subject: Are You Ready For Iso 9001? [print this page] The process of QMS or Quality Management System does not really end. It is never complete. There should always be constant improvement in terms of the performance of various processes that makes up QMS as well as the products of the organization. Although the QMS will never be truly finished or complete, it can be adequate for the meantime. It can still be an effective and suitable tool that will definitely benefit the operations process of the organization.
It is understandable that not all manufacturing firms are ready with the existing QMS. The best thing to do in this case is to obtain a third party registration. Just make sure that the third party is accredited with the ISO 9001 registrar. For those who have not yet been accredited, the ISO 9001 is a newly introduced process. This is done by accredited outside organizations in order to verify that their operations are adequately documented and implemented in accordance with all the requirements set through the ISO 9001 standards.
Before, the accreditation starts with the assessment of the necessary documents and processes of the QMS. It is performed only by qualified internal personnel or by outside contractors. The important thing here is the presence of an internal audit. As required by the ISO 9001 standard.
Now, because the 9001 ISO is fairly new, it is recommended to have informal review of it before the formal internal audit. This is to make sure that the organization really has covered all bases. The internal audit will then determine if the organization really is ready for the internal audit or not, making sure all standards of the 9001 ISO are met.
There are key items to consider during the informal review. Quality policy should be properly communicated. There should be a Management Representative picked out already. The documentation of the Quality Manual, Management Review and other procedures required by the 9001 ISO standards should be in order. Personnel training on QMS should be wrapped up.
In order to qualify for 9001 ISO, you need to submit necessary documents such as the ANSI ESD S 2020. If you are in the industry where the ISO 9001 is required, better know your facts. Know what to expect so you can prepare for it.
