The IRIS rev. 04 will be published in July 2023!

In this article, our qualityaustria Network partner, Product Expert International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS) and ISO/TS 22163, Mr. Wolfgang Pölz, MSc, MBA, will focus (only) on the effects on companies, so that you can already adjust to it or start to take a picture.

Everything on track!

IRIS (International Railway Industry Standard) is a globally recognized standard for any organization or company operating in the railroad sector. An IRIS Certification ensures that companies can meet the highest standards of the rail industry, minimize any risks and secure a corresponding competitive advantage.

In May 2017, this Standard, which had specially been developed for the rail industry by UNIFE (Association of European Railway Industries) and supplements the ISO 9001 requirements by adding rail specific requirements, became ISO/TS 22163. At its core, ISO/TS 22163 contains ISO 9001 (quality management) - but it is expanded or supplemented to include aspects such as project management, first article inspection, life cycle costs involving the entire supply chain, and is thus tailored to the specific needs of the rail industry.

When to expect the following changes:

• In mid-July, it is finally planned to publish both IRIS rev. 04. For this purpose, ISO 22163:2023, the assessment rules and the corresponding audit tool must be published. In addition, changes to the IRIS portal must also be implemented. The technical framework (tool and portal) is in the making and will certainly come in time for the certifications or transitions.
• On 15.9.2023 at 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. there will be an online event on the part of IMC, where the IRIS rev 04 will be officially launched.
• First certified according to IRIS rev. 04 can be obtained from January 2024 (provided that the company is sufficiently prepared).
• Existing certificates must be converted at the next scheduled audit in the form of a "transition audit", in which a little more audit time must be used than in the generally planned audit. These changes will be possible from the end of March 2024.
• Changes in content:
  • Another process (safety) is added to the existing processes
  • Some minor content changes are included
  • The content of the knockout questions will be changed – focus on operational business
  • The questions for evaluating customer perception are being changed

• Fundamental changes:
  • Audit time calculation AND assessment questions are adapted to the size of the company. For this purpose, the company(!) must announce 90 days before the audit:
    • what form of project management is available (based on the existing IRQB guideline on project management) -> Engineer to order; Make to order; Make to stock
    • How many employees are available and what turnover is made
      • Apart from "normal" organizations, a distinction is also made between micro-small-medium organizations (thresholds are 10 – 45 and 85 employees and 2 – 10 – 25 million EUR turnover)
  • 60 days before the audit, the required data must be uploaded to the IRIS portal by the company(!). Note: Previously, the data package had to be sent to the auditor in advance.  Attention: 30 days AFTER the reference date, this data will be (automatically) deleted.
  • The audit must be fully completed 30 days BEFORE the reference date (incl. audit report uploaded to the portal. à it is likely that the audit date will be moved forward for existing organizations. Note: these 30 days can then be used to close deviations, among other things.
  • In the future, a QR code with a link to the IRIS portal will be attached to IRIS certificates, and there will be additional performance information on an additional page for the Quality Performance Certificate.
  • The authorizations for which business activity may receive an IRIS certificate will be extended.

Further information will follow as soon as it‘s available! In the meantime, feel free to contact our product experts here if you have any questions!