ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems

ISO 9001:2008 is no more just QMS, it is now a Business Management System that requires you to do RISK Management when designing the QMS. You have to understand the Risks to the business, and determine the Processes to be develoed. This may require you to do HACCP studies, if you are a food processor, and understand Product liability and the implications of Product Recall as in ISO/PC 240. For guidance in designing your QMS, you must refer to ISO 9004:2009.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Export assistance info from US Govt

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Export Licenses, Standards and Economic Sanctions

Some exports require an Export License before you can ship your product. Some foreign countries have standards that you should be aware of. Lastly, there are some countries that you cannot sell to. Use this section as a primer to familiarize yourself with the licenses, standards, and legal considerations that may apply to your product(s).

Export Licenses

Learn when you need an Export License and from whom in order to ship your products from the United States. Export licenses are issued for individual transactions determined by the product, the country, the end-use and the end-user.

Foreign Standards and Certification Information

Many foreign countries have their own standards and import certification requirements on things like: product standards, certification requirements, electricity regulations, packaging and recycling laws and quality expectations. If you want to sell your product in foreign markets you should be aware of these Foreign Standards and Certification Requirements.

Economic Sanctions

Learn how the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the U.S. Department of Treasury enforces Economic Sanctions on specific countries based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals, which are set forth by Congress.

Additional Information

When exporting, it is essential to be aware of the various regulations and Legal Considerationsthat pertain to your product(s). Online training and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page are available to further assist you in preparing to export.

Licenses & Regulations

RISK ASSESMENT for Machinery Directive

EN ISO 14121-1:2007

written by Han Zuyderwijk - Leave a reply

Safety of machinery – Risk assessment – Part 1: Principles

This part of ISO 14121 establishes general principles intended to be used to meet the risk reduction objectives established in ISO 12100-1:2003, Clause 5. These principles of risk assessment bring together knowledge and experience of the design, use, incidents, accidents and harm related to machinery in order to assess the risks posed during the relevant phases of the life cycle of a machine. This part of ISO 14121 provides guidance on the information that will be required to enable risk assessment to be carried out. Procedures are described for identifying hazards and estimating and evaluating risk. It also gives guidance on the making of decisions relating to the safety of machinery and on the type of documentation required to verify the risk assessment carried out. It is not applicable to risks posed to domestic animals, property or the environment.

Pages: 28.

Source

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Indian FAMILY Business and Succession Planning

Indian Family Firms Businesses DeclineFace More Competition

MUMBAI, Aug 13, (RTRS): When it comes to Indian businesses, The Tata Group is the oldest and best-known: the conglomerate owns the luxury Jaguar car brand, it’s made the world’s cheapest car, and its chairman, 72-year-old Ratan Tata, oversees an empire that ranges from salt to software.
This month, Tata Group set another milestone: it became the first Indian family-run business to look beyond the family for a successor to Tata, who is due to retire by end-2012.
Tata has no apparent successor, leaving the business founded by his great-grandfather potentially vulnerable.
But his decision to look within the company, as well as abroad, will go some way in dispelling some of the negative notions of family firms in India, highlighted by the bitter five-year feud between the billionaire Ambani brothers.
“Change has taken a while; they’re evolving relatively slowly because business is seen as an emotional link between founders and their assets, and they tend to want to pass them on to the next generation,” said Frank Hancock, managing director of advisory at Barclays Capital and an India veteran.
The Ambani fued has been held up as an example of how blood ties can affect business: lack of succession planning, opacity, and erosion of shareholder value.

Dominated
These are perceptions India’s top family firms, which have dominated the country’s corporate landscape for over a century, are trying to shake off as they face more competition, tighter regulations, and a new generation of leaders takes the reins.
Business leaders and politicians tend to retire late in India. The chairman of family-owned conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra is 86 and has been at the helm since 1963. Prime Minister Manhoman Singh is 77, and his finance minister 74.
Analysts say the new crop of leaders, who grew up in post-reform India, are compelling proof of its growing confidence and ability as an emerging economic powerhouse.
Others say they are an unhappy reminder that family firms, which make up 13 of the 30 firms on Mumbai’s blue-chip stock exchange index, are still plagued by weak management and a lack of transparency that hamstring growth and dissuade investors.
In a Bain & Co survey on corporate governance in Indian firms, more than 75 percent of respondents said their board did not discuss CEO succession planning at all; fewer than a fifth had any formal or informal role in planning CEO succession.
“Succession is an issue. Obviously, you worry if someone is being put in place because of family ties rather than competence,” said Michiel van Voorst, senior portfolio manager at Robeco in Hong Kong, which has 30 million euros ($38.7 million) of a 700-million-euro fund invested in Indian firms.
“There is a risk factor. We’ve looked at some family-run companies in India and decided not to invest in them because of the additional layer of uncertainty,” he said.

India has a long history of entrepreneurial ambition driving sectors from steel to software, with Reliance Industries founder Dhirubhai Ambani and mobile tycoon Sunil Mittal representing hope to millions that even a school teacher’s son or a small business owner can achieve fame and fortune.
Until 1991, family-run businesses were protected by a “licence raj” that kept foreign firms out. Patriarchs ran their companies like private fiefdoms with little regulatory oversight, much like the politically connected tycoons of Southeast Asia.
In the old days, sons started at the family firm early, working their way through the ranks and waiting in the wings till the patriarch died, with the oldest son usually taking control.
Now, sons and daughters, armed with degrees from top business schools in the West and stints at multinationals, are striding into the boardroom early, confidently drawing up new strategies.
“The context today is very different, and kids also realise they have to earn the right to a seat on the board, that families can hire professional managers if they’re not interested,” said K. Ramachandran, a professor at the Indian School of Business.

Every heir has it different: 30-something Aditya Mittal, a Wharton school business graduate, worked at Credit Suisse before becoming head of mergers and acquisitions at Mittal Steel, where he was key to the 26-billion-euro takeover in 2006 of Arcelor.
He is now chief financial officer at ArcelorMittal, headed by his father, billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.
It is not all a cakewalk: India has a fair share of failed family businesses and heirs who ran firms into the ground. An admission of fraud last year by the chairman of Satyam Computer Services shook the deep-rooted faith in family-owned businesses.
As did the Ambani feud, which was peppered with lobbying, public outbursts and court fights that prompted a top judge to tell them to go back to their mother to settle their differences.
Others, including the Godrej Group and the Munjals of Hero Group, a joint venture partner of Honda Motor, have drawn up succession plans to avoid such a spectacle.
Infrastructure-focused GMR Group even has a forum for spouses to air grievances and spells out a clear role for professionals.

Differences
Others, like the Bajaj Group, still do it the old-fashioned way, hashing out differences over dinner at home, as they did recently when the third generation of owners fell out over succession and ownership of the group, one of India’s largest, with interests in autos, financial services and appliances.
“We were able to reach an amicable settlement. It took time, but we did it without involving merchant bankers or middlemen. It was just us,” said patriarch and chairman Rahul Bajaj.
Slowly, Indian firms are following the path of European and American firms of yore such as the Rothschilds, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, who relinquished management.
There are also a few rare instances of families selling out: apparel exporter Gokaldas sold to the Blackstone Group, and brothers Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, after years of running drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories, founded by their grandfather, sold out to Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo.
There will be more such instances, Barclays’ Hancock said.
“Cultural changes will lead to exits. The new generation is much less focused on the family business. They’re not necessarily beholden to daddy. They’re eager to strike out on their own.”
Still, there is some merit to having the family involved.
“They have more skin in the game because it’s their capital, their name and their children’s future at stake,” said Anjali Bansal, managing partner at consultancy Spencer Stuart India.
“There is value to having family in the business if they are the right people with the right skills for the right job.”
Change, they say, is the only constant in life and businesses are no exception. India’s growth story shows that those who embraced change post-1991 have not only survived but excelled. Those who resisted simply fell behind.

Monopoly
Take Bajaj Auto, scooter manufacturer, and Hindustan Motors, who make the Ambassador car. Both are family-owned; both enjoyed near monopoly on the domestic market before globalization. Those were the days of queues and a five-year wait for a Bajaj scooter. But economic liberalization brought in global players like Honda, TVS and Suzuki. The competition forced Bajaj to change tack and venture into the fast-growing motorcycle segment. It finally abandoned scooter-production, once the sum and substance of its identity. Today, Bajaj is India’s second largest two-wheeler maker, after Hero Honda.
Not so Hindustan Motors of the C K Birla Group, which continued to flog its old car model and eventually lost the race to newer, racier entrants.
Girish Vanvari, executive director of global consultancy firm KPMG, says family ownership can give a company the unique opportunity to be quick to adopt change and it is this that counts in a competitive, globalized environment. Vanvari cites the Malvinder-Shivinder Singh Group as an example.
The group was Ranbaxy’s original promoter but exited the family business. The Singhs sold their stakes in Ranbaxy to focus on healthcare, a manpower-dependent sector in which India is believed to have a natural advantage. The moral of the story? Decisions must be made on the basis of ìavailable opportunitiesî, not emotional attachment, says Vanvari.

Azim Premji is another worthy example. He decided to shift focus to software development even as his flagship family firm, Wipro Ltd, busily produced vegetable oil and electric gadgets. His decision transformed Wipro into a world-class software company.
Richard Rekhy, advisory head of KPMG in India says business success requires long-term strategic focus rather than a short-term, operational, result-driven approach. Indian family-owned businesses are doing well in the globalized environment, he says because they generally have the flexibility to adopt alternative strategies relatively quickly. Family management also makes for commitment and continuity.
Interestingly, a 2007 Citigroup report pointed out that investors place a premium on firms in which family insiders wield significant, but not absolute, control. So why have some family firms failed? Consultants, who refuse to be quoted on this, say it’s a mix of short-term strategies and get-rich-quick schemes. Groups such as the Modis and the Usha group of Vinai Rai flourished before the advent of globalization. They formed a number of joint ventures with foreign partners, but hardly any of them survive.

Source

Sunday, August 8, 2010

RDSO

Help for filling Online Vendor Registration Form

Help for filling Online Vendor Registration Form

Collect all the information mentioned below before filling Online “Application Form for Fresh Vendor Registration”

There are nine sections in the form

Each Section is described below

Section I

This section requires the selection of items for which Vendor desires to apply for Registration. First select “Directorate” of the item to be applied. In case you are not sure of the directorate or the items name, there is a help for Item / Directorate Search. Just type the first alphabet of the item, all the items will be displayed at the right corner of the screen. Select the items and press the “Search” Button.

Select the Item Name of the item along with sub Items related with the Item by putting the check in the check box.

Note: Only one Item Name along with its sub items can be selected with each Application form

Section II

This section requires General Details of the Vendor

Select the Directorate you want to apply for Registration

If you are New Vendor to RDSO select New Vendor button and fill the details

If you are already registered with RDSO select “Existing Vendor” all details from existing vendor directory and as you had earlier submitted to RDSO will be filled automatically.

Note: Please fill correct email ID and Mobile No as you shall be sent alert at every stage of Registration process.

All the Fields are mandatory.

Section III, IV, V, VI

These sections require the Factory Details, past performance data, ISO Certification details and Details of digital signature

Section VII

This section requires the documents in support to be uploaded along with online application form.

i QAP as per the standard format
ii Self compliance of the STR
iii Annexure to STR
iv Copy of ISO certificate
v Copy of Digital Certificate
vi Copy of latest Electricity bill
vii Copy of Factory license for SSI/NSIC
viii Copy of Ownership of the factory
ix Copy of the receipt of Bank about payment of charges through RTGS

Note: First arrange these documents on the PC from where the online application form is being filled. The documents can be scanned and can be attached in .doc, pdf, .jpeg, .gif, .png format

Section VIII

This section requires the RTGS details of the amount required for the registration process. Once this amount is verified by RDSO Finance then only your online form will be accepted for further processing.

Note: The Details of e-Payment to RDSO is available at the www.rdso.gov.in under “e-Payment to RDSO” menu on the main page.

Section IX

This section deals with “Declaration” by the vendor

The Form is filled and the vendor can recheck the details by going back.

Once the “Submit” button is pressed the data is submitted and reference ID is given to vendor for further correspondence.

Feel free to contact RDSO concerned directorate in case of any clarification.

Sh Arvind Kumar, mobile . No. 09794863269

Sh Anil Kumar, mobile no. 09794863070

Thank you.

Source

ISO 14000

The ISO 14000 Standards are a set of environmental standards designed by the International Organization for Standardization to assure that businesses are environmentally responsible. Implementing ISO 14000 Standards will more than likely benefit your business financially, and will help you assure that you are compliant with government environmental regulations.

Source

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

the ISO Catalogue

How to use the ISO Catalogue

The online ISO Standards listing integrates both the ISO Catalogue of published standards and the ISO Technical programme of standards under development. From within the listing, the user can choose to display, as required, Published standards and/or Standards under development and/or Withdrawn standards and/or Projects deleted.
By default, the ISO Standards listing presents the complete listing of Published standards AND Standards under development. The user chooses whether to access the listing By ICS (classified by subject in accordance with the International Classification for Standards) or By TC (sorted according to the ISO technical committee responsible for the preparation and/or maintenance of the standards).

International Standards and other deliverables

The terms International Standards and ISO standards used in these listings denote all standards-type documents, including guides, international standardized profiles, recommendations, technical reports, technical trends assessments, etc. The document type is indicated in its reference number. The following bibliographic information is given for each document:
Reference number - consists of a prefix, a serial number and the year of publication. The prefix will usually be "ISO" to indicate that the publication is an ISO International Standard.
The prefix ISO/IEC denotes a joint ISO and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) publication. ISO/IEC International Standards are most often developed by Joint ISO/IEC Technical Committee JTC 1. IEC International Standards with the prefix IEC, but which carry both the ISO and IEC logos, are also included in the catalogue. Such standards either belong to JTC 1, or have been developed in close cooperation with an ISO committee.
The following prefixes similarly denote joint international standards:
ISO/ASTM joint ISO and ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) International Standard
ISO/CIE: joint ISO and CIE (International Commission on Illumination) International Standard
ISO/HL7 joint ISO and HL7 (Health Level Seven) International Standard
ISO/IEEE: joint ISO and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) International Standard
ISO/OECD joint ISO and OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) International Standard
The prefix may also contain an indication of the type of document:
Amd. denotes an Amendment - a normative document, developed according to consensus procedures, approved according to the procedures relevant to the document being amended, and which changes the technical normative elements of that document.
Cor. denotes a Technical corrigendum - a document issued to correct a technical error or ambiguity in a normative document or to correct information that has become outdated, provided the modification has no effect on the technical normative elements of the document it corrects.
Guide - redefined as an informative document only. Previously ISO and ISO/IEC Guides were developed as either a document dealing with non-normative matters relating to international standardization or a normative document developed by a structure other than a TC/SC, e.g. a policy development committee. A number of such guides are still valid.
ISP denotes an International Standardized Profile - an internally agreed, harmonized document which identifies a standard or group of standards, together with options and parameters, necessary to perform a function or set of functions.
IWA denotes an International Workshop Agreement
PAS denotes a Publicly Available Specification
R denotes a Recommendation. This designation was used up to 1972, when ISO began to publish International Standards. Since then, as they have been revised, ISO recommendations have gradually been republished as International Standards. A very limited number of ISO recommendations still remain valid and available.
TR denotes a Technical Report
TS denotes a Technical Specification
TTA denotes a Technology Trends Assessment - a document published to respond to the need for global collaboration on standardization questions during the early stages of technical innovation and which gives the state of the art or trend in emerging fields. TTAs are typically the result of prestandardization work or research
The prefix is followed by a serial number which may include a part number, separated by a hyphen from the main number. The serial number of a published standard is followed by the year of publication separated from the serial number by a colon.
Title of the standard including, if relevant, the number and title of a specific part of the standard
Current stage - to allow the monitoring of a standard's development and life cycle in a systematic way, a four-digit stage code is used, which indicates the standard's current status. The current stage code is given for each standard or project. The code is linked to a stage code chart giving the explanation for each stage code.
TC/SC - Technical committee/subcommittee - refers to the ISO technical committee and subcommittee responsible for the development and maintenance of the standard. Certain documents are developed and maintained by other ISO organs or by other international organizations. A link leads to information about the committee or organization concerned.
Language - the official languages of ISO are English, French and Russian. ISO International Standards and standards-type documents published by the Central Secretariat are usually in separate (monolingual) English (en) and French (fr) editions and, less frequently, in Russian (ru). Some standards, especially those containing terminology, are published as a bilingual (any two of the official languages), or trilingual (English/French/Russian) edition. The ISO Central Secretariat also publishes certain official translations in non-official languages. To date, these include standards in Spanish (es) and Arabic (ar).
NOTE: It is possible for standards - and notably terminologies and vocabularies - to include some content in non-official languages. Where applicable, information on the non-official language content is usually given in the standard's abstract in the bibliographical data.
A number of International Standards developed by ISO technical committees require, with a view to their updating or implementation, a competent body which has the requisite infrastructure for ensuring they are used effectively. Information on these bodies, designated by ISO to serve as maintenance agencies or registration authorities, is accessed through the link Maintenance agencies and registration authorities.

Related information

Source

IAF

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION FORUM, INC.

IAF - Certified once, accepted everywhere

Accreditation reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited bodies are competent to carry out the work they undertake. Accreditation bodies which are members of IAF are required to operate at the highest standard and require the bodies they accredit to comply with appropriate international standards. Certificates issued by bodies accredited by members of the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) are relied upon all over the world because the MLA assures customers that the certificate is credible.

IAF NEWS


1. Expectations of Accreditation & Accredited Certification
This position paper has been prepared by the IAF User Advisory Committee. ...more

2. IAF Newsletter
Acts as a link between members of the accreditation community, as well as providing the means of communicating with stakeholders, and other partners. ...more

3. World Accreditation Day 2010
June 9th 2010 will mark World Accreditation Day, a global initiative jointly established by the IAF and ILAC to raise awareness of the importance of accreditation-related activities. ...more

4. IAF-ISO Joint Communiques - Expected Outcomes for Accredited Certification
IAF and ISO have released the following two joint Communiqués covering concise statements of outcomes that are to be expected as a result of accredited certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The intent is to promote a common focus throughout the entire ...more

5. ISO/CASCO eNewsletter
For the ISO/CASCO eNewsletter please click on the link on the entry page. ...more

6. Migration to ISO 9001:2008
...more

7. Certification Bodies given 2 years for transition to ISO/IEC 17021:2006
Certification bodies have been given a deadline of 15 September 2008 for implementing ISO/IEC 17021:2006, the new standard designed to increase confidence in management system certification. ...more

8. Help for Small Businesses to Implement ISO Management System Standards
...more

9. Problems with Cut Price Certification
Quick thinking is best defence against fraud ...more

10. Extract from the ENDS Report #364
...more

Source

Back

IAF News

Cut price certification

The following article appeared on the icWales website (see web link below) and is repeated here for the information of IAF members and associated organisations.

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0100news/tm_objectid=15578259&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=quick-thinking-is-best-defence-against-fraud-name_page.html

Quick-thinking is best defence against fraud - June 1 2005

Russell Lawson, Western Mail

HUNDREDS of examples of FSB members being targeted by fraudsters have been brought to our attention over the past few years.

Every month, our offices are inundated with reports of new scams _ some plain silly, some more sophisticated _ but all of them intending to con SMEs out of money.

Yet while there appear to be plenty of initiatives around to warn consumers of the dangers of doorstep callers and dodgy workmen, businesses are more likely to have to fend for themselves when it comes to spotting scams.

There is no doubt the Government has been making efforts to protect consumers. In February, the Office of Fair Trading launched Scams Awareness Month, stating that helping to spot tomorrow's scams "is the key to stopping fraudsters earning millions".

Joining forces with the Department of Trade and Industry, trading standards departments, Citizens' Advice, police, charities and neighbourhood watch schemes, the OFT distributed half-a-million leaflets and posters containing advice on how to recognise and avoid scams.

However, the FSB believes more should be done to protect SMEs falling prey to fraudsters. While the OFT now has the power to issue Stop Now Orders to those targeting individuals, a clause in the 2002 Enterprise Act excludes businesses and the self-employed.

The Federation is now calling for the OFT definition of consumers to be extended to include businesses and self-employed workers.

The aim behind Scams Awareness Month was to arm consumers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognise and report scams - but what about small firms?

Fraudsters are increasingly aware that small business owners must do two full-time jobs: run their firm and also comply with ever-increasing regulations and redtape.

More and more scams are targeted at small businesses but the OFT is unable to use Stop Now Orders to protect them from rogue traders.

We are calling on the Government to extend its definition of consumer to include small firms and for the OFT to use all the powers at its disposal to protect small businesses.

For example, concerns are growing about malpractice in ISO 9001 certification, with some firms offering "unaccredited" versions of the quality management qualification. Various accreditation firms are offering IS09001:2000 certification at a discounted price; however, some organisations will not accept certification that is not approved by the Government's United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

While UKAS believes the "vast majority" of the UK accreditation industry "does not lack integrity", it admits there is enough smoke to suggest fire and that some organisations "mix certification with the provision of consultancy in such a way as to undermine the independence of the consultancy service".

The problem is that some public bodies may not accept non-UKAS accredited certification, and many small businesses are not aware of this.

As from this month, the DTI's Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) will gain new powers, strengthening its ability to protect companies from fraud. These will enable investigators to enter business premises and stay there as long as necessary, while there will also be increased protection for anyone reporting a suspected scam.

Some 371 companies were wound up in the public interest in the last year, following statutory inquiries by the DTI's Companies Investigation Branch.

In around 10% of these cases, criminal proceedings were brought against the company concerned, with a number of directors being disqualified as a result.

While the CIB will clearly provide a valuable service to companies concerned they are being exposed to fraud, the DTI's Inspector of Companies says the service can only be effective if companies and their directors "play their part by supporting its efforts with their vigilance and caution".

They say that it is vital that company officers make a full and proper inquiry into those purchasing majority shareholdings, making loans to their companies, or if they are new suppliers.

They add that it is also vital to be cautious and sceptical about information on web sites or from cold-calling telesales staff.

Your imagination - even suspicion - and that of your colleagues, coupled with quick thinking, can often be more effective against the scamster than any investigation conducted after the event.

Russell Lawson is spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses Wales

Back

....
Joint IAF-ISO Communiqué
Migration to ISO 17021:2006 and
end of accreditation to ISO/IEC Guide 62:1996 and ISO/IEC
Guide 66:1999
The International Accreditation Forum (IAF), in consultation with the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), have set the date for implementation of ISO/IEC
17021 as 15 September 2008.
ISO/IEC 17021 contains principles and requirements for competence and impartiality of the
audit and certification of management systems of all types, including quality management
systems (QMS) and environmental management systems (EMS) and for the bodies providing
these activities.
ISO/IEC 17021:2006 supersedes and replaces ISO/IEC Guide 62:1996 and ISO/IEC Guide
66:1996. It is also written to apply to management systems of all types whereas ISO/IEC
Guide 62 was for QMS Certification Bodies (CBs) only, and ISO/IEC Guide 66 was for EMS
CBs only. Examples of new types of management systems for which ISO/IEC 17021 will
also apply include ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management systems and ISO
22000 for food safety systems. ISO/IEC 17021 also incorporates most relevant and
applicable IAF guidance. ISO/IEC 17021 also provides the option for a CB to have a quality
management system based on ISO 9001:2000 and to have conformance verified by
accreditation bodies.
In setting this transition period of 2 years from the publication date of ISO/IEC 17021, IAF
and ISO have taken into account the following matters:
• Transition to ISO/IEC 17021 may require translations, changes to procedures, contracts,
committees and other arrangements which will take time; and
• The identification by Certification Bodies of differences and the preparation of a transition
plan to determine both the changes to their own QMS and the time frame required to
execute them.
The IAF Transition Plan for ISO/IEC 17021 Accreditation from ISO/IEC Guide 62 and
ISO/OIEC Guide 66, is currently being circulated for the approval of IAF Members

Source

USEFUL LINKS

Related Bodies

International Organisations

Other links of interest

ISO 9000 BASICS

Related information

Related standards

ISO 14001:2004
Environmental management systems -- Requirements with guidance for use
ISO 9001:2008
Quality management systems -- Requirements

More standards

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ISO 9000 - its good funn

Writing Your ISO9001:2008 Documentation? KISS!

June 22nd, 2010

There’s no need for your ISO9001:2008 quality system documentation to be overly complex. The more complicated you make it, the harder it is to follow, and the less your people will want to do it. So why do people insist on lengthly, complex documents?

Posted in Comments, From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Writing a Corrective Action Request to a Vendor

June 17th, 2010

Corrective action requests are not limited to your internal operations. You can issue them to suppliers as well. But there are things to consider when sending a vendor corrective action request.

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog, QMS Benefits | No Comments »

What If Governments Followed ISO9001:2008?

June 8th, 2010

Companies follow ISO9001:2008 in order to reduce mistakes, improve themselves, and improve the bottom line. What if governements followed ISO9001:2008?

Posted in Comments, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Your ISO9001:2008 quality system: A real effort at improving, or the bare minimum?

May 20th, 2010

Do you have ISO9001:2008? Does your company genuinely want to improve? Or do you do the bare minimum needed to keep your certificate?

Posted in Comments, From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 2 Comments »

Quality system consultant available

May 13th, 2010

Are you thinking about getting registered to ISO9001-2008? Want someone to help you with documentation, training, internal audits, and guiding you through the process?

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Say What You Do, Do What You Say…what does it mean to ISO9001-2008?

March 25th, 2010

Have you ever heard the phrase “say what you do, do what you say”? Is this a good idea?

Posted in Comments | 1 Comment »

ISO9001-2008 Helps Auto Dealer Get Paid!

March 18th, 2010

Fitzgerald Auto Malls successfully implemented an ISO9001 quality management system, and it has paid off for them.
Last summer, during the “Cash For Clunkers” program, there were reports that some auto dealers were not being paid by the federal government. Fitzgerald Auto Malls used their ISO9001 system to develop work instructions for their employees as [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog, QMS Benefits | No Comments »

Why having ISO9001:2008 is more important than ever

February 18th, 2010

In our crappy economy, you might think having an ISO9001:2008 quality management system is a frivolous expense. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s why you NEED an ISO9001 quality system NOW!

Posted in Comments, From the Trenches, ISO9001:2000 blog, QMS Benefits | 1 Comment »

Why the very first ISO9001-2008 audit is the easiest you’ll ever have.

January 15th, 2010

You might think your first ISO9001-2008 audit will be your hardest. While the preparation may take a long time, in some ways this will be your easiest audit.

Posted in Comments, From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Jitters about first ISO9001:2008 registration audit

December 30th, 2009

Have you gone through your first ISO9001:2008 registration audit? How nervous were you? How did you do? Was the nervousness justified?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Differences between ISO9001:2000 and ISO9001:2008

November 27th, 2009

Is your quality system ready for the latest revision of the ISO9001 quality system standard?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Have a quality Thanksgiving!

November 25th, 2009

We wish everyone (in the US and Canada, at least!) a happy, quality filled Thanksgiving Day holiday. We give thanks for all the great people we get to work with, and for family and friends who have always been there for us.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

My biggest pet peeve regarding ISO9001:2008

October 17th, 2009

Probably the most annoying part of being an ISO9001:2008 consultant is trying to deal with employees who are perfectly competent, but have no interest in participating in the quality system.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

ISO9001:2008 clause 7.5.3 how do you identify your products?

October 15th, 2009

ISO9001:2008 clause 7.5.3 requires us to identify products throughout the production process. There are many ways to do this, some not so obvious. How do you do it?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

How much can you tailor ISO9001:2008 to your company?

September 22nd, 2009

One of the beautiful features of the ISO9001:2008 quality standard is that it gives users a lot of leeway in how to structure your quality system. But there’s a limit to how far you can go.

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

How ISO9001:2008 can make you a better motorcycle rider

January 18th, 2009

The principles of ISO9001:2008 can apply to things you might not consider. Like motorcycle road racing. Huh?

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Why I think Santa Claus uses ISO9001-2008

December 19th, 2008

Does Santa Claus follow ISO9001-2008? We think so. Here are some reasons why.

Posted in ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

More on how to write your ISO9001-2008 Quality Objectives

December 12th, 2008

Felix writes: “Greetings, can you please send details about Quality Objectives explanation, including how to create Quality Objectives (Referring Quality Policy), how to link with Quality Policy, how to achieve Quality Objectives (With example). If not meeting the requirement how to close. Can you please provide all with examples.”
Here’s a stab at [...]

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Tips on how to be an effective internal auditor in ISO9001:2008

October 22nd, 2008

OK, this is it….this is officially the first time I’ve used the term ISO9001:2008 in a blog post. We all have to get used to it eventually, so I thought I’d try it out. Not so painful after all.
The ISO gods have blessed us with a revised quality standard that’s really not so [...]

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Information on ISO9001:2008 – its almost here!

September 10th, 2008

The ISO9001:2008 revision is almost here. Will you have to rewrite your manual? Inquiring minds want to know.

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 4 Comments »

Apply ISO9001-2000 to your daily life!

August 6th, 2008

Ever wonder if you can take ISO9001-2000 out of the office and into daily life? Not as crazy as you might think.

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So you’ve got your new ISO9001:2000 certificate. Now what?

July 4th, 2008

Hooray! You’ve just passed your first ISO9001:2000 registration audit. Now what do you do?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Using outside companies as part of your Production Process in ISO9001:2000

May 15th, 2008

In an ISO9001:2000 quality management system, is it OK to use an outside company as part of your production process?

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How many Corrective Action Requests are enough in ISO9001:2000?

May 5th, 2008

Ok, you’ve got your ISO9001:2000 quality management system in place. You know you’ve got to write up corrective actions, right? But you would really rather not, right? OK, so to satisfy the auditor at the next audit, how many corrective actions should you do?

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Notes on ISO9001:2000 Management Review

April 21st, 2008

Management review meetings are a necessary part of your ISO9001:2000 quality management system. But are they a complete waste of time? What can you do to keep them short and effective?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

ISO9001:2000: Is An Easy Auditor a Good Thing?

April 5th, 2008

Working as an ISO9001:2000 consultant, I’ve seen all manner of auditors. Tough ones can make life very difficult. Easy ones are much more pleasant to work with. But is there a point where an auditor can be “too easy”?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog, QMS Benefits | 2 Comments »

ISO9001:2000 FAQ’s Part 2

March 9th, 2008

How long will it take us to get our ISO9001:2000 accreditation?
This is a really tough question, kind of like asking “how long will it take us to get our company organized?”. It all depends, and on several factors.
It depends on things like:
The size of your organization
The quantity and complexity of your processes
[...]

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ISO9001:2000 Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s part 1

February 18th, 2008

ISO9001:2000 FAQ’s – Frequently Asked Questions. What is ISO9001? Does it apply to my company? Why would I want to get certified? What will it cost me?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

To Calibrate or Not to Calibrate Devices in ISO9001:2000

February 4th, 2008

What devices do you use to make measurements in your processes? Do you keep gauges around that aren’t calibrated? If so, why? What value is there in keeping “reference only” measuring devices on hand?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 2 Comments »

Preventive Action Request- Ambiguous? Ever done one?

January 26th, 2008

One of the six required procedures in an ISO9001:2000 quality system is regarding preventive action requests. You gotta have a procedure, but have you ever done a preventive action request? Ever seen one? Would you know one if it hit you in your face?

Posted in General quality system | 6 Comments »

ISO9001:2000 section 5.5 Responsibility, Authority, Communication

January 6th, 2008

The ISO9001:2000 quality standard requires that appropriate communication processes are established and documented, and that you’re actually communicating within your organization regarding the effectiveness of the quality system. How are you going to do this?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Do you post ISO9001:2000 related signs around your office?

December 24th, 2007

Do you post signs around your building stating your company’s quality policy, as written in your ISO9001:2000 quality system manual? Do you think this is a good idea, or a complete waste of time?

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Who is the best management representative to your ISO9001:2000 quality system?

December 11th, 2007

You’ve got to decide who’s going to be the management representative to your ISO9001:2000 quality management system. Your choice here can make or break the success of your quality system? Who’s the best choice?

Posted in ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

How to satisfy section 8.4 Analysis of Data in ISO9001:2000

November 26th, 2007

How do you deal with ISO9001:2000 section 8.4? What kind of data must you gather and analyze? This is the one area of ISO that is probably the most confusing to people trying to implement a new quality management system.

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 4 Comments »

In an ISO9001:2000 quality system, how do you write work instructions?

November 12th, 2007

How should you write your work instructions? Is there a standard format? Are work instructions a requirement of your ISO9001:2000 quality management system?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

The 21 records required by ISO9001:2000

November 1st, 2007

For those about to implement an ISO9001:2000 quality management system, here’s a handy little list of the 21 records required by the standard.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

How do you get people to cooperate with ISO9001:2000?

October 22nd, 2007

You’re trying to implement an ISO9001:2000 quality system. You can’t do it alone. How do you get others in the organization to get on board? Whips? Threats? Cursing? If these sound good to you, you need to read this.

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Management Responsibility in an ISO9001:2000 Quality Management System

October 1st, 2007

What, exactly, is your top management responsible for in your ISO9001:2000 quality management system? Clue: its not just writing a check to pay for the audit.

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Review of product requirements in an ISO9001:2000 Quality Management System

September 25th, 2007

The ISO9001:2000 quality standard says that you must review product requirements prior to your organization commiting to supply the product to your customer. Different companies handle this in wildly different ways, it all depends on what kind of company you are, and what your product is.
For some companies this is easy. You get [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Control of Monitoring and Measuring Devices in an ISO9001:2000 Quality Management System

September 18th, 2007

Do you have measuring devices as part of your quality control system? Ever wonder how you need to control them if you want to get ISO9001:2000 registered?

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Does Your Company Take Its Quality Policy Seriously?

September 11th, 2007

ISO9001:2000 section 4.2 states the requirement to have a documented quality policy. Cynical people might look at the quality policy as a bunch of horse dung. And lord knows I’ve seen quite a few companies that don’t take any part of their quality system seriously. So its not surprising that some folks [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

Control of Nonconforming Product in an ISO9001:2000 Quality

September 5th, 2007

What is nonconforming product? Do you really have to deal with it? How would YOU deal with it?

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog, Uncategorized | No Comments »

How to live with ISO9001:2000 when customer requirements are poorly defined?

August 27th, 2007

How can you meet the requirements of ISO9001:2000 Section 7.2 when your customer gives you poor product requirements?

Posted in From the Trenches, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Thinking of “buying” your ISO9001:2000 quality manual and procedures?

August 21st, 2007

Numerous websites are out there claiming you can fork over your hard earned cash….or credit card number….and receive a ready-to-roll, plug-and-play ISO9001:2000 quality management system. Nothing could be further from the truth. Do such websites offer anything of value? Probably they do. But don’t think you’re getting off without having to do any work on your own.

Posted in From the Trenches, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Should you buy an ISO9001:2000 quality manual on the internet?

August 13th, 2007

Thinking about doing ISO9000 yourself? Ever wonder if you should buy one of those do-it-yourself manuals online? Read more here.

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 1 Comment »

What is Product Realization in an ISO9001:2000 quality system?

August 7th, 2007

One of the somewhat nebulous and confusing terms in ISO is “product realization”. It took me a while to understand this concept, and I know I’m not alone. The reality is that it is an extremely simple concept.
Product Realization is simply realizing your product. OK, maybe that’s a little too simple.
Here is [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

Root analysis for someone who makes repeated mistakes

August 1st, 2007

One question that I’ve struggled with over the years…and still struggle with…is how to properly address the problem of an employee who makes the same mistake over and over. Sure, in the magical fairy tale land of ISO9001:2000, it’s easy to blame it on “insufficient training” and be done with it. But there [...]

Posted in From the Trenches, General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | 2 Comments »

When is the next revision to the ISO 9001 quality standard?

August 1st, 2007

According to reliable sources, it looks like ISO9001:2009 will be the next revision. The ISO Quality Standard has been undergoing much debate over how much to change it, and what kind of changes to make. There was a lot of speculation that 2008 would be the year, but it has been delayed until, [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

ISO9001:2000 Registration

July 26th, 2007

Here are some useful tips on what you and your organization should do, and NOT do, during your ISO9001:2000 registration audit:
1. Make sure everyone has been trained and knows as much as possible about what their areas of responsibility.
2. Don’t lie.
3. If you don’t know the answer to a question, tell the [...]

Posted in General quality system, ISO9001:2000 blog | No Comments »

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Manufacturer's Responsibility

Responsibility of manufacturers

The CE marking must be affixed by the manufacturer or his agent established within the Community. The manufacturer bears ultimate responsibility for the conformity of the product.

Conformity assessment relates to the design and production phases of the product. Depending on the conformity assessment procedures applied, a notified body may be involved in these two phases. If the notified body is involved in the production control phase, its identification number will follow the CE marking.

If a product falls within the scope of a directive that provides for the CE marking, this should be affixed: