What ISO 27001 is?

ISO 27001 is the international benchmark for an information security management system, known as an ISMS. It helps organizations protect their information assets through a systematic, risk-based approach. It applies to businesses of every size and sector, from small consultancies to large service providers, because every organization holds information worth protecting.

What the standard protects

The standard focuses on three qualities of information:

• Confidentiality: only authorized people can see it.
• Integrity: it stays accurate and is protected from unauthorized changes.
• Availability: it can be used when needed.

Certification helps make information flow within a company secure and effective, prevents loss, abuse and unauthorized modification, and supports compliance with legal and data protection requirements.

How an ISMS is built

An ISMS follows a clear structure:

• Context and scope: identify the information, systems and locations the ISMS will cover, and the expectations of interested parties.
• Leadership: senior management sets policy and assigns responsibility.
• Risk assessment and treatment: list what could go wrong, rate the risks and decide which controls to apply.
• Support: provide resources, competence, awareness and communication so people know their part.
• Operation: carry out the planned controls, such as access management, secure backups, supplier checks and incident response.
• Performance evaluation: monitor results through internal audits and management reviews.
• Improvement: correct non-conformities and strengthen controls over time.

Where data protection is won or lost

Technology matters, but people usually decide the outcome. Weak passwords, unsecured devices, shared accounts and careless emails cause many avoidable incidents. Clear policies, regular awareness sessions and simple rules for handling sensitive information make the ISMS effective in daily work.

Benefits for your business

• Customer confidence: clients see documented, independently verified protection of their data.
• Better tender prospects: many buyers now ask suppliers for proof of information security.
• Fewer surprises: a tested incident response plan limits damage when something goes wrong.
• Legal awareness: a routine for tracking data protection and contractual obligations.
• Clear accountability: everyone understands who owns each risk and control.

Common pitfalls

• Setting the scope so narrowly that key systems fall outside it.
• Buying tools without assessing risks first.
• Writing policies that staff never read.
• Leaving internal audits until the final weeks.

Why choose URS Middle East

URS Middle East offers ISO 27001 certification through independent, qualified auditors and supports organizations with training so their people understand the requirements. Working with a certification partner that also builds internal skills helps your team keep the ISMS effective after the certificate is issued.

Strong information security is easier to build before an incident than after one. To discuss ISO 27001 certification for your business, contact URS Middle East at info@urs-me.com or call +971 4 384 7500.

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What ISO 14001 is

ISO 14001 is an international standard for an environmental management system, often shortened to EMS. It gives organisations a common set of criteria to identify their environmental impacts, manage them and improve over time. It applies to companies of any size or sector, including manufacturers, service providers and contractors. Rather than prescribing fixed targets, it asks you to build a structured system that fits your operations.

What an environmental management system includes

An EMS is a systematic approach made up of policies, procedures and processes that address environmental impacts and risks. In practice, it usually covers:

• Context and scope: understanding the needs of interested parties and deciding which activities, products and services the system covers.
• Leadership and policy: a clear environmental commitment from senior management.
• Planning: identifying environmental aspects, legal obligations and risks.
• Operational controls: practical measures such as recycling, reducing energy consumption and using more environmentally friendly materials.
• Evaluation: monitoring, internal audits and management reviews.
• Improvement: corrective actions that strengthen the system over time.

The 2015 version of the standard also expects organisations to consider climate change as part of their context.

The path to certification

Certification follows a logical sequence:

1. Set the scope. Decide which activities and locations the certificate will cover.
2. Review your position. An initial review and gap analysis show where current practice falls short of the standard.
3. Build the EMS. Develop policies, procedures and records that meet the requirements.
4. Train your people. Staff need to understand their environmental responsibilities, and internal auditors need suitable training.
5. Run internal audits and a management review. These confirm the system works before the external audit.
6. Complete the certification audit. Independent, qualified auditors review documentation, implementation and effectiveness.
7. Close any non-conformities. Findings raised during the audit must be resolved.

After certification, surveillance audits normally follow through the certificate cycle to confirm the system stays effective.

Why growing businesses benefit

The gains reach well beyond the certificate:

• Compliance confidence: a clear register of legal obligations and a routine for checking them.
• Lower running costs: attention to energy, water and waste often reveals savings.
• Stronger tenders: many buyers ask suppliers for ISO 14001 evidence.
• Trust and reputation: customers, partners and staff see a visible commitment to sustainability.
• Consistent growth: new sites and teams follow one proven system instead of improvising.

Mistakes to avoid

• Treating certification as a paperwork exercise handled by one person.
• Setting an overly broad scope that the team cannot support.
• Skipping employee awareness, which leaves procedures unused.
• Neglecting internal audits until just before the external visit.

How URS Middle East supports you

URS Middle East provides ISO 14001 certification with independent, qualified auditors, and offers training for teams that will run and audit the system, including integrated management system internal auditor courses covering ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Combining certification and training helps your staff build the skills to keep the system alive after the audit.

If your business is growing and environmental expectations are growing with it, now is a good time to build the system that supports both. Contact URS Middle East to learn more.

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Who needs training

Food hygiene training is meant for everyone who directly handles food. That includes food handlers, bar staff, waiters and waitresses, storemen and counter staff. It is strongly recommended for new hires, since early habits tend to last. Managers need a deeper level of understanding, because they are responsible for the systems their teams follow.

The core topics every handler should know

A solid basic course builds knowledge of the principles and practices of food hygiene in food processing environments, hotels and catering. The essential topics include:

• Food safety fundamentals: why controls exist and what the law expects.
• Bacteria and food poisoning: how harmful organisms grow and spread.
• Preventing contamination: keeping raw and ready-to-eat foods apart and protecting food at every stage.
• Personal health and hygiene: handwashing, clean uniforms and reporting illness.
• Cleaning and disinfection: the difference between cleaning a surface and making it safe.
• Safe handling and storage: correct temperatures, labelling and stock rotation.
• Pest awareness: recognising early signs and keeping pests out.

What auditors tend to notice first

Auditors watch behaviour as much as paperwork. Common observations include:

• Staff who cannot explain why they wash hands at certain moments.
• Cutting boards and utensils shared between raw and cooked foods.
• Unlabelled or poorly stored ingredients.
• Cleaning tasks completed without knowing which chemical or contact time applies.
• Records that are filled in after the fact.

Training that explains the reason behind each rule helps staff act correctly even when nobody is watching.

Making the learning last

Attending a course is a strong start, and reinforcement keeps the knowledge alive. Useful habits include:

• Short team briefings on one hygiene topic each week.
• Simple checklists placed where tasks happen.
• Walk-through practice before an audit, with supervisors asking staff to explain their tasks.
• Refresher sessions when menus, equipment or teams change.

Leadership matters as much as frontline skill

Supervisors and chefs who manage food safety need a broader skill set. An advanced Level 4 food hygiene course prepares participants to manage food safety and hygiene, train other staff, implement a food hygiene and HACCP system, set good practice and design an improvement plan. When leaders understand the system, daily routines stay consistent and audit findings fall.

Why train with URS Middle East

URS Middle East delivers food hygiene training at its in-house training centre, and can also run sessions at your own premises. Programmes include basic food hygiene for handlers and person-in-charge training aligned with local municipality expectations, along with the advanced Level 4 course for managers. Training on your site lets the trainer relate the lessons to your real kitchen, storage areas and equipment.

Prepare your team before the audit arrives

A confident, well-trained team turns an audit into a routine review. To book food hygiene training for your staff, contact URS Middle East at info@urs-me.com or call +971 4 384 7500.

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What a MEWP is and why inspection matters

MEWPs, often called manlifts, are used for work at height in construction, maintenance and installation. They include scissor lifts, boom lifts and other elevating platforms designed to carry people and tools to elevated work areas. Because the operator relies entirely on the machine’s structure, controls and safety devices, any hidden defect becomes a direct risk to life.

Two layers of checking

Safe MEWP operation depends on two separate layers.

The operator carries out pre-use checks before each shift. They cover visible damage, leaks, tyre condition, controls and warning devices.

Third-party inspection is performed by an independent, qualified and certified organisation. It assesses the condition of the equipment, verifies compliance with safety standards and confirms that the machine is fit for safe operation. An independent view matters because internal teams can overlook problems they see every day.

Both layers are needed. Daily checks catch new defects quickly, while an independent inspection examines the machine in far greater depth.

What a third-party inspection looks at

A thorough inspection typically covers these areas:

• Frame: corrosion, cracks, dents and any other structural damage.
• Platform: intact flooring with no deformation or weakness.
• Guardrails and safety barriers: damage, correct installation and proper function.
• Safety harness points: secure installation of attachment points so they meet safety requirements.
• Emergency descent mechanism: confirmation that the emergency lowering system works if power fails.

Depending on the machine, the examiner will also review hydraulic components, controls, tyres, stabilisers or outriggers, alarms and limit devices. Each finding is recorded so that any defect can be corrected before the equipment returns to work.

What to prepare before inspection day

A smooth inspection depends on preparation. Facility managers should gather:

• The operator manual and any rescue plan for the machine.
• Records of previous inspections, maintenance and repairs.
• Details of the operators who will use the equipment and evidence of their training.
• Clear access to the machine, with the area around it free of obstruction.

Good records also show auditors and clients that safety is managed with discipline.

When a MEWP should be inspected

Timing is as important as thoroughness. Arrange an inspection:

• Before a machine is used on a site for the first time.
• At regular intervals set by the manufacturer, your safety policy and the requirements that apply to your project.
• After any repair, major service or modification.
• After an incident, impact or overload.

If a machine fails an inspection, it should stay out of service until the defect is repaired and the machine is checked again.

Common gaps that put teams at risk

Several patterns appear repeatedly on sites:

• Relying only on daily operator checks with no independent review.
• Allowing untrained staff to operate the platform.
• Letting inspection records lapse between projects.
• Returning a repaired machine to work without a fresh check.

Each of these is easy to fix with a simple schedule and clear responsibility.

Why work with URS Middle East

URS Middle East provides third-party inspection for MEWPs and manlifts, along with inspection services for cranes, forklifts, boilers, air compressors, calorifiers and earth pits. The team also offers specialised training so that personnel understand the safety procedures for operating heavy equipment at the work site. Having inspection and training with one provider keeps your safety programme consistent and your records in one place.

Before your next lift, make sure your MEWP has been independently checked and your team knows how to use it safely. Contact URS Middle East at info@urs-me.com or call +971 4 384 7500 to arrange an inspection.

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ISO 14001:2026 – Key Changes and Transition Guidance

Understand what’s changing in the world’s leading environmental management system (EMS) standard, and how to keep your certification on track.

What is ISO 14001:2026?

ISO 14001:2026 is the latest revision of the ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems. It builds on ISO 14001:2015 while retaining the Annex SL / Harmonized Structure, meaning your existing EMS framework remains the foundation. The revision places greater emphasis on areas including climate change, natural resource use, biodiversity, pollution, and life cycle thinking.The intent behind the revision is measured: to clarify and strengthen existing requirements rather than introduce a large number of entirely new requirements. Many organisations already address these areas in their environmental management practices; ISO 14001:2026 places greater emphasis on formalising and documenting them.As an accredited certification body, URS is preparing clients and auditors now, helping organisations plan their EMS transition in a structured and timely way.

ISO 14001:2026 Transition Timeline

ISO 14001:2015 – Current Standard

ISO 14001:2015, including the 2024 climate change amendment, remains the existing standard during the transition period.

April 2026 – ISO 14001:2026 Published

The revised ISO 14001:2026 standard was published in April 2026, allowing organisations to begin reviewing the revised requirements and preparing their transition plans.

Late 2026 – Transition Audits Begin

Transition audits are expected to begin from late 2026, subject to the relevant UKAS/EIAC accreditation updates.

30 April 2029 – Transition Deadline

Organisations certified to ISO 14001:2015 will need to complete their transition to ISO 14001:2026 by 30 April 2029.

Start Preparing Early

Organisations with a well-established EMS can approach ISO 14001:2026 as a refinement rather than a complete rebuild. Starting your gap assessment early provides greater control over transition timing, resources, and potential costs.

What’s Changing in ISO 14001:2026?

Context of the Organisation

The 2024 climate change amendment is now formally incorporated into the revised standard. In addition to climate change, organisations are expected to consider other relevant environmental conditions, including natural resource availability, pollution, and biodiversity, when determining their organisational context. Organisations should therefore broaden their context analysis beyond climate change and consider the environmental conditions that are relevant to their operations, activities, products, and services.

Risks and Opportunities

The requirements have been restructured for greater clarity, including a dedicated focus on risks and opportunities. The revised requirements also place greater emphasis on planning actions and addressing emergency situations that may have environmental impacts. Organisations should review how their EMS identifies, documents, evaluates, and manages environmental risks, opportunities, and emergency situations.

Life Cycle Perspective

The revision places greater emphasis on considering environmental aspects throughout the full life cycle of products and services. This extends consideration beyond direct operations to areas such as sourcing, suppliers, transportation, use, and end-of-life activities. Organisations should review their environmental aspects and impacts registers and consider relevant upstream and downstream impacts throughout the life cycle.

Operational Planning and Control

The scope of control expands from “outsourced processes” to “externally provided processes, products and services.” This provides a broader framework for considering environmental performance across the supply chain. Organisations should reassess how they control, evaluate, and monitor the environmental performance of externally provided processes, products, and services.

Leadership and Accountability

The revised standard places greater emphasis on visible leadership involvement in environmental performance and its integration into business strategy. Environmental objectives should be supported through demonstrated leadership commitment rather than being addressed only through policy statements. Organisations should review how top management demonstrates, supports, and documents its commitment to environmental objectives and environmental performance.

Improvement

The revision includes consolidation and renumbering of certain requirements, while the overall improvement requirements remain largely consistent with ISO 14001:2015. Organisations should review and update their internal documentation, procedures, and references to ensure they reflect the revised clause structure.

Annex A Guidance

Annex A has been substantially revised and expanded across many areas of the standard to provide clearer guidance on interpreting the requirements. Organisations should use the updated Annex A guidance as an important reference during their gap assessment to better understand the intent of the revised requirements.

Your ISO 14001:2026 Transition Checklist

Organisations preparing for the transition should begin by obtaining and reviewing the official ISO 14001:2026 standard and carrying out a gap analysis against their current EMS. This assessment should identify areas where existing processes, documentation, controls, or practices may need to be updated to meet the revised requirements.

The context analysis should be broadened to consider climate change, natural resource use, pollution, and biodiversity, where relevant to the organisation. Organisations should also review their environmental aspects and impacts across the full life cycle of their products and services, including relevant upstream and downstream activities and supply chain considerations.

Environmental risks, opportunities, and emergency situations should be reviewed to ensure they are appropriately identified, evaluated, documented, and managed. Organisations should also establish or strengthen a structured change-management process for their EMS so that environmental impacts associated with changes are appropriately considered and controlled.

Finally, organisations should review leadership engagement and update internal awareness and training programmes where required. By addressing these areas early, organisations can develop a structured transition plan and align the necessary changes with their existing certification cycle.

The post ISO 14001:2026 – Key Changes and Transition Guidance appeared first on URS Middle East | ISO Certification in UAE.

Stay ahead of the revision. Understand what’s changing, what it means for your certification, and how URS is helping clients transition with confidence.

What is ISO 9001:2026?

ISO 9001:2026 is the latest revision of the world’s most widely used Quality Management System (QMS) standard. It builds on ISO 9001:2015 while retaining the familiar Annex SL high-level structure. This means your existing QMS architecture does not need to be rebuilt from scratch.

The revision places greater emphasis on areas including quality culture, ethical conduct, risk- and opportunity-based thinking, and organisational resilience.

For the vast majority of certified organisations, ISO 9001:2026 represents an evolution rather than a complete transformation. The core requirements already addressed within your existing QMS remain the foundation. The key changes focus on greater clarity, stronger emphasis in certain areas, and a limited number of new expectations reflecting how quality is managed in today’s organisations.

As a UKAS/EIAC accredited certification body, URS is preparing clients, auditors, and partners now to help make the transition smooth, well planned, and straightforward.

ISO 9001:2026 Transition Timeline

ISO 9001:2015 remains the current standard until the 2026 revision is published.

16 September 2026 – ISO 9001:2026 Published

The revised standard becomes available, allowing organisations to begin reviewing the new requirements and planning their transition.

15 September 2029 – Transition Period Ends

Organisations certified to ISO 9001:2015 must have transitioned to ISO 9001:2026 by this date.

Our Recommendation

Do not wait until your next surveillance or recertification audit to start preparing. Beginning your gap assessment early can help minimise disruption, allow sufficient time for necessary updates, and support continuity throughout the transition.

Clause-by-Clause: What’s Changing?

Terms and Definitions

New QMS-specific terms are introduced, reducing reliance on cross-referencing ISO 9000. Annex A guidance has also been expanded to provide clearer interpretation.

Your action: Review your documented terminology and align it with the updated definitions.

Context of the Organisation

The revision introduces minor clarifications, while the requirement to consider climate change and relevant external environmental factors within the organisation’s context remains important.

Your action: Confirm that your context analysis continues to address relevant environmental, internal, and external influences.

Leadership

Greater emphasis is placed on quality culture, ethical behaviour, and continual improvement. The quality policy is also expected to more clearly reflect organisational strategy and external context.

Your action: Review leadership messaging and quality culture practices, and update your quality policy where necessary.

Planning

Risk and opportunity requirements are restructured into clearer subclauses, with additional emphasis on how changes are communicated, monitored, and reviewed.

Your action: Revisit how risks and opportunities are identified, distinguished, documented, monitored, and managed, including how planned changes are controlled.

Support

The requirements are largely restructured for greater clarity rather than substantial change. New awareness expectations include aspects relating to quality culture and ethical behaviour.

Your action: Review and refresh awareness and training programmes to address the updated expectations.

Operation

Changes to this clause are expected to be limited, focusing mainly on terminology and structural updates.

Your action: Review internal documentation and references to ensure they reflect the revised clause structure.

Performance Evaluation

The requirements remain largely consistent with ISO 9001:2015, with continued emphasis on monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation of quality performance and trends.

Your action: Confirm that audit objectives, performance measures, and management review criteria reflect the revised clause structure.

Improvement

Additional guidance strengthens the connection between leadership commitment and continual improvement.

Your action: Ensure that your QMS demonstrates how leadership actively supports and drives continual improvement.

Your ISO 9001:2026 Transition Checklist

• Obtain and review the official ISO 9001:2026 standard.
• Assess your current QMS against the revised requirements through a gap analysis.
• Identify the documentation and process updates required.
• Embed quality culture and ethical conduct into relevant policies and activities.
• Update awareness and training programmes for employees and leadership.
• Develop a transition plan with clear milestones ahead of your next audit cycle.
• Engage with your URS lead auditor to align your transition timing with your existing certification cycle.

Why This Matters, Even for a Moderate Revision

The transition provides an opportunity to:

• Realign your QMS with current business strategies and stakeholder expectations.
• Strengthen trust with customers, regulators, and supply chain partners.
• Embed modern expectations around ethics and quality culture before they become areas of concern during audits.
• Maintain certification continuity and minimise unexpected changes at your next audit.

How URS Supports Your Transition

As your certification partner, URS is here to help make the transition straightforward and well managed.

Our transition support includes:

• Gap Assessments against ISO 9001:2026 requirements.
• Transition Training for your team, from awareness sessions to detailed clause-by-clause reviews.
• Certification Audits aligned with the revised requirements and planned around your existing certification cycle.

Start preparing now and give your organisation the time it needs to transition confidently to ISO 9001:2026.

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What Falls Under Lifting Equipment

The category covers a wider range of machinery than most people expect, including:

• Cranes – tower, mobile, overhead and jib cranes
• Forklift trucks and lorry cranes
• Hoists and winches, including electrical winches
• Chain blocks and pedestal cranes
• Man lifting baskets and material baskets
• Monorails and gantry cranes
• Cargo containers used in lifting operations

Anything used to raise, lower or suspend a load, including a person, sits within the scope of UAE lifting equipment regulation.

What Happens During a Thorough Examination

A proper inspection goes well beyond a walk-around. Inspectors examine structural, mechanical and safety components in detail, looking specifically for:

• Fatigue cracks that are not visible without close examination
• Corrosion in structural members or fittings
• Worn or frayed wire ropes, chains and slings
• Overload damage from past misuse
• Load testing, where the equipment type requires it, to confirm it performs safely under its rated capacity

Many of these issues are effectively invisible to anyone without the training and equipment to look for them, which is precisely the value a qualified inspector brings.

How Often Equipment Needs Checking

Inspection intervals are not fixed at a single number across every piece of equipment. As a general pattern:

• Equipment is typically inspected on a periodic basis, commonly annually, though certain categories require more frequent checks
• Equipment carrying heavier loads or working in harsher environments, such as marine or offshore settings, tends to require shorter intervals between inspections
• If equipment fails an inspection, it must be taken out of service until the fault is corrected, and re-tested before it can return to use

The Business Case Beyond the Legal Minimum

Compliance is only part of the reason inspection matters. Many UAE project contracts, particularly in construction, oil and gas, and utilities, require a valid third-party inspection certificate as a condition of insurance cover. Without it, equipment effectively cannot operate on-site, and any incident risks voiding the insurer’s liability altogether. There is also the operational side: a piece of equipment that fails unexpectedly does not just create a safety incident, it stops work, and getting it back in service can take far longer than the inspection would have.

What It Costs to Get This Wrong

The consequences of skipping or delaying inspection stack up quickly. Beyond the direct risk to workers on site, a facility can face site shutdowns, regulatory fines, and insurance claims that are denied outright because a required certificate was missing or expired. None of these outcomes compare favourably to the cost of a scheduled inspection.

Get Your Equipment Inspected with URS Middle East

URS Middle East provides accredited third-party inspection for lifting equipment across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, covering tower cranes, mobile cranes, overhead cranes, forklift trucks, hoists, chain blocks, man lifting baskets and more. As a third-party inspection body, URS Middle East operates in line with ISO/IEC 17020 and holds UKAS and EIAC accreditation, giving facility managers and site operators certification that stands up to regulators, insurers and clients alike.

If your site has lifting equipment due for inspection or certification, contact URS Middle East!

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What the Standard Actually Does

ISO 22000 is a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) standard, and the distinction between a standalone hazard control method and a full management system is worth understanding before anything else. Rather than sitting only with food manufacturers, it stretches across the product passes through:

• Growers and raw material suppliers
• Processors and manufacturers
• Packaging and storage operators
• Transport and logistics providers
• Retailers, caterers and restaurants

Its structure absorbs the hazard-control logic of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and wraps it inside a broader system of documentation, monitoring and continual review. A business does not simply identify risks once and move on. It builds a system that keeps checking itself.

Why This Carries Extra Weight from the UAE

Two facts about the UAE’s food sector make certification more than a nice-to-have. The country imports a large share of what it consumes, and Dubai in particular has grown into a re-export hub, with goods frequently moving onward rather than staying within the local market. Local authorities, including Dubai Municipality, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), all have a stake in how oversight is enforced. A business trading through this environment is operating under several layers of scrutiny at once, and a recognized FSMS gives it a consistent way to answer to all of them.

The Requirements Behind the Certificate

Earning and keeping ISO 22000 certification is not a one-off paperwork exercise. It asks a business to build and sustain several things in parallel:

• A working application of HACCP principles to identify where hazards could realistically enter the process
• Prerequisite programmed that cover the operational and hygiene basics a safe food environment depends on
• Traceability that can follow a product backward and forward through the supply chain, not just within one facility
• Scheduled reviews that treat the system as something to be tested and adjusted, not something finished

The Case for Exporters Specifically

An overseas buyer evaluating a new supplier wants a quick answer to one question: can this business be trusted without an on-site inspection? A recognized certification answers that before the conversation even starts. For exporters, this translates into a few concrete outcomes:

• Fewer closed doors – some destination markets effectively require a recognized food safety certification before a supplier is considered at all
• Faster trust with new buyers – documented, auditable processes replace weeks of back-and-forth verification
• Lower odds of a shipment being rejected – traceable systems catch problems before a product leaves the facility, not after it arrives
• Easier relationships across multiple markets – one certification is generally recognized rather than needing a separate proof point for each country

Where HACCP Ends, and ISO 22000 Begins

It helps to be precise about how these two relate, since they are often mentioned together. HACCP is narrower by design, a method for identifying specific points in a process where a hazard could occur and controlling them, and certain UAE authorities, including Dubai Municipality, treat its use as mandatory. ISO 22000 places that method inside a full management system, adding structured documentation, defined responsibilities and a cycle of ongoing improvement. Most food businesses in the UAE run both, with HACCP handling the hazard-specific work and ISO 22000 providing the framework around it.

What Getting Certified Actually Involves

The path toward certification follows a similar shape across businesses, even though details vary by size and complexity:

• Reviewing current practice against what the standard actually requires, to see where the gaps sit
• Building the system – writing the policies, procedures and controls the FSMS depends on
• Training staff, including internal auditors, so the system is understood and maintained by the people running it day to day, not just documented on paper
• Undergoing a certification audit carried out by an accredited certification body
• Maintaining the certificate through annual surveillance audits, with a recertification audit at the end of the three year cycle

The Value That Extends Beyond the Certificate Itself

Certification is often pursued for market access, but the operational side benefits too. A functioning FSMS catches problems earlier, meaning fewer recalls and less wasted stock. It also becomes a genuine differentiator in supplier negotiations and tenders, where buyers actively compare certified businesses against those that are not.

Get ISO 22000 Certified with URS Middle East

URS Middle East works with UAE food businesses and exporters through each stage of the ISO 22000 certification process, from an initial gap assessment through staff training to the certification audit itself. The company holds UKAS and EIAC accreditation and has certified more than 55,000 clients across over 55 countries.

If your business is preparing to export food products or wants to strengthen its food safety credentials before approaching new markets, get in touch with URS Middle East to discuss what certification would involve for your organization.

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What AS9100 Actually Is?

AS9100 is a quality management standard built on the requirements of ISO 9001, with additional criteria specific to the aerospace industry layered on top. A few points worth clarifying:

• The standard is called AS9100, not “ISO 9100”, a common misconception since the standard is developed by the SAE, not the ISO
• The current version is AS9100D, which revised the previous AS9100C issue
• It applies to organizations involved in the design, manufacture and distribution of aerospace components, including manufacturers, contractors and suppliers
• New requirements under AS9100D place particular emphasis on preventing risk and counterfeit parts, and on planning for product obsolescence

Because AS9100 is built on ISO 9001, organizations that already operate a mature ISO 9001 system have a head start when moving toward aerospace certification.

AS9100 vs AS9110 vs AS9120

Not every aerospace supplier needs the same certificate. The AQMS (Aerospace Quality Management System) series covers different roles in the supply chain:

• AS9100 – design, manufacturing and distribution of aerospace components
• AS9110 – maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organizations, reflecting the fact that aircraft components can remain in service for fifty years or more and require proper ongoing support
• AS9120 – stockiest distributors within the aerospace supply chain

Choosing the certificate that matches your organization’s actual role is the first step before starting the certification process.

The OASIS Database Requirement

Holding an accredited certificate to AS9100, AS9110 or AS9120 comes with a further requirement: registration in the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System (OASIS), maintained by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). This is not an optional add-on. Aerospace customers, primes and procurement teams use OASIS to verify a supplier’s certification status before sourcing, which makes the database an important part of how your organization gets discovered by qualified buyers.

The Certification Process

Getting certified typically follows a structured path:

• Gap assessment – identifying what additional processes, documentation and controls are needed beyond an existing ISO 9001 system
• Implementation – building out aerospace-specific requirements, including risk management and counterfeit parts prevention
• Certification audit – carried out by an accredited certification body
• Ongoing surveillance – the initial certificate is valid for three years, provided surveillance audits scheduled during that period are satisfactory

Maintaining OASIS registration throughout the certification cycle is essential. If certification lapses, the OASIS record is updated to reflect that status, which can affect a supplier’s standing with existing and prospective aerospace customers.

Why the UAE Aerospace Sector Is Growing

The aerospace and aviation sector in the Middle East and the UAE is expanding, driven in part by the country’s economic position and strategic location. As the sector grows, so does the demand from local manufacturers and suppliers to hold recognized aerospace certifications that allow them to compete for contracts with international aerospace buyers.

Choosing the Right Certification Body

AS9100 certification should only be issued by a certification body accredited by a recognized national accreditation body. This matters because an unaccredited certificate carries far less weight with aerospace buyers who rely on accreditation status, alongside OASIS listing, to judge whether a supplier’s credentials are genuine.

Get AS9100 Certified with URS Middle East

URS Middle East is accredited by UKAS in the UK for major management system certifications and also holds EIAC accreditation to serve clients across the Middle East region. With a local presence in more than 55 countries and over 55,000 clients certified worldwide, URS Middle East supports aerospace manufacturers and suppliers through the full AS9100 and AS9120 certification journey, including registration in the OASIS database.

If your organization is working toward AS9100 or AS9120 certification, get in touch with URS Middle East to discuss what your business needs.

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Forklift Inspection Frequency UAE: What the Rules Actually Say

Inspection intervals in the UAE are tied to load and risk, not a flat calendar rule. Equipment lifting loads exceeding 100 kg needs to be inspected by a competent person at least once every six months, or every twelve months where there is no elevated risk of incidents from its use. Equipment lifting loads exceeding 1,000 kg needs inspection at least once every three months, or every six months where risk is low. Forklifts operating in harsh environments, such as marine or offshore sites, or conditions involving heavy dust, heat, or corrosive exposure, need inspection at least every three months regardless of the load being lifted.

It is also worth knowing that inspection requirements can vary depending on where and how a forklift is used, since different authorities across the UAE oversee lifting equipment in their respective jurisdictions. Rather than trying to work out which requirements apply to a specific site, it is often simpler to have a qualified inspection partner like URS Middle East confirm the correct schedule and documentation for your fleet.

Daily Checks vs. Periodic Forklift Inspection UAE Requirements

Compliance operates on two layers, and confusing them is one of the more common gaps businesses fall into. Daily pre-use checks, carried out by the operator before each shift, catch the obvious issues: a leaking hydraulic line, a worn tire, a warning light that shouldn’t be on. Periodic inspection is a separate, more thorough process carried out by a qualified inspector, covering structural integrity, braking and steering systems, lift and tilt mechanisms, and safety features in depth.

Relying on the periodic inspection alone, and skipping the daily layer, leaves real gaps. A fault that develops the week after a periodic inspection won’t be caught again for months unless someone is actually looking at the equipment before it’s used each day.

Why a Manufacturer’s Certificate Isn’t Enough

A manufacturer’s CE certificate or Certificate of Conformity confirms the forklift met design standards on the day it left the factory. It says nothing about the condition of that same forklift after a year of daily use in a warehouse or on a construction site. This is exactly why in-service periodic inspection exists as a separate requirement rather than a formality. It verifies present condition, not historical design compliance, and the two documents are not interchangeable.

UAE Ministry of Labour Lifting Equipment Requirements: What Counts as Compliant

Meeting the letter of the schedule isn’t the same as being genuinely compliant. Inspections need to be carried out by someone qualified to assess the equipment, not just anyone available on-site that day, and the results need to be documented and retained, not verbally confirmed and forgotten. If a forklift fails inspection, the practical requirement is straightforward: it comes out of service until the fault is corrected, rather than being flagged as an issue and kept running anyway.

This is the gap between a business that can point to a technically completed inspection and one that can demonstrate an actual, working safety process if an authority or an insurer ever asks to see it.

Third-Party Forklift Inspection UAE: Staying Compliant Without the Guesswork

Given how much depends on load, environment, and which authority applies to a given site, an independent inspection removes a lot of the ambiguity. A qualified third-party inspector can confirm the correct interval for a specific fleet and document the results in a way that holds up to scrutiny, rather than leaving a business to interpret the requirements on its own. URS Middle East provides third-party forklift inspections covering structural integrity, engine and power systems, braking and steering, and safety features.

Learn more about our forklift inspection services to keep your fleet compliant and your operations running safely.

The post How Often Should You Inspect Your Forklifts? A UAE Compliance Guide appeared first on URS Middle East | ISO Certification in UAE.