The Time to Transition is Now!
The deadline for transitioning to the latest versions of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems is September 2018. Don't be caught out by leaving it to the last minute.
How do I get ISO certification? Follow these 10 steps
Need ISO management system certification? Click to see an infographic showing a simple summary of the 10 steps — from identifying key drivers, through to development, implementation and auditing. They apply whether your focus is on Quality, Safety, Environment, Food Safety, or any other ISO standard.
Good Audits Support Good Managers
Don't cringe when you hear the word 'audit'. Make the most of it. Good managers use audits to add value to their business, by identifying key areas for improvement, driving and measuring better processes, reducing risk and strengthening internal controls.
Top 6 Tips: Choosing a Consultant
You know you need to implement a management system be it ISO 9001 for quality, ISO 14001 for the environment, AS 4801 for safety, ISO 50001 for energy, or a combination of these. You’ve decided that it’s too hard/time consuming/risky to do it yourself. You need a consultant. They have to be experienced, highly effective and hold a successful track record. It’s an important decision, one you can’t afford to get wrong. You need someone who’ll ensure project success. Someone [...]
Is Certification Worth It?
Is Certification Worth It? “To be or not to be that is the question” although I don’t think Hamlet had certification in mind when he said this. It is a decision to be taken on business grounds. Here are some of the reasons why organisations choose certification: By setting a clear goal, certification motivates staff and helps to gain their commitment. Certification improves processes and refines activities. There is nothing like certification for focusing one’s attention on this key requirement. [...]
What on Earth is Preventive Action?
If the preventive action clause in the management standards confuses you, join the club! Most people find this one confusing – “I record the problems (non conformances) AND I fix them (short term corrective actions) AND I address the root causes of problems (long term corrective actions). What more do they want?” All three of the most popular management systems - ISO 9001 Quality, AS4801 OHS, and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems have a preventive action clause. Here is the [...]
Keep it Simple
The following information is so important that it is one of my downloadable Top 5 Essential Tips for ISO systems. Why is it so important? Because a) your management system must be simple and practical or your staff won't use it; b) cumbersome systems don't help a business achieve its goals; and c) overcomplicated systems are expensive to maintain. You need a simple system that effectively helps run the business & meet the needs of both customers & stakeholders. Just [...]
What are Corrective Actions?
I ended my previous blog by stating that there is a relationship between non-conformances (problems) and corrective actions (solutions). Clearly action is necessary to fix a problem and this action can take 2 forms – immediate corrective action and root cause corrective action. The names really say it all. You need to take immediate action to prevent the material or service from being used and to fix it. You need to take root cause corrective action to prevent a recurrence [...]
Non-conformance is Just a Fancy Word
No Quality, WHS or Environmental System is perfect and no business is perfect. Problems may occur with the service you provide, your products, your processes, and your suppliers, the result being that stated requirements are not met. Those requirements might be stated in the specifications for the product, the service level agreements, a regulatory body, or your own internal procedures. In the language of management systems these problems are called non-conformances, but you may call them anything you like. It [...]
Quality Manual Secrets Revealed
When I audit ISO management systems - be they ISO 9001 for Quality, ISO 14001 for the Environment, ISO 18001 or AS/NZS 4801 for work, health and safety, or ISO 22000 for food safety - I see soooooo many Quality Manuals that are 20, 30, 40 Pages long. There is a better way. The ISO 9001 Quality Management System Requirements Standard states: 4.2.2 Quality manual The organisation has established & will maintain a quality manual that includes: a. the scope of the quality management system, including [...]