When should you write down how you want things done by employees? When: You keep explaining the same process over and over. A certain process occurs so seldom that everyone forgets how to do it. You want everyone to do things the same way. You want to set a baseline … Read More
The most difficult part of risk management is figuring out what risks should be managed. Management involvement is important here; in a perfect world, the management team would spend some time brainstorming possible risks, which could then be evaluated and actions taken. The relevant risks to be managed depend a … Read More
One of the major changes in ISO 9001:2015 is the addition of risk-based thinking. Technically it has always been there, but now risk management takes center stage, replacing preventive actions and feeding the corrective action and improvement systems. Done poorly, this is one more piece of paper to gather dust … Read More
One question that often comes up in audits, whether ISO-9001, AS-9100, or food safety, is whether or not your people are qualified to do their job. How do you know that they are qualified to turn out a quality product every time? How do you know that they know how … Read More
The 2015 revision to ISO-9001 will be published in the fall and will bring more changes than the 2008 revision. Some of the changes are mostly a matter of emphasis; some, like risk management, will require adjustments to quality management systems (QMS). If you are currently ISO certified, ask your … Read More
It can be challenging to keep track of which employee has had what training, even in a small company. One good way to track it is with a training matrix: A matrix like this lets you quickly find out what training an employee has had and needs (you can easily … Read More
In its standards for quality management systems, ISO-9001 has a lot of sections relating to how the production floor works and how quality is maintained. One section that is sometimes overlooked, 6.2.2, addresses personnel qualifications, competence, and training. In particular, it discusses: – how a company determines the required competencies for … Read More