling stock providers
rail operators
maintenance providers
suppliers of infrastructure technology
companies involved in production, maintenance, or research & development in the railway sector
BS ISO 22163:2023 specifies requirements for a generic quality management system when an organization:
needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and
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.
BS ISO 22163:2023 also defines supplemental requirements for a railway quality management system (RQMS):
applicable throughout the whole supply chain of the railway sector related to industrial products and services
providing continual improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and defect reduction in the supply chain and
enhancing and sustaining product quality, including safety aspects.
Better safety. A RQMS steers organizations along the whole supply chain to identify and manage safety risks more effectively.
Improved efficiency. BS ISO 22163:2023 can streamline processes, reduce waste and help organizations identify and eliminate bottlenecks. It can help optimize resource allocation and operational performance, leading to improved productivity, reduced costs and better use of assets and infrastructure.
Customer satisfaction. BS ISO 22163:2023 steers users to focus on meeting customer needs and expectations, helping you establish customer-centric processes, monitor service quality and deal with customer feedback effectively. The consistent delivery of reliable, comfortable, punctual services can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Stronger compliance. The railway sector is highly regulated. BS ISO 22163:2023 can help railway operations meet legal and regulatory obligations.
Continuous improvement. BS ISO 22163:2023 promotes the use of evidence-based decision making, performance monitoring and regular audits to identify areas for improvement. By systematically tackling non-conformities and implementing corrective actions, companies can continuously improve their processes, products and services.
Risk management. The railway sector faces operational, financial and reputational risks. BS ISO 22163:2023 can help you identify and mitigate these risks proactively to strengthen the protection of people, assets and reputation.
Competitive advantage. Particularly for suppliers, B BS ISO 22163:2023 can differentiate your organization, demonstrating your commitment to quality, safety and customer satisfaction, attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.
The main changes to BS ISO 22163:2023 in comparison with PD BS ISO/TS 22163:2017 are:
business planning, innovation management and social responsibility moved to Clause 4 “Context of the organization”
product safety requirements are integrated in the quality requirements
revision of competence management
clarification of the RAMS/LCC requirements
creation of the notion of performance indicators (PI) versus KPI
revision of the mandatory PIs.
ISO 22163