|
|
ISO Quality Assurance, |
|
|
|
ISO Quality Assurance, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
About ISO |
||
|
Documentation, Audit and Certification |
| A typical
quality management or an QMS system consists of three levels of documents
and a series of records. There is the Quality Manual, the Management
Operating Procedures and Work Instructions. There is a clear connection
between each level of documentation so that everyone can work their way
through the system, finding the records associated with each
document.
Each business area has a properly accredited ISO Registrar and one who is familiar with a specific business must be chosen. Most Registrars require that an ISO system be in operation for at least three months prior to their audit - the average time for small companies is a year. Registrars are "third parties", removed from the day-to-day business affairs. This ensures impartiality and audit fairness across the board. The Registrar's audit will compare company activities and processes against ISO9001:2000 or ISO 14001 requirements and the documentation system that has been established. Each audit comprises a comparison of the documentation system and records to the ISO standard, followed by a compliance inspection whereby auditors ask questions of employees about their roles and responsibilities, including what record keeping they use and how those records are retrieved and used. Auditors usually find deficiencies in documentation, record keeping, training, lack of proper orders and poor management supervision. Once ISO certification is awarded, follow-up audit inspections are carried out once or twice a year with specific work areas of a company's operation targeted. |
In addition to your EMS (Environmental Management System) consider for a moment developing a Corporate Social Responsibility program. Call or Email MEQA now to get further information. 1-888-298-7660 Don't get left behind!
|
