TABLE OF CONTENTS One of the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 (Section 8.2.2) is that:
'The organisation shall conduct internal audits at planned intervals to determine whether the quality management system:
conforms to the requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 standard and to the quality management system requirements established by the organisation and,
is effectively implemented and maintained.'
In order to meet and satisfy this requirement, organisations must continually review their Quality Management System (QMS):
to ensure its continuing suitability and success;
to reveal defects, danger spots or irregularities;
to suggest possible improvements;
to eliminate wastage or loss;
to check the effectiveness of management at all levels;
to be sure that managerial objectives and methods are effective and are capable of achieving the desired result.
Above all, organisations must be prepared to face up to an audit of their quality processes and procedures from potential customers and prove to them that their QMS fully meets the recommendations, requirements and specifications of ISO 9001:2000 and their promises made regarding product and/or service quality.
Whilst the previous 1994 editions of ISO 9000 were primarily concerned with manufacturers, ISO 9001:2000 being a process-oriented requirements standard is equally applicable to service industries and manufacturing plants. With the publication of the new ISO 9000 series, therefore, auditors, whether external or internal, will have to demonstrate their competence not only on the structure, content and terminology of the revised standards, but also on the underlying quality management principles. The revised standards will require that...
