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Radio Quality Assurance Scheme - Quality System Guide to the Application of BS EN ISO 9000 for Quality Management Systems to Civil Radio Services - Issue 2: May 1999 |
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Radio Quality Assurance Scheme - Quality System Guide to the Application of BS EN ISO 9000 for Quality Management Systems to Civil Radio Services - Issue 2: May 1999 |
Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) - Quality System Guide
The contents of this guide have been agreed by the Radiocommunications Quality Council (RQC) which consists of representatives of the radio industry, trade associations, radio users, certification bodies and government. The RQC is the managing body for the Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) (formerly the Land Mobile Radio Quality Assurance Scheme) and aims to develop and promote the RQAS in the best interests of all users of radio.
No amendments or changes may be made to the Quality System Guide or the Specific Guidance Notes without reference, in writing, to the Radiocommunications Quality Council.
Users of this guide are reminded that copyright subsists. However, the guide may be freely reproduced as the whole document or in complete sections, except for sale or advertising purposes.
The Quality System Guide and the Specific Guidance Notes are issued on behalf of the RQC by the Radiocomrnunications Agency. All enquiries or suggestions for changes should be addressed to:-
The Secretary
Radiocommunications Quality CouncilTel: 020-7211 0193
Fax: 020-7211 0118
CONTENTS:
1 . Amendment status record
2. Glossary of Terms
3. Introduction
4. Structure of the Guide
The following sections are published as separate Parts of the Quality System Guide
PART A - RADIO QUALITY ASSURANCE SCHEME (RQAS)
PART B - INTERPRETATION OF BS EN ISO 9000 FOR APPLICATION TO CIVIL RADIO SERVICES
1 . References
2. General Definitions
3. General Guidance to Quality System Requirements
PART C - SPECIFIC GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLICATION TO PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES
A separate index of all Specific Guidance Notes appears in part C.
The table below may be used to record all amendments issued.
| Date of amendment | New document | Replaces | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 310 | RA 210 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 311 | RA 211 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 312 | RA 212 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | --- | RA 213 dated July 1992 withdrawn | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 313 | RA 214 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 314 | RA 215 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 315 | RA 216 dated April 1993 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 316 | RA 217 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 317 | RA 218 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 318 | RA 21 9 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 319 | RA 220 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 320 | RA 221 dated July 1992 | ||||
| August 1996 | RA 321 | RA 250 dated May 1994 | ||||
Details of subsequent amendments issued can be obtained from the RQC Secretariat at the address given at the front of The Guide.
Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) - Quality System Guide
1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
1.1 Used in the guide:
| BABT | British Approvals Board for Telecommunications. | ||
| BASEEFA | British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres. | ||
| BEAB | British Electrotechnical Approvals Board. | ||
| BS | British Standard. | ||
| CECC | CENELEC Electronics Components Committee. | ||
| CENELEC | European Electrotechnical Standards Committee. | ||
| CLMR | Civil Land Mobile Radio. | ||
| COSHH | Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. | ||
| DTI | Department of Trade and industry. | ||
| EU | European Union. | ||
| EMC | Electro Magnetic Compatibility. | ||
| EN | Norme Europeenne. | ||
| ETSI | European Telecommunication Standards Institute. | ||
| FCS | Federation of Communication Services. | ||
| HPU | Hand Portable Unit. | ||
| IEE | Institute of Electrical Engineers. | ||
| ISO | International Standards Organization. | ||
| MPT | Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. | ||
| NVQ | National Vocational Qualification. | ||
| OFTEL | Office of Telecommunications. | ||
| PAMR | Public Access Mobile Radio. | ||
| PCB | Printed Circuit Board. | ||
| PCN | Personal Communications Network. | ||
| PMR | Private Mobile Radio. | ||
| QA | Quality Assurance. | ||
| RA | Radiocommunications Agency of the DTI. | ||
| RQAS | Radio Quality Assurance Scheme. | ||
| RQC | Radiocommunications Quality Council. | ||
| SGN | Specific Guidance Note (for RQAS). | ||
| (the) STANDARD | The BS EN ISO 9000 series standard for Quality Management Systems. | ||
| STH | Short Term Hire (of CLMR equipment for maximum term of 12 months). | ||
| UK | United Kingdom. | ||
| UKAS | United Kingdom Accreditation Service |
1.2 Other useful terms:
| CTCSS | Continuous Tone Coded Signalling System. | |
| DCS | Digital Communications System. | |
| UHF | Ultra High Frequency | |
| VHF | Very High Frequency. | |
| WT | Wireless Telegraphy |
Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) - Quality System Guide
| 2 | INTRODUCTION | |
| 2.1 | The purpose of The Guide is to assist with the process of preparing and assessing a civil radio supplier's quality system for conformity with BS EN ISO 9000 as appropriate to the Scope of Registration. These guidance notes interpret and complement the basic requirements of The Standard and identify the technical requirements which should be followed. | |
| 2.2 | The Guide is intended to be of interest to firms being assessed as well as to auditors, and is also designed to harmonise assessment practices between certification bodies. | |
| 2.3 | In order to facilitate cross-referencing to The Standard, The Guide is organised according to the structure of BS EN ISO 9000 and contains clause-by-clause cross-references. | |
| 2.4 | BS EN ISO 9000 is based on a quality model which is production orientated. The Guide will interpret how this is to be applied in the radio industry, which is primarily a service industry. | |
| 2.5 | The Guide identifies the specific radio-related aspects of the quality system that an auditor will check in applying each clause of BS EN ISO 9000 and provides guidance on what auditors can expect to find. if the supplier's system is not in line with this guidance, it may nevertheless conform to BS EN ISO 9000 but in this case the additional RQAS certificate could not be granted. | |
| 2.6 | When applying these checks the auditor will use professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of the arrangements offered. Some business applications will require more robust procedures than others; when in doubt the auditor will substantiate conclusions by evidence of failure or unreasonable risk. The guiding factor is whether adequate control is being exercised. If required, disagreement on the interpretation of the guidance can be resolved by the Radiocommunications Quality Council. | |
| 2.7 | The Guide and the Specific Guidance Notes give the basic requirements to be incorporated into the quality management systems for assessment under the scheme. They do not preclude the firm from operating additional quality assurance procedures within their organisation as might be required by market forces. | |
| 2.8 | Please note that the word should has been deliberately used throughout the text, to avoid specifying requirements that are additional to those contained in the BS EN ISO 9000 series. |
Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) - Quality System Guide
3.1 The Guide falls into 3 distinct sections:-
Part A gives an introduction to the RQAS, identifies the objectives and outlines why such a scheme was thought necessary
Part B gives guidance which is thought to be general in its application to all civil radio services;
Part C gives further specific guidance on requirements relating to particular activities within the civil radio industry.
| 3.2 | The reason for this format is to reduce the need to repeat common guidance. This format will also facilitate adding new service activities to the scheme or updating the guidance. |
| 3.3 | The use of The Guide will avoid misinterpretation and explain terminology for particular activities. The Specific Guidance Notes and the documents they refer to, identify more detailed industry guides, codes of practice or specifications which should be followed by the applicant firm in complying with the requirements of the scheme. |
| 3.4 | This document should be read in conjunction with The Standard itself as well as any other relevant guidance documentation referenced in The Standard. |
Enquiries about the RQAS should be addressed to:
The Secretary
Radiocommunications Quality Council
c/o Radiocommunications Agency
Wyndham House
189 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SX
Tel: 020-7211 0193
Fax: 020-7211 0118
Copies of all RA publications can be obtained from:-
The Library
Radiocommunications Agency
Wyndham House
189 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SX
Tel: 020-7211 0502/0505 (24 hour answerphone)
Fax: 020-7211 0507
website: www.radio.gov.uk
RA 310
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This guide may be freely reproduced as a complete document except for sale or advertising purposes
