3 Tips to Ensure a Successful ISO 9001:2015 Audit

ISO 9001:2015 is a widely used standard for quality certification and also one of the most stringent. This standard ensures that all aspect of a contract manufacturer's business are well-managed and continually improved, including key processes, management roles and responsibilities, ISO 9001:2015 documentation, customer satisfaction, employee training, vendor performance and internal audits.

Certification audits are used to evaluate the effectiveness of and assess conformity to documented Procedures and Work Instructions, and identify opportunities for improvement. During an audit, a manufacturer's quality system is measured against the requirements of the standard. More than just a method of checking practice against procedure, audits are a powerful tool in manufacturing improvement processes. Below please find 3 tips to ensure a successful audit:

1. Review ISO 9001:2015 documentation. Ensuring that all company ISO 9001:2015 documentation, from packing slips to check sheets to invoices is thorough and accurate is essential to completing an audit successfully. Common elements to monitor include missing signatures, incomplete fields, and outdated revision levels. Also, check the handwritten notes on drawings and work instructions - these can be triggers that indicate a need for a new revision to the document.
2. Communicate. During the ISO 9001 audit, employees should answer questions openly and honestly. If they do not know the answer to a question, or if the question is not related to their role, they must inform the auditor. Referring an auditor to a Department Manager or referencing where the answer can be found is always acceptable. Providing misinformation under the guise of being helpful, or speculation on hypothetical situations, can potentially make things difficult for everyone involved. Employees should focus on answering the questions at hand.
3. Involve Everyone. Employees should be encouraged to contribute to the QMS and informed of improvements generated from their input. This is a powerful motivator and enhances a culture of employee engagement. When one has a stake in the success, they are more motivated to participate. It also makes one more knowledgeable of the QMS to enhance the processes in their departments.

ISO 9001:2015 certification requires manufacturers to constantly review, improve and document the processes in their facility to ensure that they are running at the highest standard possible. The main objective of ISO 9001:2015 certification audit is to enable manufacturers to evaluate their quality management systems, identify opportunities for improvement, and generate creative, effective and efficient solutions. Audits are performed to check practice against procedure, but the benefits to the manufacturer extend far beyond this objective. ISO 9001:2015 audits ensure that manufacturing companies are optimized, competitive, and deliver the highest quality and value to their customers

Source: qms9001certificationprocedures.wordpress.com

About Author:

My name is James Miller, I have written many articles and blog on ISO 9001 Certificate. Throughout my experience I have found ISO 9001:2015 consultancy provides ISO 9001:2015 internal auditor training that most important for organizations that help in ensuring compliance of the company with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015

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