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blogs
Below are the blogs of managing consultant John Mason. Please enjoy, comment, challenge.
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There is a whole clause within the standard for resources. So let’s start with the first sub clause; 6.1 Provision of resources. The organization shall determine and provide the resources needed; a) to implement and maintain the quality management system and continually improve its effectiveness, and b) to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.
I don’t know why this couldn’t be lumped under some general category of sub clause but it is not. Therefore you need to address it and audit it. But, if you have the intent of your quality management system correct, this being continual improvement and customer satisfaction, then the very fabric of your system can validate this sub clause. And if it does, simple reference within your quality management system cross reference to table will suffice with such examples as management review and quality policy, just to name a few. If not? Then back to the drawing board.
Management review is one of the most simplest of requirements in a quality management system. The standard has its own clause. The standard defines the inputs and outputs. The standard then leaves it up to the organisation to define who, when, where and what format. Just be careful. Some certification service providers have some preconceived ideas. If you have already chosen one, ask them their expectations. Don’t ask what to do, just be aware.
The cut and paste is…. 5.5.3 Internal communication
Top management ensures that appropriate communication processes are established within the organisation and that communication takes place regarding the effectiveness of the quality management system.
Did you notice the lack of documentation needed. But you do need appropriate processes of communication. So what are these? Notice boards, emails, newsletters, tool box meetings, management review meetings, sales meetings, etc. Do you need to document that you do this stuff? No. Should you point to these processes in some fashion to make the auditors life a bit easier? Well you don’t but you should be aware.
So much can so wrong with this requirement. The interpretations or should I say misinterpretations have caused so much grief for the uninitiated. So let’s cut through the bunk with this paste;
5.5.1 Responsibility and authority
Top management ensures that responsibilities and authorities are defined and communicated within the company.
Let’s start with the cut and paste from the standard;
Top management provides evidence of its commitment to the development and implementation of the quality management system and continually improving its effectiveness by
a) communicating to all personnel the importance of meeting customer as well as statutory and regulatory requirements,
b) establishing the quality policy,
c) ensuring that quality objectives are established,
d) conducting management reviews, and
e) ensuring the availability of resources.
There is only one small paragraph within the standard that talks about legislation. In other standards, there are whole clauses dealing with this. But this is quality and here is the excerpt;
‘5.1 Management commitment
Top management provides evidence of its commitment to the development and implementation of the quality management system and continually improving its effectiveness by
a) communicating to all personnel the importance of meeting customer as well as statutory and regulatory requirements,’
This is a brief overview of the 4 stages of certification and what the auditors will audit.
Documentation review; just the documentation you supply them. Normally a desk top review scenario. The auditors are looking for a policy, a quality manual (or similar), the six mandatory procedures, your own procedures, associated forms, records, an interrelationship document explaining the processes of the company.
“Finally” I hear you think. Yes, I am finally going to tell you what are the minimum quality objectives needed for certification or at least to meet the requirements of the standard. We have explored quality objectives from the standard (8/8/11) and then the mechanics and the metrics (5/9/11), now we need to go to the requirements of the standard for ‘quality policy’ And these are;
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