Kieran Barnes, ISO Document Controller at Carney Consultancy
Tell us about your role at Carney Consultancy.
My role is ‘ISO Document Controller’. I’m also known as the ‘quality’ guy at the office, as I am there to help spot-check reports and general procedures of our business.
What does it entail?
I get involved in all things with health and safety, environmental and quality management systems for our clients and our own. I am responsible for updating and reviewing the systems and, for our ISO clients, conducting regular audits to ensure they remain compliant with the ISO standards. I visit clients’ offices and sites to conduct audits and to assist them in receiving the appropriate accreditations.
What training did you receive at the company?
Besides shadowing our technical director, Martin Crammond and other staff members for experience, I have completed a two-day NQA IMS Internal Auditor course covering ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001.
How have you benefited from this?
The course gave me great understanding of the clauses in the ISO standards and what exactly to look for when conducting audits on systems. It also gave me some experience in auditing as we did a mock audit exam.
What does a typical day look like?
My typical ISO days involve me visiting our clients’ offices, speaking with the QSHE representative and conducting an audit, which will be a full day. Other days I am based in our office quality checking our own system, assisting the team with anything I can and doing the annual updates/reviews for our retainer clients.
Why did you want to join the team?
From the moment of my initial interview, I could tell that the staff operate as a team. They are all friendly, look out for each other and provide a positive and relaxed environment to work in. They have shown confidence in me since day one, while also providing strong support every step of the way. It made joining the business so easy.
Who do you work closely with at Carney Consultancy?
I collaborate closely with technical director, Martin Crammond. He solely dealt with the ISO side of the business, and I have joined as his understudy, to take over that responsibility.
What is your favourite part of the job?
I enjoy every aspect of this job. I suppose my favourite part is going to sites/business offices for the first time to conduct my audits. I find it interesting learning about a new company, how it operates, what it is like and how the systems match up against the business. I really enjoy reporting, so auditing works for me.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work I am quite sociable. I am an avid Newcastle supporter and season ticket holder. I play golf, football and badminton. And, if I am not doing one of those, I will probably be in the pub with some friends or family. While all that sounds extroverted, I see myself as a bit of an introvert as I like spending time by myself playing video games or watching TV.
